The Eagle Lightweight GTR was conceived as the answer to the question, ‘How can we make something lighter but offer even more?’
Channelling the spirit of Jaguar’s iconic lightweight E-Types of the 1960s, of which only a dozen were built in period, the Lightweight GTR was designed to bring Eagle’s Lightweight GT closer to the uncompromising racing heritage of the original.
For this one-of-a-kind model, the British brand has re-sculpted the bodywork, including lowering the roofline, to lend it a more purposeful stance. The Lightweight GTR’s sheet metal wraps around an all-aluminium 4.7-litre inline-six, which features a wide-angle head, triple Weber carburettors, and titanium con-rods — the latter raising peak revs by 500 r/min to allow the driver to exploit the powertrain’s distinctive power band through gear changes. The five-speed manual transmission’s casings are fashioned from magnesium, while the exhaust system is crafted from Inconel, a nickel-chromium-based superalloy, and titanium.
Tipping the scales at just 930 kg (dry), the Lightweight GTR is over 30% lighter than a “standard” E-Type Roadster. As a result, while the Sussex firm has yet to reveal how much power the upgraded powertrain produces, Eagle has stated the Lightweight GTR has a power to weight ratio in excess of 320 kW/tonne.
The Lightweight GTR also sports revised independent suspension, including adjustable Öhlins dampers. Stopping power is provided by a carbon-ceramic braking system, replete with servo-assisted AP Racing callipers.
“Today’s performance cars are getting increasingly big and heavy, relying on advanced electronics to disguise the mass. I’m not sure those cars will age very well, so I commissioned Eagle to build me the antithesis: a car that is as light as possible without sacrificing comfort, devoid of screens or other electronics. With incredible performance, long-distance comfort and timeless beauty, I couldn’t be happier with the result,” said the commissioning client.
