For his
fortieth Geneva show, Franco Sbarro didn't receive a gift, but
he did give one to a 26-year-old woman, Jaclyn, who now has a
unique car to her name.
The openwork doors are
hinged to the top of the windshield, level with the
mirrors.
Personalized gift
Jaclyn is simply the first
name of the owner of this special vehicle prepared by Franco
Sbarro and presented at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The car
was given to her by her father, a wealthy American living
near Neufchâtel - in other words, a neighbor of Franco
Sbarro.
Car enthusiasts will have quickly spotted that the car in
question is based on a Jaguar XK, especially when viewed
from the rear. Sbarro started with an XK convertible and
rebodied the whole car.
Door sill with
Jaclyn's name and an elbow rest above the gear lever, as
on the 2004 Tornado.
New bodywork
The first surprise is the absence of a roof. Not even a
symbolic soft top. It's a roadster through and through, "a
fake convertible with a targa hoop and no rear window", as
Sbarro himself describes it. The car still retains two
(small) rear seats. The "elytra" doors still make an impact,
especially with the large glass section that surrounds the
door. The mirrors act as hinges on the top of the
windscreen. Most of the bodywork is in polyester, and took
around a hundred hours to paint (subcontracted to the Senn
body shop in Neufchâtel).
Despite the
taillight covers, the Jaguar XK used as a base is
clearly recognizable.
New engine
A second, much less visible surprise: the engine is no
longer original. In place of the Jaguar engine, Franco
Sbarro has installed a Ford Supercharged V8, similar to the
Ford GT40 engines. Power output is around 400 hp.
The Jaclyn is an interesting car, close to the philosophy of
the SL roadster presented in 2004, but much more successful
aesthetically. Let's hope that Jaclyn (the owner) was
pleased with her gift, and above all... that she used it.
There's nothing sadder than a car that doesn't run.
In brief
1- Jaguar XK base
2- 400 hp Ford V8 engine
3- No roof or soft top