Revisiting the Jaguar E-Type: One of the world’s greatest cars You would all agree that Enzo Ferrari is one of the greatest figures in the automotive landscape. A man whose passion for racing made him create one of the greatest brands in history and whose word was the closest thing to gospel. So when he described the E-Type as the most “beautiful car” ever made, that speaks volumes. Especially for a prideful Italian, who believed his brand was unbeatable. Except they weren’t, the E-Type was more than just a pretty face. Launched in 1961 at the Geneva Motor Show, this angel from the sky was priced at £2,098. Half the price of an equivalent, Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche or Aston Martin. Yet with its 3.8L 262 horsepower Straight Six, 4-speed Moss-synchromeshed gearbox, and aerodynamically designed, sleek lightweight body, it ate all its more costly rivals for breakfast. It’s also worth noting that prior to the E-Type, Jaguar was the king of racing, dominating Lemans throughout the 1950s. A lot of this pedigree was placed within the E-Type. So, not only did it outperform its more costly rivals, but it also outmanaged them. Small wonder then with such beauty, performance and pedigree, the E-Type became the car of choice for the elite. Famous names such as Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly and Steve McQueen all owned one. Due to its popularity, by the time production ended in 1974, Jaguar had made a whopping 72,045 of them. The E-Type was Jaguar’s Magnum Opus, all their experience and pedigree reaching their peak in this legendary car. And it’s safe to say that after the final E-Type rolled off the production line in 1974, the company took quite a nosedive. Never again, following this would Jaguar even hope to be able to compete with Ferrari or Porsche. Jaguar Classic E-Type Commemorative: Passion for the Past So to celebrate this final year of greatness, Jaguar Classic has created two commemorative edition Series 1 E-Types. A call back to the final 50 E-Types that Jaguar created back in 1974. One painted in the rich Signet Green and the other in Opal Black. Both colours were introduced by Jaguar in the 70s during their final run of E-Type. These cars took over 2,000 hours to build, with Jaguar’s finest Craftsman leaving no detail overlooked. Inside, there are beautifully hand-woven tan leather seats paired with a matching black and tan leather trim. In addition, there are anodized aluminium accents spread throughout. Most notably a centre console engraved with a blueprint of the E-Type sourced from Jaguar’s archives. This blueprint was previously displayed at the New York Museum of Modern Art. However, to add a little modernity, Jaguar have subtly fitted these commemorative E-Types with Bluetooth and a heated windscreen. Under the bonnet, we find the same 3.8l Straight Six as before. However, this power is now sent through a bespoke five-speed gearbox and the engine’s is fitted with Electronic Fuel Injection. This not only makes these Commemorative cars smoother to drive and more efficient than the E-Type but faster as well. Specialised Gold Details: Jaguar Meets Deakin & Francis To make these Commemorative E-Types Special, Jaguar Classic teamed up with Deakin & Francis, England’s oldest jeweller, founded in 1786. They infused several details on the E-Type to make this already exotic and rare car even more exclusive. The front badge is finished in silver with guilloche mother of pearl and adorned with an 18ct gold Jaguar symbol. Inside, the steering wheel, horn push, and gear knob are similarly detailed with silver, mother of pearl, and gold. All this adds a layer of richness, to let us know how special the E-Type is to Jaguar. So you’re wondering, how much does all this cost? Well, that’s the thing, Jaguar won’t say. Primarily because they don’t actually intend to sell either of these cars. Both these cars will more than likely be kept by Jaguar as a final reminder of their greatest achievement before their switch to fully electric. The Final Snarl Before a Silent Future Jaguar did not need to build another two E-Types, there are already over 30,000 of them still running on the roads. Plus you have to question, why spend so many hours building a pair of cars and not seeing any return. Strategically, it makes no sense, however symbolically it is beautiful. For starters, it shows just how important the E-Type is to Jaguar, that they would go through so much trouble just to celebrate 50 years of its final production run. But perhaps more importantly, it is that final growl before Jaguar’s inevitable silent future. We’ve known for some time that Jaguar plans to be a fully electric car company. They even plan to showcase their first all-electric GT before the end of the year. But this transition means no longer will we see Jaguar produce a car with soul, with an engine, with a roar. So it’s only natural that in the last leaf of petrol, they recreate their greatest car ever for one final time. Their true Magnum Opus, their brilliant, beautiful and beguiling E-Type. Source: Jaguar
