WHY YOU WANT ONE
If Jaguar could build a car today that could recapture even half the impact and glamour of the 1961 E-Type, its worries would be over.
Britain was a grey monochrome world of sensible saloons and tweedy roadsters 43 years ago. The E-type, almost immorally low slung and sensuous, seemed to be ushering in a period of excitement with a profile - in coupe or roadster form - that has embedded itself into the collective consciousness as one of the great symbols of its age.
E-Types are positive and life-affirming. They symbolise freedom and escape, conjuring up a world where anything might be possible, even a date with Julie Christie. The E-type's image is intertwined with everything that was fast, cool and sexy about the Sixties with an influence out of all proportion to the relatively modest numbers produced.
It had the ability to live up to the looks too. The 150mph Jaguar claimed for the E-Type was devastatingly quick in 1961, and made it Britain's fastest production car. At £2097 for the roadster, it was probably Britain's greatest bargain, under-cutting its nearest rival, the Aston Martin DB4, by a third.
That curvy shell, inspired by the Le Mans-winning D-Type racer, was immensely stiff and thus all the better to take advantage of its new wishbone and coil spring independent rear suspension. Providing the power was the already 13-year-old 3.8-litre XK straight-six that had matured into one of the world's finest and most versatile high-performance units.
Jaguar had a hit on their hands and, not for the first time, were caught with their corporate trousers down by the strength of demand.
Pop stars, racing drivers and royalty jostled for position in an ever-lengthening waiting list. Lew Grade wanted to borrow one for his new TV Series, The Saint, but Jaguar turned him down because they didn't want the publicity - they could sell every car they could make.
|
Next: Which one to go for 
|
 |
