In 1961, Jaguar launched the E type – a car that set pulses racing and changed the face of sports cars forever. The new e type had many unique features, most notably an ingenious independent rear suspension that was a precursor to the modern IRS systems.
A 3.8-litre XK engine and a four-speed Moss transmission were fitted to the car, which could be bought as a roadster or fixed head coupe (FHC). In Series 2 cars, the windscreen was reshaped and enlarged to provide greater airflow.
Compared to the previous series, the redesigned E-type was much lighter and had a higher kerb weight. Moreover, it was designed with more efficient engine cooling in mind.
The new car was the most advanced Jaguar to date in terms of engineering. It used a redesigned front air intake with an enlarged aperture for air conditioning, a crossflow radiator and twin electric fans. It also had the option of power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering.
Exploring the Different Generations of the Jaguar E-Type
It was a car that set the world alight, with its distinctive styling and the sensational performance of the XK engine. However, it was not without its faults – high oil consumption, lack of space and poor braking.
Despite these drawbacks, the E-type was a big success and it helped Jaguar to expand its sales in the post-war era. The company planned to ramp up production to 150 per week by the autumn of 1961.
The XK engine was a DOHC inline six cylinder, which had originally been introduced in the Jaguar XK120 back in 1948, and developed 160bhp. It was an extremely complex design that took a team of engineers over two years to develop, but it went on to produce a legendary performance and helped the XK120 to become the fastest series production car in the world.