Jaguar E-Type

The Jaguar E-Type is a British sports car produced by Jaguar Cars in Coventry from 1961 to 1974. Aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer designed its curved body with monocoque construction derived from the three-time Le Mans winning D-Type racer. Sir William Lyons unveiled the vehicle to journalists at the Parc des Eaux-Vives during the Geneva Motor Show on March 15, 1961.

Series 1 models entered showrooms in 1961 as two-seater roadsters and fixed-head coupes powered by a 3.8-liter inline-six engine. The motor used triple SU carburetors to produce 198 kW (265 hp) and propelled the car to a top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). Chief engineer William Heynes paired the powerplant with four-wheel disc brakes mounted inboard at the rear to reduce unsprung mass. Bob Knight engineered an independent coil-spring rear suspension unit within a steel subframe. In October 1964, the factory enlarged engine displacement to 4.2 liters.

A longer 2+2 coupe with rear passenger seats joined the lineup in March 1966, adding the option of a three-speed automatic gearbox. Series 2 production began in October 1968, bringing open headlights without glass covers, larger bumper guards, and revised rear light assemblies below the bumper line. In 1971, Series 3 cars arrived with a 5.3-liter twelve-cylinder engine, power steering, and a broader cross-slatted front intake. A road test conducted by Motor in 1961 recorded acceleration from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.1 seconds.

Graham Hill drove an early competition model registered ECD 400 to victory at Oulton Park on April 15, 1961. During 1963 and 1964, the factory built twelve Lightweight roadster bodies made of aluminum panels for international sports car competition. In 1996, the Museum of Modern Art in New York added a blue Series 1 roadster to its permanent design collection, marking only the third motorcar acquired by the institution. Production concluded in 1974 after Jaguar manufactured 72,507 cars across all body styles, before introducing the XJ-S coupe.