Jaguar E-Type
(1961 - 1991)
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United Kingdom
Selected Jaguar model series
Jaguar E-Type: All 14 models
Car articles about Jaguar E-Type by year
What do a Fiat 508 S from 1935, a Jaguar E-Type from 1961 and a Ferrari Testarossa from 1985 have in common? They are all sports cars and icons of their era. And above all, they are sought after and coveted today. But can they be compared? And how do they feel when you sit behind the wheel? This driving report brings together three legendary cars that represent five decades of sports car development. Many photos, sound recordings and documents show what they have in common and where the differences lie.
The Jaguar E-Type was shown to the public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961 and immediately captivated them. This sports car has long since achieved legendary status. Extremely beautiful, blazingly fast and (at least at the time) affordable, its success was written on its hood from the very beginning. This article reproduces the historical test report from the magazine 'hobby' from 1961, which describes what the specialist press thought of the big cat at the time. Many pictures from back then show the original E-Type in all its facets.
At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961, Jaguar presented a new sports car, the Jaguar E-Type 3.8 liter, creating a sensation. The vehicle was on a par with sports cars twice as expensive in terms of performance, had a sensational design and could even boast a "racing pedigree". It was to be the start of a successful series.
The Jaguar E-Type is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Gran Turismos and a design and technical highlight in automotive history, although it is not the inventor of this type of car. Many designers and car experts refer to the 1947 Cisitalia 202 from the pen of Pininfarina as the forefather of the classic Gran Turismo. It already had the flat basic shape with a steep windshield positioned far back, a long hood, wheels positioned very far forward, short overhangs and a flowing rear end. In addition, there were the simple lines, which, with the exception of the developed rear fenders, corresponded to the pontoon shape. This type of styling has lost none of its fascination to this day, because it is regarded worldwide and across cultures - similar to a Greek temple - as the ideal. In this report, the E-Type is examined through the eyes of a designer.
The Jaguar E Type is one of the most popular classic cars of all time and probably one of the most beautiful production sports cars ever made. No wonder it often appeared in books and films, including the crime FBI agent Jerry Cotton, who drove a red E Type Coupé for years. In this report, a red Jaguar E Type is portrayed in detail, supplemented by test comments and historical pictures from the time, as well as excerpts from a Jerry Cotton film.
In 2007, Automobil Revue subjected a 41-year-old E-Type to the tough AR test. The open-top Jaguar E-Type from 1967 performed very, very well. The driving performance was convincing, although less could be said of the braking performance. However, the juicy exhaust and engine noises and the beautiful classic lines were impressive.
There is something to be said for boredom. Sometimes a car that has remained with the same owner for half a century can be more exciting than a four-wheeled challenge cup. This is the story of an English sports car that belonged to an American who came to France to make a movie about German and Italian racing cars and ended up giving his car to a Swiss man.
The Americans were great fans of the Jaguar E-Type, in some cases buying over three quarters of the annual production. No wonder, then, that their demands and regulations had an impact on the technology and appearance of the sports car presented in 1961. This is how the second series finally came about in 1968, with noticeable differences to its predecessor. But is the Series 2 E-Type therefore inferior to the earlier models and less fun to drive? This driving report is about a Jaguar E-Type from 1970, tells the model history and shows the car in current and historical images.
In the 1971 AR test, the editors stated that the E-Type V12 was blessed with outstanding driving performance. Their summary reads as follows: "The third generation of the Jaguar E-type with the new V12 engine also presents itself as a reasonably priced sports car for the individualist in relation to its real top performance; a large, smooth yet powerful engine, exceptional driving performance, a safe chassis and high comfort are paired with a body that is no longer modern but still attractive. Some shortcomings in the interior should definitely be eliminated. Our next step is to give the E-type a new look, even though we know full well that the real E-type fans will turn away from us in horror."
It is certainly one of the more controversial undertakings when a car manufacturer recreates in modern times the cars it did not build 50 years ago. However, anyone who gets behind the wheel of a 2014/2015 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight quickly forgets such reservations, because few cars are more fun to drive. This driving report takes readers on a ride in the newly created Jaguar E-Type Lightweight, illustrated by thrilling photos.
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All 14 Jaguar E-Type models
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