Each year that passes contains some memorable classic car anniversaries, and 2021 is no different, so over the next few weeks and months here at ViaRETRO we will endeavour to celebrate many, if perhaps not all, of them, starting with the 60th anniversary of one of the most iconic cars in our classic world, the Jaguar E-Type.
The E-Type is one of the most written-about cars in motoring, so I’m not going to attempt a detailed history here; a brief overview will have to suffice.
Jaguar’s C and D-Types had already established the Coventry marque as Le Mans winning legends – having taken the honours at la Sarthe five times between 1951 and 1957. However, these were racing cars, unsuitable for regular road use. Jaguar’s range of sports saloons in the shape of the Mk II were well established but it was felt the company needed a proper road-going sports car to replace the elegant but by now ageing XK150, which after all was basically a 1948 XK120 with a bigger engine and better brakes.
Designed by Malcolm Sayer – who prior to working on both the C and D-types had worked on aircraft design during WW2 – development of Jaguar’s new sports car began at the end of 1956. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the E-Type’s press unveiling in Geneva in March 1961 caused a sensation. While a successor to the XK, it was not an evolution of that series; rather, it was based more on the D-Type – hence the nomenclature – and made an enormous impact thanks to its beauty, performance and not least, very competitive price.
On top of its dramatic looks and performance, it represented astonishing value for money – costing £2,036 in 1962, compared to a Ferarri 250GT at £6,275, a Chevrolet Corvette at £3,700 or Mercedes-Benz 300SL which came in at over £5,400, Jensen CV-8 for £3,100.
Powered by the same 3.8-litre straight six as the XK150, pumping out 265bhp, the E-Type could reach 150mph and complete the 0-60mph sprint in under eight seconds, astonishing performance for the time and money, although these figures were reached with the help of a little “tweaking” by the factory, such as the fitting of Dunlop racing tyres. Nevertheless, the numbers were still very impressive, and the company made the most of them in marketing the car.
The earliest cars had a flat floor – and these are now the ones that command the highest prices – but this was soon changed to a dished floor to improve legroom, and in 1964, the 3.8 gave way to a 4.2-litre engine – producing the same power but with more torque.
Both the Autocar and Motor magazines tested the 4.2 in coupé form and exceeded 150mph as well as beating 8 seconds to 60mph – indeed, Autocar stated that the 4.2 coupé was the fastest car they had ever tested up to that time (May 1965). Interestingly, subsequent versions of the E-Type never approached those maximum speed figures again. For me, this version of the car is the best-looking, gorgeous from every angle from the faired-in headlamps to the graceful tail.
The least attractive, but most practical model was the 2+2, introduced in 1966 to help broaden the E-Type’s appeal to young families, the higher roofline and more upright windscreen did nothing for the car’s otherwise sleek looks and it remains the ugly duckling of the three versions today.
1967 saw the E-Type updated a little, resulting in what are now known as Series 1 ½ cars. Externally visible differences to the Series 1 were limited to open headlights, while there were a few minor interior changes such as replacing the toggle switches in the fascia with rocker switches. A more comprehensive update in the form of the Series 2 cars was introduced in 1968, with many of the changes driven by US safety standards, so as well as the open headlights, bumpers were now higher and wrap-around, indicators were larger, as was the front grille.
A car as glamorous as the E-Type was always going to attract celebrity owners, of which there were many, including George Harrison, Frank Sinatra, Peter Sellers, Britt Ekland, George Best, Elton John, Steve McQueen to name just a few.
1971 saw the launch if the final version of the E-Type, the Series 3, with the larger 5.3-litre V12. Power output was only marginally increased, to 272bhp, and due to its increased weight, it was barely any faster, with 0-60mph now coming in at just under seven seconds, but according to testers such as Denis Jenkinson, drove better, with power being delivered with less fuss, although at the expense of increased fuel consumption. The Series 3 was distinguishable from earlier E-Types by virtue of it’s bigger, cross-slatted grille and quad tailpipes, and although the earlier cars’ purity of line was lost, the V12 displayed a better stance on the road, finally getting its wheel arches filled thanks to the wider track and bigger wheels and tyres, but the fixed-head coupé was sadly dropped, leaving a choice of open roadster or 2+2 coupé.
Throughout its time in production, the E-Type remained superb value for money compared to cars offering similar performance, but by the early 1970’s this was no longer enough, and sales dropped significantly, particularly in the US.
In motor sport, while the E-Type never repeated the outright Le Mans victories of the C and D-Type, it was extensively raced around the world with some success and continues to be ever-present at historic motor-sport meetings, tangling with Aston Martin DB’s, AC Cobra’s, Corvette’s and the like. The pinnacle of all E-Types was probably the twelve lightweight roadsters built in 1963-4 (Jaguar have since built another half-dozen “continuation” cars to complete what was supposed to have originally been a run of 18 cars. They are of course sold out, for the bargain price of just £1m each) – original lightweights now fetch very high prices on the rare occasions one comes up for sale.
