06/09/2026
For a car that has been photographed millions of times, the Jaguar E-Type Series 1 still catches people off guard.
People know the shape. They know the posters, the magazine covers, the stories. What often gets overlooked is just how unusual the car felt when it first appeared in 1961. Disc brakes all round, independent rear suspension, and 150 mph performance were not things you expected to find wrapped in something this elegant.
Early cars had their own character too. The Moss gearbox demanded patience, the cabin could get surprisingly warm, and anyone over six feet tall quickly learned that beauty and ergonomics do not always go hand in hand. None of that seems to have hurt its appeal.
The 3.8-litre XK engine gave the earliest Series 1 cars a slightly raw edge that softened as the model evolved. Later 4.2-litre cars brought more torque, an all-synchromesh gearbox, and a slightly more relaxed character, but without losing what made the E-Type special in the first place. There is a mechanical honesty to the early cars. Long bonnet stretching ahead, thin-rimmed steering wheel, and an engine that always feels happier once it has properly warmed through.
What is easy to forget now is that the E-Type was not built as an untouchable classic. Jaguar expected owners to drive them hard, use them regularly, and cover serious miles.
Perhaps that is why the best E-Types still feel like cars first and collector's items second.
Today, SNG Barratt continues to support E-Type models with a wide range of parts to help keep these cars exactly where they belong - on the road: https://bit.ly/4dPNYph
