When the Jaguar 1970s Jagur E-Type rolled out in 1961 it was an astonishing sight, a lithesome roadster and coupe with proportions to shame contemporary beauties. Its 265bhp engine and claimed top speed of 150mph seemed incredible, especially considering that it cost half as much as a similarly powered Ferrari.
Designed by Malcolm Sayer and improved by Lyons, the E-Type straddled a period of great change for the Big Cat. By the time the final Series 3 car rolled off the production line 13 years later, Jaguar had been subsumed by British Leyland.
Jaguar in the ’70s: Evolution and Innovations of a Luxury Brand
This beautiful example of the first iteration was built in 1962 and has been carefully restored by the experts at Jaguar Classic. The body was stripped down to bare metal and rebuilt with great attention to detail. Every component was cleaned or replaced, and the engine was rebuilt with new pistons, bearings, valves, seals, and timing chain.
A special feature of this example is that it was fitted with racing preparation, including ducting air to the brake discs and calipers. The front brakes were fed through trunking led from the main frontal air intake oval, and the rear ones were cooled by scoops fitted under the car. The standard tyres were replaced with Dunlop radial-ply racing tires.
With its exquisitely proportioned bonnet and wings, the Jaguar e type 1961 is the most appealing model of the Series 1 cars. It’s easy to see why Enzo Ferrari called it ‘the most beautiful car ever made’.