1963 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Series I Roadster

One of the all time great sports cars, the charismatic Jaguar E-Type was an unmistakable combination of speed, style and sex appeal that created a sensation when unveiled to the public at the 1961 Geneva Salon. The gifted Malcolm Sayer's styling worked equally as well in roadster or fixed-head coupe configurations but the E-Type was no mere show pony - under that shapely bonnet the race-bred 3.8-litre XK engine pushed the new Jaguar to speeds hitherto the domain of Italian exotics costing much more. In fact, no other manufacturer could match Jaguar's ability to offer 150mph performance and equipment levels for the price. Living up to the old saying that racing improves the breed, the basic monocoque construction method of the E-Type was developed from the legendary D-Type racers while the independent rear end was of the kind found on the E2A prototype racer. Disc brakes, a feature found on racing Jaguars for a number of years, were fitted all round - inboard at the rear to reduce unsprung weight, and the steering was a decent rack and pinion system. The DOHC in-line six had triple SU HD8 carburettors, a 9.0:1 compression ratio, developed 265 bhp at 5500 rpm and, just as importantly, 260 lb/ft of torque at 4000 rpm to give the E-Type great flexibility. In total, some 7,818 E-Type roadsters were built in Series 1 guise, and these early cars retain a purity - both in the styling and driving experience - that became increasingly diluted on later versions.