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Some 50 years after the first Jaguar E-Type prototype was built in the winter of 1957/58 the car remains one of the most sought-after classics and an icon of the British sports car tradition.
When it was first presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961, the E-Type’s sleek bodylines, the stretched long bonnet and glass-covered headlights caused a sensation.
The Jaguar E-Type remains one of only a handful of motor cars that survive the hype that often accompanies the presentation of a major model.
In the 1950s, Jaguar managed to score several race victories with the D-Type but the car-maker was confronted with a problem: It had no vehicle in its production car line-up to build on this racing image with the XK 150 S coming to the end of its tenure.
Initially the D-Type was converted into a road vehicle as an XK-SS but in principle it remained a race car and was not really very successful.
After several modifications of the first E-Type prototype of 1957/1958 the model was finally ready in 1961 and was the absolute star at the Geneva Show.
The 1961 model was powered by a 3.8-litre six cylinder engine from the XK 150 S with an output of 195 kW/265 hp and a top speed of 240 km/h.
The E-Type was available in two versions – the FHC or Fixed-Head-Coupe and as an OTS or Open-Two-Seater Roadster.
On the other hand the E-Type remained a motor car like every other vehicle with its own specific technical hiccups.
The brakes of the first models could send the driver into a cold shiver of fear with a tendency toward “fading” when pressed several times.
The first models were so cramped that Jaguar went about improving the next models by lowering the bodywork to create more space behind the seats so as to make adjustments.
Jaguar also had a reputation for poor workmanship.
All that had little effect on the success of the model. In 1965 the 3.8-litre engine was replaced with a 4.2-litre motor. And in 1966 the two-seater was joined by a 2+2 seater model with a lengthened wheel base.
In 1967, the glass covers for the headlights had to be removed because of new legislation in the
The 1968 model had a larger grille and bigger tail-lights.
Problems with
The 1971 model, the Series III, saw wider tyres, flared-wheel arches and a V12 motor with an output of 200 kW/272 hp.
The fuel-guzzling 12-cylinder motor came right at the time of the 1970s oil crisis.
But even without this handicap the life span of the E-Type was nearing its end. Production came to an end in 1974 after 72,520 units.
Fact-file
THE Jaguar E-Type is the most exciting car ever made. That is a strong statement, but consider the following:
In its day it was extremely fast.
It offered killer styling.
It featured advanced technology.
It held its own with high dollar exotics, yet the price was reasonable.
Many say that no car before or since can equal the E-Type. Those who make the claim do not often get an argument; in automobile enthusiast circles, Jaguar's E-Type rules.
The most special of
Development of the car that was to become the E-Type actually started as a race car programme.
As the protoypes were built and tested, circumstances and the racing world changed and the project gradually became a road car. A prototype (known as the E2A) were raced on a limited basis.
A major milestone achieved was the development of an independent rear suspension, which was to become one of the many high points in the design of the Jaguar E-Type.
When the Jaguar E-Type was officially introduced to the world in March 1961 in
The styling was partly responsible; the sensuous shape still gets rave reviews.
The price (£1,830 for the roadster) made the E-Type an exceptional bargain; the comparitively crude Corvette cost less but offerings from Aston Martin and Ferrari were considerably more. The future of the E-Type as an automotive classic was secured.
