AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY
A British Lady
The 1961 Jaguar E-Type
The Jaguar E-Type was had the makings of a classic from day one. The powerful engine, sleek aerodynamics, long, low bonnet, and a heavy dose of unashamed showmanship came together to create one of the most beautiful sports car of the 60s. Onlookers were seduced by its looks, whilst drivers were swept off their feet by its performance. The big cat’s 150mph top speed made the E-Type devastatingly quick in 1961, and for a while, it held the record for being Britain’s fastest production car.
“Onlookers were seduced by its looks, whilst drivers were swept off their feet by its performance.”
It was also somewhat of a bargain. The base price of £2097 (for a roadster) made it a third cheaper than it’s closest rival — the Aston Martin DB4. But what was it like to drive? Well, the immensely stiff, curvy body-shell, wishbone and coil-spring suspension and sharp brakes all came together to give the feel of a de-tuned Le Mans car. To say the E-Type borrowed from the Le Mans-winning D-Type racer of the time was an understatement. Under the hood was Jaguar’s tried and tested 3.8-litre engine out of the XK. Despite being 13 years old at the time, the power plant was still a capable stormer, well worthy of the all new chassis.
“Pop stars, racing drivers and even royalty jostled for position in an ever-growing waiting list.”
Taken somewhat aback by the immense success of the E-Type, Jaguar initially struggled to meet demand for it. Pop stars, racing drivers and even royalty jostled for position in an ever-growing waiting list. Lew Grade even wanted to borrow one for his new TV Series, ‘The Saint’, but Jaguar turned him down. A Volvo P1800 would subsequently be chosen to fill the role.
“middle age seemed to creep up on the E-Type.”
As the E-Type aged, development continued as demand remained high. The bigger 4.2-litre engine was installed from 1964 onwards, giving the car a much more torquey feel. Gearbox and brakes were also replaced for more hard-wearing units. The seats and trim improved, as did the electrics, making the latest 4.2-litre Series 1 E-Types the best and most sought after. Appeals for a roomier car were answered in 1966, with a 2+2 version was introduced. There was even an automatic offered, as Jaguar tried to boost its sales in the United States.
Along with the launch of the Series 2 in 1968, middle age seemed to creep up on the E-Type. Later cars were more cluttered, and lost some of the purity of line the earlier cars had. The final Series 3 cars did come with a V12, but unwittingly completed the ageing process. Although very smooth, fast and relatively reliable cars, they were somehow less soulful. Owners lusted for the simple lines of the Series I over the fat arches and a cheap chrome grilles of later models.
“The final Series 3 cars did come with a V12, but unwittingly completed the ageing process.”
By the mid 70s the once-legendary sex symbol had slowly become was a flabby, spent force, living on old glories (not to mention borrowed time). It’s amazing to think that Jaguar, gearing up for the E-Type’s successor, the XJS, actually had trouble getting rid of the last few cars in 1975. Today, it remains an icon of classic automotive design.
Holloway, H. and Buckley, M., 1999. The A-Z Of Cars. Godalming, Surrey: Colour Library Direct.
Daniel is a writer, senior teacher, and geographer based in Malta. His main passion is empowering students to fulfill their aspirations and reach their goals.
