When it comes to classic cars, there are restorations, and then there are elevations. U.K.-based Eagle has been working its magic on the Jaguar E-Type for several years now, paying tribute to the iconic sports car by making it better than it ever was from the factory.
The Eagle Speedster and Low Drag GT coupe have garnered heaps of praise from the likes of Top Gear, and now Eagle is introducing a third model for its “trilogy.” The Eagle Spyder GT is arguably the most practical of the three, although practicality is a relative term when it comes to expensive, hand-built cars based on 50-year-old designs.
Unlike the Speedster, the Spyder GT is a proper convertible, with a folding top and everything. It would be a shame to ever take this car out in the rain, though. As with the Speedster and Low Drag GT, Eagle starts with an actual E-Type chassis, but virtually everything else is changed. The all-aluminum body retains the E-Type’s peerless lines, but is also completely different in every detail.
Eagle’s work also includes mechanical upgrades that help give its cars performance to match their looks. Each car is also built to its customer’s specifications, so it’s unlikely that any two will be exactly alike. That, along with a limited production run, ensures the Spyder GT will be an instant collectible. Aesthetically, it’s a work of art, except it’s a little more difficult to fit in a living room than a painting.
The Eagle E-Types belong to a growing cadre of high-end restomods. Cars like the E-Types, Icon’s Toyota Land Cruisers, and the Singer Porsche 911s aren’t just old cars upgraded with modern touches. They’re incredibly complex builds that use the original models as a jumping off point for fabricators’ self expression. The results are some impressive old cars that are as desirable to some car fans as the latest Ferrari or Lamborghini.
The first Eagle Spyder GT will be delivered this summer. Eagle won’t discuss pricing, but given that it already asks 650,000 pounds ($928,000) for the Speedster, expect customers to pay quite a lot.
