Woodham Mortimer WM Sport GT: The ultimate E-Type?

P eter Haynes has only been managing director for a few weeks by Woodham Mortimer, a classic car dealer, restorer and motorsport company that is steeped in tradition and specializes in historic Jaguar models. However, that doesn't stop him from extolling his company's latest work in big words. “This car is the ultimate street legal E-Type,” says Haynes. “We invested thousands of hours of love and attention to create it.”

A little wider and much stronger than the original

Empty phrases? Rather not. A glance at the photos shows that the British have modernized and optimized the classic sports car with great sensitivity. Of course, the WM Sport GT is sturdier than an original E-Type, but without completely throwing the gracefulness of the sixties coupé overboard. The most conspicuous visual innovations in addition to some chrome parts and the LED lighting are the widened fenders with which the WM Sport GT is supposed to achieve the dimensions of earlier racing E-types. The new wheels with wing nuts, racing rims in Dunlop motorsport style, measure 7x15 inches at the front and 8x15 inches at the rear and are encased in Avon tires of size 215/60 R15 (front) and 245/60 R15 at the rear.

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Woodham Mortimer has the original six-wheeler of the Jaguar E-Type for the WM Sport GT drilled from 4.2 to 4.7 liters.

Woodham Mortimer has also greased the technology of the Jaguar E-Type. First and foremost, of course, the engine. “Nobody has ever extracted that much power from these engines,” claims Peter Haynes. In fact, the manager callsimpressive data. The straight-six, derived from the original engine, should now produce 406 hp and a maximum of 542 Nm. The main reason for this is the new cylinder head, with which the displacement increases from 4.2 to 4.7 liters. Three Weber twin carburettors take care of the mixture preparation. The modern cooling system should meet the highest demands.

Almost everything new on the inside of the E-Type

The engine gives its power via a manual five-speed gearbox that was developed by Woodham Mortimer himself , and a Powerlock limited-slip differential installed there to the rear axle. The British designed the gearshift exactly according to the specifications and in the size of the original gearbox, which is why the chassis did not have to be modified. The vacuum pump for the servo system is also hidden in an original part of the E-Type.

Also new are the wheel suspension, the coilover kit, the stabilizers from motorsport and the new disc brake system with six-piston calipers the front and four-piston counterparts on the rear axle. A white, ceramic-coated manifold forwards the exhaust gases to the specially made sports exhaust with polished tailpipes. A larger fuel tank finally makes the WM Sport GT suitable for long journeys.

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The WM Sport GT is subtly wider than the E-Type.

The WM Sport GT retains the chassis number of the E-Type

On the inside, Woodham Mortimer does not leave it to a pure restoration either. The seats naturally have new leather and Alcantara covers; But they are also newly shaped so that they offer more lateral support and support for the back. Woodham Mortimer has also repositioned the pedals to give the driver a more comfortable seating position. And new automatic seat belts and heated windows at the front and rear ensure more safety. There is also a different steering wheel, specially made door panels and a new storage compartment on the floor.

Since the Jaguar E-Type was one of the first car classics to be hit by the Restomod wave, we know: The optimized ones New editions of the cult athlete cost a lot of money.The WM Sport GT, which incidentally retains the original chassis number and therefore still has matching numbers, is no exception: Depending on the version and equipment, Woodham Mortimer charges between 330,000 and 350,000 pounds (around 365,000 to 387,000 euros) for a copy of the - as Peter Haynes calls him - 'ultimate E-types'.