THUNDER CAT

What do you do if your standard Jaguar E-type just isn't fast enough? Slot in a huge American V8 engine, of course. Meet the fearsome Egal

- JAMES PAGE

Never has a magazine article needed sound more than this one. Gone is the smooth, cultured exhaust note that you'd normally expect from a Jaguar E-type. In its place is the fearsome crackle of an American V8. A big American V8. It's an intimidating noise even at idle, as you adjust the lapbelts, take a brief look at the controls and try to get your head around the fact that this brute of a car is perfectly road-legal. And that you're about to seriously disturb the peace and quiet of the Sussex countryside.

Given how it looks and sounds, the first surprise is that it's not as difficult to drive as you might expect. The clutch is firm and sharp, but not 'on-off' unmanageable, and the gearchange in the four-speed, all-synchromesh Jaguar 'box is straightforward, though you do need to keep a firm hold on the chunky steering wheel. If you don't, those huge front tyres will try to wrest control from you as they follow every camber and imperfection. Also, the non-servo brakes need to be warmer than they're likely to get on the road before they really do much, but it's all beautifully sorted and remarkably user-friendly.

None of which will be the lasting impression of driving the Egal. That's 'E' for E-type and 'Gal' for Galaxie - a hybrid of Jaguar chassis and Ford power that was built to go racing during the '60s. Its 7-litre V8 was bored out to 8.5 litres during a more recent American restoration, and the power and torque are simply immense. Dyno figures show just over 600bhp and 600lb ft respectively. Or, to put it another way, more than enough to approach with caution.