The e-type jaguar is a British sports car manufactured by Jaguar in 1961-1970. It was a rear-wheel drive grand tourer in two-seater coupe form (FHC or Fixed Head Coupe) and as a two-seater convertible “roadster” (OTS or Open Two Seater).

The E-type is derived from the D-Type, with influence from the XK-SS and the prototype entered by Briggs Cunningham at Le Mans in 1960. Some alterations are technical improvements, while others have been introduced as an adaptation to series production

Jaguar’s chief aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer created the body shape on a purely mathematical basis and actual experience has proved the car to have a very low drag.

The Jaguar E-Type and Racing: A History of Success

During the mid-1960s, Jaguar decided to turn the E-type into a competitive race car. This saw the development of 18 Lightweight E-types, each weighing less than 1,000kg.

These lightweights had more power drawn from the 3.8-litre straight six engine and a focus on handling to make them more suited to racing. They were a success in private hands and in small races, but their performance did not match that of the C-Type or D-Type racing cars.

As a result, Jaguar took the decision to produce more’standard’ Series 1 E-types and reduce production of the Lightweights. This was a smart move as it enabled them to rationalise the floorpan and to fit the new V12 engine. The result was the Series 2 E-type, which was produced until the early 1970s, when the company’s financial situation changed.

Written by warnertv