The custom vehicle designer attempts to modernize the timeless lines of this classic Jaguar.
Although beauty is subjective, there's no denying the fact that the Jaguar E-Type is one of the most beautifully designed cars of all time, but that didn't stop designer Chip Foose from taking a crack at giving this legendary coupe more of a hotrod look. We're split on the episodes we've seen so far with Foose transforming the first-gen Bronco into an International Scout knockoff but he did manage to improve the C5 Corvette, so we definitely wanted to see what he had in store – good or bad – for the E-Type Coupe.
Focusing on the coupe body style, Foose starts by lowering the rocker panel and giving the A-pillar a shallower rake that angles more toward the front wheels. He also lowered the roof line, added a sleeker shape to the side window openings and put side louvers on the long, forward-hinged hood, but he kept the car's iconic Coke-bottle lines and fast back rear hatch untouched. Foose's "lean and stylized" E-Type ends up looking like a stretched-out Porsche 911, but such a modernized E-Type design might look really good applied to a custom F-Type – similar to what the Corvette Commemorative Edition was back in 2002.
Even though we're not in love with the final result, it's always fun to watch an artist showing off their craft. Interestingly, Foose says that his approach for designing a custom car doesn't change whether he's working on a classic Camaro, '32 Ford or even the E-Type.
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