A Stunning Homage: The Eagle Speedster
Coincidence or not, the release of the Eagle Speedster in the year of the 50th anniversary of the legendary Jaguar E-Type’s debut is entirely appropriate. A car buff’s fantasy of an E-Type with modern running gear, the Speedster takes the classic shape unaltered, tidies up the details of the styling, adds modern power and suspension and prices it into the stratosphere, in the process creating nearly the sensation in the automotive world the original did.
Offered at an eye-watering $780,000 apiece, each Speedster is handbuilt and utterly flawless, qualities which at least partially justify the price. Performance is on par with modern sports cars as well, thanks to the car’s light 2,200 lb weight and torquey, 4.7l, 330 hp straight six. The claimed 0-60 time is around 5 seconds, but then, driving the Speedster isn’t really about raw numbers; it’s about the experience. It’s a delicate balancing act—How to keep enough of the classic car without making it feel old and fragile, and introduce enough modernity without completely bulldozing the classic patina that gives the car its character? If Jeremy Clarkson, in the review after the jump, is to be taken at his word (and there’s no reason not to), it would appear Eagle has pulled it off in spades:
There has been a bit of a retro theme with many car makers over the past few years. And why not? Personally I’d love to own a classic (on the outside) with all the modern amenities (on the inside). I think it’s a great idea…if a little pricey. And what better car to revamp than the old E-Type. It really is a stunning car. Seems like they were able to capture the essence of the original even every piece has been changed, which can sometimes be a tricky thing to do.
Great clip. I can’t wait to see the new season…