1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Series 1 Roadster

Description

There can be few cars more desirable collector cars than Jaguar’s iconic E-Type, the sports car that best represents the Swinging ‘60s and all that was great about that era. When it was launched to a stunned world in 1961, the E-Type offered genuine 150mph performance at a price well below contemporary Aston Martins, Ferraris, and the like. Malcolm Sayer’s aerodynamic styling was derived from the streamlined D-Types that dominated Le Mans in the late ‘50s … after the E-Type’s launch Enzo Ferrari famously describing it as the “most beautiful car in the world”. Throughout its model life in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, the E-Type underwent several major revisions, most notably the upgrade of the original 3.8-litre 6-cylinder engine to 4.2-litres in 1964 and the adoption of an all-synchromesh gearbox. Later, the Jaguar V12 engine was even shoe-horned under that long bonnet. Other changes included improvements to the interior, stronger brakes, and better electrics, along with the option of automatic transmission. There was also the introduction of a more practical but still lovely 2+2 body, alongside the classic coupe and roadster body styles. Ownership of an E-Type is a guarantee of respect and the fulfilment of a dream for many.