While there is a plethora of information available about the E-Type, not all of it is consistent, including that relating to production numbers, but according to Graham Robson, 72,515 examples of all variants were produced in total, split as follows:-
Series 1 – 3.8-litre – 7,828 roadsters, 7,670 Fixed Head Coupés
Series 1 – 4.2-litre – 6,749 4.2-litre roadsters, 5830 FHC, 3,616 2+2
Series 1 ½ – 2,801 roadsters, 1,942 FHC, 1,983 2+2
Series 2 – 8,628 roadsters, 4,855 FHC, 5,326 2+2
Series 3 – 5.3-litre – 7,790 roadsters, 7,297 2+2
Of these, 4,453 are still on UK roads – almost twice as many as there were in 1996 – plus another 1,262 SORN, with many more in the US, it’s other main market, so survival rates are relatively good – certainly there is no shortage of E-Types to buy at any one time, and there’s always a few at most classic events. In the UK, the increased numbers on the road have been driven almost certainly by the fact that rising values made the expense of restoring previously unroadworthy cars more worthwhile.
The last E-Type to leave Browns Lane did so in September 1974, succeeded by the XJ-S, which, while a fine car, has never attracted the following or admiration – love, even – that the E-Type has. Personally, compared to its svelte and sensual predecessor, the XJ-S looks clumsy, heavy, and from some angles, plain ugly, although the soft-top is an improvement over the coupé. I’m not surprised that it has never attracted the same following – or indeed, pricing – though I’m sure there are some who would disagree.
Is the E-Type’s elevated position in motoring history deserved? For some, it’s over-rated, and nowadays over-priced. Despite the impressive top speed, it’s certainly true that it isn’t actually all that fast in modern terms, but few classics are. And it’s most certainly over-priced for most of us, especially the early flat-floor 3.8-litre Series 1, a good example of which will set you back north of £150,000.
Combined with their narrow track, the Series 1 and 2 cars are also somewhat under-tyred, especially in front or rear profile – with the skinny wheels and tyres leaving too much space under its voluptuous arches. From every other angle though…just gorgeous.
So the E-Type is obviously not perfect…but it is one of the most beautiful designs in motoring history (despite Dave Leadbetter’s “sea-cucumber” point of view – but then, he is a professional contrarian, as he would admit himself). It’s been variously described as voluptuous, curvy, sexy, sensual (are you sensing a theme developing here?) and ranks high in any poll of the Most Beautiful Cars Ever Made, an honour bestowed on it by no less than Enzo Ferrari himself.
While current values have dropped a little recently – particularly in the mid-range – not least because there are more around now, and more on the market, than ever before, the Jaguar E-Type remains one of the most famous and most desirable cars ever built. However, not all E-Types are equal – and while that flat-floor roadster might be well out of reach, you can pick up a good 2+2 for a relatively reasonable £50k, although prices have started to rise for this model, too.
My personal favourite in terms of styling is the Series 1 coupé, but if I were to choose one to buy, it would be a Series 3 V12 coupé – or at least, it would be if one existed, as this is the E-Type that finally sees those wheel arches get filled, improving the car’s stance on the road no end. Combine that with the perfect proportions of the standard coupé – the ideal E-Type (well, for me, anyway!), a shame Jaguar never built it.
Unlike many of the cars I write about, I’ve actually driven an E-Type, having hired a Series 1 3.8-litre coupé for a weekend a couple of years ago. While the idea of driving a legend was thrilling – and remarkably easy, despite parking being a challenge, since there’s no way of knowing exactly where either nose or tail end – I have to say that the car felt slow, the gearchange clunky and getting away smoothly took a little practice, though being a rental, it’s perhaps unfair to judge all E-Types based on this. It did make a marvellous noise, though, and certainly attracted plenty of attention. While I don’t think I’d ever want to own one – I need that long-hood Porsche 911 first – it was an itch I was delighted to have scratched.
The E-Type’s revered status as a design classic has also been cemented with its recognition by collections and museums the world over, such as New York’s Museum of Modern Art, which added a blue roadster to its collection in 1996 – one of only half-a-dozen cars in the museum.
It also lives on in more modern form, courtesy of the Eagle Car Company, who will build you a “new” E-Type, using an original as a donor car, for a mere £600k or so and upwards. Makes a Series 1 3.8 flat floor look excellent value….but the Eagle does come with all mod cons, and it does look fabulous.
No doubt there will be many events this year – if the coronavirus pandemic allows – marking the E-Type’s 60th birthday around the world; it would certainly be a shame if we are unable to properly celebrate the birth of such an iconic classic. Still stunning at 60 – Happy Birthday to the E-Type!
