One of the most important Jaguars ever built is finally back to its former glory – after a four-year, 7000-hour restoration. The world’s only factory low-drag lightweight E-type has been put back together by the team at Classic Motor Cars in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

When it crashed at the Montlhery circuit in 1964, the Lindner Nocker E-type was so badly damaged that a complete restoration was considered impossible. But now, 47 years later, the car has finally been fully restored using more than 90 per cent of its original parts.

The Lindner Nocker car was one of only twelve lightweight E-types built by Jaguar in 1963. And in readiness for its role as Jaguar’s unofficial Le Mans entry the following year, Malcolm Sayer designed a special low-drag body, while work on the engine ensured it was the most powerful Jaguar the Competition Department had ever produced.

Peter Neumark, chairman of Classic Motor Cars, told CCM: ‘This is one of the most major restorations ever to take place in the world. Many said that it could not be done but we have proved them wrong.’