RULE BRITANNIA 60 YEARS OF THE E-TYPE

60 YEARS OF THE E-TYPE

Once famously declared “the most beautiful car in the world,” following its public debut in March 1961 by none other than Enzo Ferrari himself, the Jaguar E-type arguably still holds that mantle today, even 60 illustrious years after those blueprints were rendered into reality at Jag’s Coventry headquarters.

WORDS SAM HEXTER PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JAGUAR SPONSORED BY C. DE SALAMANCA

After many motorsport triumphs in the ‘50s with cars like the monstrous D-type, Jaguar decided to build a road-going production vehicle, borrowing many of the tried-and-tested underpinnings from its experience in racing. Ironically, it was ultimately Jaguar’s continuous sparring with Ferrari that would whet the E-type into such a sharp instrument. In 1957, a prototype was born, dubbed the E1A.

Built exclusively for factory testing, developments on this platform would pave the way for the subsequent release of the now iconic E-type to the public some years later. But the injection of Jaguar’s motorsport lineage didn’t stop with the first production car; they went on to test many lightweight variants during the 1960s, including the highly coveted Low-Drag Coupe, a racer styled after the D-type that featured a sleek and streamlined aluminium shell.

The E-type, never intended for racing, actually went on to become a fairly successful track car, dominating in races on tight, twisty circuits. Jag’s new lightweight chassis was potent enough to worry Enzo Ferrari, who very swiftly commissioned upgrades to Ferrari’s already formidable 250 GTO.

Despite many successes on home turf, the British-born E-type would struggle with longer straights, common to events like Le Mans. The E-type certainly wasn’t the marque’s most accomplished racer, but its legacy lives on like no other.

To commemorate this monumental motoring milestone, Jaguar’s Classic division is lovingly revisiting the evergreen recipe, the quintessentially British automotive mecca that is the E-type. A total run of completely renovated roadsters and coupés, sold in pairs, will be limited to just 12 examples in total. To announce this exclusive venture, Jaguar Classic gave a glimpse of the ‘new’ E-types, mirroring the first cars revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961 – an Opalescent Gunmetal Grey fixed-head coupé and a British Racing Green roadster.

Legend has it, the latter of the two cars, the gorgeous green roadster variant, was delivered following a hairraising 17-hour sprint from Coventry to Geneva. Jaguar’s founder, Sir William Lyons, was said to have ordered test driver Norman Dewis to deliver the car for official launch on a moment’s notice. Following Dewis’ daring cross-continental run, the soft-top E-type was on the podium and ready to wow crowds just 20 minutes before its first public showcase.

Under the steadfast efforts of the Jaguar Classic team, each car will be a painstaking ‘nut and bolt’ build from new, true to the originals but with some mild tweaks to bring elements of modern reliability forward in this ultimate backdating exercise. The famous 3.8-litre straightsix XK motor will sit nestled under the Jag’s iconic long and sculpted snout. The smaller displacement Series-1 motor will feature uprated cooling components and an electronic ignition system, delivering a period-correct 265bhp to the rear wheels. The engine will be mated to a specially developed five-speed transmission, complete with three pedals and a gearstick – remember those? A glorious soundtrack can be enjoyed by any lucky bystanders thanks to a bespoke stainless-steel exhaust. An authentic and timeless driving experience is guaranteed.

Inside the cabin, beautifully adorned in tailored, hand-stitched leather, will be many small nods to the E-type’s grand history, including engraved quotes and a map of the route from Coventry to Geneva, paying homage to the epic drives undertaken by Bob Berry and Norman Dewis. The extra interior flare doesn’t stop there, with restyled badges and emblems throughout, a bespoke clock face, machine-finished fuel filler cap and chassis plates to name but a few. The wonderfully thin and ever tactile steering wheels on every car will feature rims of light beechwood, as well as 24-carat gold horn buttons. As any prospective buyers would expect, fit and finish both inside and out look second to none. Official pricing for such specialist cars and commissions are rarely disclosed to the public via the manufacturer. It’s likely that Jaguar will invite very few potential owners to make the final six acquisitions. However, if you consider the price of Jaguar Classic’s reworked 3.8-litre E-type, worth approximately £315,000 in the UK market, this exquisite pairing could cost upwards of £650,000 (or around €762.000), but what an exclusive owners’ club that would be. e

This article is sponsored by C. De Salamanca, official dealers for Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Jaguar & Land Rover. Tel: (+34) 952 785 250. www.cdesalamanca.com