The Jaguar E-Type, or the Jaguar XK-E for the North American market, is a British front mid-engined sports car that was manufactured by Jaguar Cars Ltd from 1961 to 1974. Its combination of exceptional aesthetics, advanced technologies, high performance, and competitive pricing established the model as an icon of the motoring world. The E-Type’s claimed 150 miles per hour (240 km/h) top speed.
source.image: idriveaclassic
The Series 1 cars essentially fall into two categories: Those made between 1961 and 1964, which had 3.8-litre engines and (on all but the very last cars) partial synchromesh transmissions; and those made between 1965 and 1967, which increased engine size and torque by around 10% to 4.2 litres, and also provided new reclining seats, an alternator in place of the dynamo, an electrical system switched to negative earth, a more reliable brake servo, and other modern amenities. Styling was unchanged. Watch the video from idriveaclassic:
I’ll also add in here one of my favourite bits of trivia I found whilst researching, Jaguar used the newly built M1 Motorway which was only a few miles from Coventry, home of Jaguar, as a test track of sorts and reached an impressive 120mph on the motorway. Sadly due to motorway speed cameras, it won’t be possible for us to replicate that in 2023!
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However, the car we’re testing today is a slightly later car which means it’s the 4.2 XK engine – they fitted that from 1964 and you’ll note it’s still down as the 265bhp as was the 3.8, but the 4.2 comes with more torque. At the same time, they put synchro across all gears and in 65, they introduced the 2+2, which is of course, the car we’re out in today. Production ran until 1974 whereby the car finished with the Series 3.
