The ultimate 60’s roadster. Timeless elegance meets V12 fury!
Geneva
JAGUAR E TYPE
CLIENT NEEDS
Create the ultimate E-Type.
Start with a series 3 roadster for cabin space reasons, retain the V12 and create a truly stunning roadster, as happy cruising the Corniches as it is the Cornish coastline.
Modern tech is a must. A show-stopper with the ‘go’ to match!
OUR SOLUTION
A full CAD model of the proposed exterior design was constructed before using this to generate patterns and bucks to allow us to form the revised rear end in steel.
For weight saving and to allow us to create a more pleasing under-structure, the bonnet was moulded from carbon fibre, in two pieces, themselves cleverly incorporating a cold air feed to the bespoke filteration and induction plenums we designed specifically for this project.
Bosch fly-by-wire throttles are on air metering duties for the 6.8 litre V12 which ECU Master electronics keep everything in check.
KEY FACTS
- Re-imagined bodywork in steel
- Carbon bonnet
- 450bhp drive-by-wire 6.8L V12
- Servo controlled air conditioning
- Hidden 9″ Navigation screen
THINKING OF STARTING A PROJECT? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS...For anyone with a passion for Jaguar, motorsport, or the golden era of the British motor industry—from the 1950s through to the late 1960s—the name Norman Dewis is sure to raise a wry smile and a nod of recognition.
As it should. Dewis, an RAF veteran of the Second World War, became Jaguar’s principal test driver and played a pivotal role in the development of the company’s most important post-war models. His influence helped shape icons such as the Jaguar D-Type, Jaguar Mark 2, Jaguar E-Type, and later the Jaguar XJS—cars that cemented Jaguar’s reputation as Britain’s answer to the great European manufacturers.
In short, if you’ve ever admired a classic Coventry creation, you owe a small but significant debt to this unassuming yet immensely talented individual.
With that in mind, our latest Jaguar project pays homage to Dewis himself—a man who did more than most to shape Jaguar’s success from the 1950s through to his (semi) retirement in the mid-1980s. It was Dewis who famously drove through the night to ensure a second E-Type (registration “77 RW”) was available for the press at the car’s public debut at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show. It is from this legendary feat that our project takes its name: Project Geneva.
At its heart lies the legendary Jaguar E-Type, one of the most instantly recognisable silhouettes in automotive history, and a cultural icon whose influence continues to resonate decades after its launch. It is therefore the perfect candidate for a Retropower restomod interpretation.
At the time of writing, Project Geneva is at a critical stage: the dry build. This is a highly involved restomod with extensive modifications to both bodywork and interior. We are also incorporating advanced materials throughout, including a carbon fibre front end for the E-Type’s complex clamshell bonnet assembly, alongside a custom, hand-formed aluminium rear section, crafted with the expertise of Andy at Vintage Machines.
Mechanically, the heart of the project is a rebuilt version of Jaguar’s legendary V12 engine, now updated with modern fuel delivery and control via Jenvey throttle bodies and advanced aftermarket engine management. The engine is steadily taking shape and will be fully assembled and installed once the body shell has been primed and painted.
As always, we’ll continue to share progress as Project Geneva evolves, so stay tuned via our social media channels and YouTube for the latest updates from the workshop. We’d also like to highlight one video in particular as being especially informative, this one, in which George and Luke – the CAD Den – give a detailed breakdown of their changes, both digital and in the form of in-house 3D printed prototype.
