British Classic Cars- Jaguar E-type

"The most beautiful car ever made."- Enzo Ferrari

Yes, you heard correctly... the founder of the Ferrari motor company described the Jaguar E-type as the most beautiful car ever made.  If you are a car person (or even if you are not) you have probably looked at a Ferrari and realized that you were looking at something incredible.  So for the founder of this Italian company to look at a British car and utter those words, the Jag must also be something incredible.

The Jaguar E-type (known as the XK-E in the States) was first seen in 1961.  As mentioned in my previous posts, the 1960's was a great decade for cars.  The stunning Aston Martin DB5 came from this decade and so did the TR-6.  In a similar way, the E-type is a lot like the Aston.  The bodies of both cars are streamlined and curvy, giving off a smooth and sultry vibe.  The E-type would make for the perfect Bond car.  That's exactly what the producers of the first Bond films thought as well.  However, Jaguar were selling so many E-types that they could not afford to let three cars go for use in the films.  In turn, Aston Martin jumped at the chance to promote their new DB5 and the rest is (as they say) history.

Now back to the Jag.  Here are some facts about the E-type:

- 3.8 litre V6 (in 1964, this was increased to 4.2 litre)
- The early models lacked syncromesh in the first gear (this was known as the Moss gearbox); this was changed when the switch was made to the 4.2 litre engine
- There were only a few true hardtops made and they are extremely hard to find today
- The most common setup was the roadster with a soft top
- Jaguar did make a 2+2 (two seats in front + two seats in the back), but the car is most commonly found as a roadster with just two seats
- Top speed= 149.1 mph
- 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds

Jaguar E-type Speedster

The Jaguar E-type Series 1 was made from 1961-1968.  The Series 2 was made between 1969 and 1971.  Series 3 picked up where Series 2 left off and Jaguar stopped producing E-types in 1975.  The E-type did very well to last as long as it did.  Fourteen years is a long time and the body-style did not change during that time.  That is quite remarkable.  Think about what the Honda Civic looks like today compared to the Honda Civic of fourteen years ago.  Car design must change and adapt in order to accommodate public taste, but the E-type remained the same.  Jaguar kept the "most beautiful car ever built" unchanged in order to preserve the heritage.  Jaguar realized that you shouldn't fix something that isn't broken.  That is something that I wish other car companies would realize today (Subaru with their WRX, for instance).
 

A racing version of the E-type

Like all of the cars that I have written about (and will continue to write about), I love this car.  I love its "British-ness."  I love how it looks from all angles.  I love that it was almost a Bond car.  I love that the creator of the Ferrari motor company found the E-type to be the most beautiful car ever built.  This is huge.  Under Enzo Ferrari, the famous Italian motor company would go on to create: the Ferrari 275, the Ferrari Daytona, the Ferrari 308, and the F40 (just to name a few).  This guy obviously knew what makes a great car.  To this day, when one thinks of the term "sports car," Ferrari is usually the first name that comes to mind.  Now when you think of sports cars, you can think of the E-type.  When the E-type was built, the Ferrari Daytona was just a sketch and an idea.  It is also interesting to compare the E-type with some of the Ferrari's of the late 1960's and 1970's.  There are definitely some similarities.

In closing, I must say that I have not been fortunate to have personal experience with this car.  I have seen plenty on the road, but I have never been in one.  This is another one of those posts in which I sound like I know what I am talking about, but I really do not know.  However, I once had a vivid dream about this car. 
  
I am cruising down the PCH in a 1965 British racing green Jaguar E-type.  I look to my left and the sun is setting over the sparkling blue water.  The sky is a wash of orange, red, and purple and the water reflects its fiery brilliance.   The wind is blowing in my hair as I press on the accelerator and prepare for the shift into fourth gear.  Easing up off the accelerator, I engage the clutch and the syncromesh takes me into top gear.  I feel a surge of speed as I put my foot to the floor and the engine cranks out 5,000 RPM.  I reach 100 mph and continue to increase speed.  This is where this car belongs.  Top gear.  Top down.  The engine tone reaches an epic climax at 140 mph and I ease up on the accelerator.  I could go faster, by why spoil the view and the sunset.  The thin line that is my mouth eases into a smile.  I am free.  There is no school or work to worry about.  No deadlines or bills.  There is only peace.  I drive off into the sunset with the wind in my air and the seemingly endless highway ahead.

That's quite a vivid dream, especially considering that I have never been in one of these cars.  But that is exactly what a car like this can do.  Give a petrolhead a couple of glances at one of these and I guarantee that his/her imagination will take care of the rest.  Mine did.  I have never had a driving dream that was as real as this one.  But I think that it is fitting that the E-type would provide me with the most vivid of driving dreams.  After all, it is the "most beautiful car ever built."

Goodnight and "let's be careful out there."