Photo credits courtesy of Fantasy Junction
Automotive history offers a bounty of well-made sportscars. Tracing back to the earliest years of motoring, the sports car figured early in development as enthusiasts demanded more from their cars than simply efficient transport. Decades of research, refinement, and market growth fueled 20th century demand for better sports cars driven by youthful interests in racing, performance, and attractive design. But even accounting for advances in technology and engineering, there are only a few sportscars that so perfectly embody exceptional and lasting design, engineering, and performance. Rarely do all three of these traits combine to reveal an object so breathtaking, so drivable, even with its inherent faults, that it transcends generations of admirers 60+ years after introduction. The Jaguar E-Type is the epitome of this era. The quintessential modern sports car.
Unveiled at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, those fortunate to be in attendance were witnessing something miraculous. Visitors knew the car they were seeing was possibly an enticement but could not imagine that it would go into production. Even the price, while still quite high for the average person, was perfectly positioned to attract a large audience of enthusiasts. The 1960s was a booming time for industry, but in marketing contexts, a new wave of young American buyers were quickly discovering stylish cars from UK and European builders. To capture this, Jaguar had to offer a stunning design – one with unrivaled performance born of racing heritage. The resultant design combined to make the XKE or E-Type an immediate motoring sensation. With its beautiful, sinewy looks and surprisingly affordable price, the E-Type grew to iconic status where it has remained, perpetually enticing generation after generation with its unique combination of beauty and performance.
Visually captivating and aerodynamically advanced, innovative mechanicals included independent front and rear suspension, disc brakes all around (inboard at the rear to reduce unsprung weight), and ample power supplied by the legendary twin-cam, triple-carbureted, inline six-cylinder engine. Sales were brisk, affording ongoing development and advancements that would cover another decade of production and unrivaled production numbers. Offered in both roadster and coupe configuration, either iteration was uniquely beautiful and memorable. And while each new iteration had distinct benefits, the earliest Series 1 examples embody the purity and clarity of the incomparable and now iconic Malcolm Sayer design.
Legend has it that when Enzo Ferrari saw the E-Type for the first time he proclaimed it to be the most beautiful car ever built. Apocryphal or not, Enzo was not alone. Period automotive press loved the E-Type and were not shy about testing its speed and captivating looks, eagerly featured on the covers of every major automotive journal. The E-Type was and still is the most beautiful sports car ever built. Derived from the D-type and XKSS, the E-Type was elongated in profile with a longer wheelbase and more room for taller drivers. The profile was almost pulled like taffy to create an impossibly low silhouette, enhancing the wide stance. The hood line was so low that it’s almost unthinkable that the tall in-line 6-cylinder engine would manage to fit under the slightly bulged hood. Unlike the XK120 series cars, the traditional Jaguar grille vanished, replaced by a horizontally widened oval which created a slightly gaping mouth reminiscent of a fully accelerating cat ready to subdue its prey. The “eyes” of the cat were further enhanced by weeping stainless steel fender separations that accentuated the speeding tension along the top of the fenders, pulling the already long hood forward from the short cockpit.
The gorgeous fastback roof was nothing short of genius. Able to accommodate tall drivers, the roof peaked aft of the windshield and trailed back against the quickly decelerating fastback glass. This might have been a risky “heavy handed” result, but for the bottom of the rear overhang being cleverly pulled up to lighten the visual impact of the rear mass.
This effect is greatly reduced in the roadster, which has a more evenly distributed front and rear body mass, but still maintains the same rear overhang effect. Clever design treatments continue including the elliptical wheel openings. Sayer was a trained aerodynamicist and recognized that high speed air can become turbulent when pulled into the wheel openings. Aiding the visually lower profile, the wheel arches were smoothly articulated covering the tops of the wheels, creating an attractive flexed musculature to the front and rear fenders, completely void of any flare or trim. Indeed, the entire E-Type is only dressed in minimal chrome jewelry as the body lines do all the visual work to carry the light and sporty design.
The more one studies the E-Type, the more it impresses with its simplicity and subtle sensuality. Very few cars look good in any color, here too the E-Type is equally impressive in a range of colors and elegantly paired with either wire wheels or Dunlop ventilated racing rims.
Jaguar E-Types continue to be highly prized for their beauty and legendary performance prowess. Steeped in racing heritage and lauded for their rare combination of power and beauty, there will never be a car that so readily captures the imagination of motoring enthusiasts both at inception and with enduring excellence. In 2061 when the E-Type reaches its 100th birthday, legions of admirers will assemble to praise the astonishing longevity and beauty of these exceptional sports cars. Of course, it’s possible that many of these cars will be powered by alternative fuels or radically different drivetrains, but the enduring design, the captivating beauty, and the combination of visceral performance attributes will remain unchanged.
