28 ways Jaguar’s E-type won our hearts

What’s so good about the E-type, anyway?

Ask 10 people to name the greatest classic cars of all time and it’s guaranteed most of them will have the Jaguar E-type somewhere near the top of the list.

Today, 15 March 2021, marks the 60th anniversary of the E-type’s unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, and there’s no less love for it now than there was then. But what was it that made the E-type so special, and means it still holds our fascination six decades later?

Read on to discover the 28 reasons why the E-type won our hearts.

1. It looked stunning, and still does…

The E-type’s long, vented bonnet and prominent central power bulge have created one of the most striking, most recognisable shapes in the classic car world.

2. …from any angle

And it looks just as good from the rear, the arch of its fastback roofline emphasising the impression of pent-up energy, reminiscent of a sprinter ready to explode out the starting blocks.

3. It looks almost as good without the top

Most will agree that Jaguar’s E-type is most beautiful as a coupé.

But it works almost as well without its roof, while also allowing you to hear more of the XK engine’s music.

4. The details are gorgeous

Picture an E-type and you probably visualise one with the elegant faired headlights shown here.

They were only fitted to the Series 1 cars, US legislation forcing Jaguar to uncover them from 1968 until the end of the E-type’s run. But they’re one of the classic world’s most memorable details.

5. It made Enzo Ferrari jealous

Ferrari was responsible for some of the most beautiful cars ever built, but even Enzo Ferrari himself supposedly declared the E-type to be, “the most beautiful car in world”.

6. It’s not just a pretty face

The Jaguar E-type’s stunning curves might have been designed to stand out in a crowd, but they were also crafted to slip unnoticed through the air.

The car’s designer, Malcolm Sayer, penned its famous shape by drawing on his experience working on Bristol aeroplanes.

7. It made every rival look expensive

The styling wasn’t the only thing about the E-type that shocked the world. So did the price.

At £2097 for the roadster and £2196 for the coupé, the E-type was half the price of other big-league sports cars, if still unaffordable for the average Brit.

8. And it’s still comparatively good value

Okay, so they’re not cheap these days. Twenty years ago you could still buy an S1 fhc for less than £15k; today you’re looking at more than £80k for a decent one.

But the E-type’s universal appeal means your investment should be safe, and to buy a Ferrari or Aston Martin of the same vintage that looks this good could set you back 10 times as much.

9. It brought Jaguar into the modern age

The E-type’s predecessor, the XK150, was essentially an evolution of the XK120 that had appeared shortly after the end of WW2.

By the turn of the 1960s it was looking decidedly dated, both in its design, and its body-on-frame construction. The unibody E-type was a giant leap forward for Jaguar.

10. It’s practical for touring

We talk about the Jaguar E-type as a sports car, but it was also a handy GT.

Yes, the cabin can feel cramped, but the fhc’s practical opening rear hatch can swallow plenty of luggage.

11. You can even take your family

And if you can put up with the questionable styling modifications, there’s room for your luggage and your kids in the 2+2 version – which happens to be half the price.

12. It was inspired by a Le Mans winner

Even the roomy 2+2 owes its existence to a genuine racing legend.

Jaguar used lessons learned while developing and campaigning the three-time Le Mans-winning D-type to create its E-type.

13. The E-type’s 150mph top speed was a sensation

That top speed was also unachievable in most production E-types, it turned out.

The press car in which Autocar achieved that infamous 150mph was discovered years later to have been substantially breathed on by Jaguar.

14. And even if most couldn’t really do 150mph, it was still rapid

While 150mph might have been out of reach for real-world E-type buyers, a genuine 140mph was possible, which was almost as impressive in an era when the average family car struggled to top 80mph.

15. The XK engine was on fine form

Jaguar’s XK straight-six is one of the world’s great engines, and enjoyed a 43-year run, during which it powered Jaguar to five victories at Le Mans.

The first E-types used the 3.8-litre triple-SU version of the XK from the old XK150S that liked to rev and delivered 265bhp.

16. Especially in 4.2 guise with the synchro

Those who have driven both will tell you the early 3.8 is more exciting, but the later 4.2 is a better bet. Though rated at the same 265bhp, it delivered a useful extra helping of torque, making it more relaxing to drive.

And it was mated to a modern alternator and the all-synchromesh four-speed transmission that had replaced the old Moss ‘box at the end of the 3.8’s run.

17. Try a V12 for its peerless refinement

Though not everyone likes the swollen looks and softer character of the S3 E-type, it’s not hard to see the appeal of a car with the E-type’s slinky silhouette mated to Jag’s incredibly refined 5.3-litre V12.

18. The V12 gave us the most amazing tailpipes

The V12 version of the Jaguar E-type gave the world arguably one of the greatest ever tailpipe designs – and the sound coming out of its quad tips wasn’t too shabby, either.

19. The E-type handled superbly – for the time

There was more to the E-type’s sports-car talents than straight-line speed.

Switching from the live rear axle of the XK150 to a modern independent rear suspension set-up, and adding double wishbones at the front, made the E-type a far more capable car, particularly on bumpy roads.

20. It had decent brakes, too

Jaguar had pioneered four-wheel disc brakes in the 1950s, using technology developed by Dunlop for aircraft during WW2.

The XK150 was the first Jaguar to come with four-wheel discs as standard, but the rears were moved inboard on the E-type to reduce unsprung mass, and were better again on the 4.2 thanks to a new brake servo.

21. The E-type was a handy racer

Jaguar capitalised on those qualities to create the E-type Lightweight racer in 1963.

Its body and engine block were made from aluminium, and some of the XK engines were even equipped with Lucas mechanical fuel injection.

22. The E-type was the basis for the incredible Low Drag Coupé

Even more exotic than the E-type Lightweight, the Low Drag Coupé looked radically different thanks to a steeper windscreen rake and a re-profiled fastback rear.

23. It captured the spirit of the swinging ’60s

Aside from perhaps the Mini, no car evokes memories (real or imagined) of the 1960s better than a Series 1 E-type.

Which is why it was the only choice for international man of mystery, Austin Powers.

24. And was driven by the world’s famous people

Everyone from Frank Sinatra to George Harrison drove an E-type, meaning even non-car people grew up lusting after a Jaguar.

Steve McQueen had one, too, as well as this XKSS.

25. The story about its 1961 Geneva unveil is legendary

The tale of the E-type’s motor show debut reads like the script from a 1940s movie about plucky Brit soldiers triumphing over adversity.

Having hung about in Blighty letting journalists try the car in advance of the big reveal, Jag’s PR man Bob Berry raced down to Geneva with the show car, arriving only 20 minutes before the covers were due to come off. Hurrah!

26. You can still restore, modify and even buy new

The huge availability of spares and specialist help means it’s easy to buy, fix and improve an E-type.

And Jaguar Classic will even sell you a fully restored E-type Reborn for around £285,000.

27. It’s one of only a handful of cars to be shown at MOMA

We all know the E-type is a work of art, and it seems even real arty people do, too.

In 1996 the model was selected for display in New York’s Museum Of Modern Art, alongside an E-type engine and original engineering drawings of the car.

28. Jaguar still hasn’t managed to top it

And finally, we come to the real reason people fell for the E-type, and continue to fall for it.

Despite its best efforts over the last 60 years, Jaguar still hasn’t managed to build anything quite like it.

So happy diamond anniversary to the Jaguar E-type – here’s to another 60 years!