Introducing the Helm E-Type Roadster
Originally released in 1961, the Series 1 Jaguar E-type is one of the most recognisable and loved cars in automotive history, with even Enzo Ferrari describing it as ‘the most beautiful car ever made.’ This is why the announcement of Helm’s latest E-type - the Roadster - is such a welcome sight in a world full of block shaped, unimaginative modern SUVs. Car number two in a strictly limited edition of just 20 is the result of over 6,000 man hours of work.
Helm is the brainchild of renowned restoration specialist Chedeen Battick, who boasts over a decade’s worth of experience restoring E-types and is now producing E-types to the exact specification of owners. For the second of Helm’s E-types, this time the company has worked closely with the esteemed leather manufacturer of 30 years, Bill Amberg, to enhance Malcolm Sayer’s famously designed car with the production of bespoke leather interiors. The combination of an elevated driving experience and contemporary luxury aims to preserve the E-type for the next generation.
Over 60 years since the original E-type was released, the huge leaps in technology and techniques, from 3D printing to LCD displays and parking sensor technology, mean that it can now be better than ever before. Soft close doors, bespoke inertia seatbelts and upgrades in paint and metalwork bring the E-type to the model age and preserve it for years to come. Rather than simply admiring it at a stand still, the car can be used as it was always intended - to be driven.
Battick remarked on the build: “I wanted to create the ultimate E-type: remaining sensitive to its history, but ensuring the drive, build and performance is as good as it can possibly be, using the finest materials and British craftsmanship combined with the finest standards of modern engineering, instilling a feeling of love, care and attention to detail within each component.”
When it came to the bespoke interior, Amberg used a combination of the finest suede and leathers previously used only in luxury residential interiors. The Roadster also comes complete with its own set of Bill Amberg-manufactured luggage, perfect for the weekend trips this car was designed to take.
‘Bill is a real car enthusiast,’ says Chedeen Battick. ‘He has a passionate opinion on what a classic car should look like, so this project has been a developing partnership. Bill’s aesthetic: luxury but understated, modern but classic, demonstrating the expertise of traditional British craftwork, perfectly matches our own at Helm.’
Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: HELM Motorcars