Where tradition meets innovation, something special happens. That is what we witnessed when ECD Automotive Design unveiled its first-ever Jaguar E-Type GTO. Not a restoration or a tribute, but an interpretation of a legend, this one-off vehicle is a hand-crafted vision of what the E-Type could have been had its motorsport heritage been taken to the limit.
It is bold. It is bespoke. And it just might be the most beautiful sports car never built by Jaguar.
A Grand Touring Dream Born Out of History
Dubbed the Jaguar E-Type GTO, this car combines the elegance of traditional British driving and the ferocity and technology of the racing cars of the 1960s onto the roads. Drawing inspiration from retro homologation specials, ECD didn't just restore an E-Type they built a completely new archetype.
In ECD terminology, GTO means Grand Touring Open. This bespoke drop-top combines open-air freedom with track-honed accuracy. It's neither a restomod nor a replica. It's a retrograde love letter to Jaguar's heyday, crafted for the discerning driver who holds heritage and pace in equal regard.
This is the Jaguar GTO that never existed but always should have," declared Scott Wallace, Co-Founder and CEO of ECD. "The Bridgewater Commission asked us to see beyond restoration and create something entirely new. We weren't paying homage to Jaguar's legacy we were building it.".
From Coventry to Florida with Passion in Every Panel
The sculpted aluminum body of the automobile was hand-formed in Coventry, England Jaguar's historic home by expert metal shapers using conventional techniques. Its long-nose bonnet, tapering tail and aerodynamically efficient louvers impart the silhouette the appearance of the classic Series I E-Type and the competition-tuned D-Type.
ECD then transported that rolling sculpture to Florida and commenced what can only be termed an act of automotive art. They lowered the classic bodywork over a custom-tuned Series II chassis, installed a modified cradle and axle assembly and brought new life to the heart of the machine with a rebuilt CJ-tuned Jaguar V12 from Team CJ of Austin, Texas.
With over 400 horsepower, advanced fuel injection, a cutting-edge cooling system and a hand-crafted center-exit twin-pipe exhaust, this big tourer is every bit a performance car as it is a rolling work of art.
A Combination of Three Generations in Perfect Harmony
Most amazing about the E-Type GTO is the manner in which it takes several generations of Jaguar technology and blends them into one. The body is Series I, the chassis Series II, and the engine Series III. And they all cooperate beautifully, smoothly, remorselessly.
This vehicle stretched the boundaries of what is possible by combining three generations of E-Type design," added Elliot Humble, ECD Chief Technical Officer. "Series I body, Series II chassis, Series III power each element was revisited, optimised and re-engineered to co-exist in harmony.".
But not only a technological breakthrough, the final product was a reward. When they deployed it for the first time, they realized that they had created something the world had never seen and maybe would never see again. Handiwork That's Like a Time Machine
Step inside the cabin and you're transported back to the days when every surface was designed to be touched and every toggle switch beckoned to be explored. The interior is covered in GTS Classic Car Seats in hand-stitched Spinneybeck Lucente Hercules leather. The appearance is vertically fluted and classically sculpted.
Brushed aluminum trims the dashboard, where retro Moal Bomber gauges and handcrafted switches deliver the tactile excitement of sports cars of the 1960s. And yet embedded in that analog intimacy are subtle assurances of modern luxury. Bluetooth. Heated seats. USB charging. Auto headlamps.
And with a burst of styling flair, a detachable hardtop was especially ordered, providing the choice to either finish a fully open-top grand tour or to enjoy the luxury of an enclosed cockpit depending on the destination or the mood.
Performance Meets Prestige on Every Inch of the Road
From its 15-inch handcrafted Turrino wire wheels shod in Pirelli tires to its quick-ratio steering rack and adaptive suspension, the E-Type GTO is built for precision. Its stopping power comes courtesy of 6-piston front and 4-piston rear brake calipers. And while the engine roars with the heart of old British motorsport, the drivability is crisp, responsive and thoroughly up-to-date.
As Forbes car writer Peter Nelson wrote in a June 2025 rave review, "In a word, it was heaven. This thing had drivability and thrill two qualities that are usually in conflict in old sports car movies in spades."
Constructed Once for a Collector but Belonged to Several
Commissioned from a private owner on behalf of whom ECD describes as the Bridgewater Commission, the E-Type GTO is a single example. It can be a unique one-off. But its impact and the debate it has triggered goes much further than that.
In a world saturated with digital supercars and luxury SUVs, this handcrafted Jaguar is bold enough to be different. A reminder that luxury is not screens or size. Luxury is soul. Vision. Detail.
The Future of Coachbuilding Resides in the Past
ECD Automotive Design has taught us something important with the E-Type GTO. That the future of high-performance luxury is not necessarily in emulating the past but in finishing it. In envisioning what might have been and making it happen.
From Coventry to Florida to the open road, this vehicle is more than craftsmanship. It is a philosophy. A belief that old metal and new minds can make something timeless. And for those privileged to witness it in life or hear that tuned V12 reverberate through the hills, one thing is certain this is not merely a car. It is a tale written in horsepower, leather and love.
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