1967 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Series 1 2+2 Coupe

Description

There can be few cars more easily recognised than Jaguar's iconic E-type, the sports car that best represents the Swinging Sixties and all that was great about that period in time. When it was launched to a stunned world in 1961, the E-type offered genuine 150 mph performance at a price well below contemporary Aston Martins, Ferraris and the like. Malcolm Sayer's aerodynamic styling was derived from the streamlined D-Types that dominated Le Mans and the E-type was soon proving itself on the racetracks of the world. Throughout the Sixties the E-type underwent several major revisions, most notably the upgrade of the original 3.8-litre engine to 4.2-litres in 1964 and the adoption of an all-synchromesh gearbox. Other changes included improvements to the interior, stronger brakes and better electrics.To broaden the appeal of the E-Type, Jaguar announced a 2+2 model in 1966 with a wheelbase extended by 9-inches, longer doors and raised roofline to accommodate rear seat passengers - something achieved without losing the flowing lines of the original William Towns design. The 2+2 incorporated many detailed changes to the interior and with an eye to the American market, Jaguar also made available the option of automatic transmission. Between 1967 and 1968 the so-called Series 1.5 E-Type was offered, an interim model incorporating a host of revisions but retaining the purity of the original lines lost on the subsequent Series 2 and lacking the emissions controls that strangled that model. One of the sexiest shapes ever made, the E-Type is instantly recognised everywhere and remains a solid investment.