Beschreibung:

“If Les Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans has been responsible for the new E-Type Jaguar, then that Homeric contest on the Sarthe circuit will have been abundantly justified. Here we have one of the quietest and most flexible cars on the market, capable of whispering along in top gear at 10mph or leaping into its 150mph stride on the brief depression of a pedal. A practical touring car, this, with its wide doors and capacious luggage space, yet it has a sheer beauty of line which easily beats the Italians at their own particular game.” There have been few better summaries of the E-Type’s manifest virtues than the forgoing, penned by the inimitable John Bolster for Autosport shortly after the car’s debut. Introduced in 3.8-liter form in 1961, the Jaguar E-Type (XKE in the USA) caused a sensation when it appeared, with instantly classic lines and 150mph top speed. While, inevitably, the car’s stupendous straight-line performance and gorgeous looks grabbed the headlines, there was nevertheless a lot more to the XKE beneath the skin. The newcomer’s design owed much to that of the racing D-Type; indeed, the XKE would be one of the last great sports cars developed directly from a successful competition ancestor. Just as in the D-Type, a monocoque tub formed the main body/chassis structure while a tubular spaceframe extended forwards to support the engine. The latter was the same 3.8-liter, triple-carburetor, ‘S’ unit first offered as an option on the preceding XK150. With a claimed 265 horsepower on tap, the XKE’s performance did not disappoint; firstly, because it weighed around 500lb less than the XK150 and secondly because aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer used experience gained with the D-Type to create one of the most elegant and efficient shapes ever to grace a motorcar. Developed from that of the original XK120 sports car and refined in the racing D-Type, the double wishbone, independent front suspension was mounted on the forward subframe that supported the engine. At the rear the XKE’s suspension broke new ground for a large-capacity sports car, being independent at a time when most of its major rivals relied on the traditional live rear axle. Dunlop disc brakes were fitted to all four wheels; those at the rear being mounted inboard alongside the differential to reduce un-sprung weight. Only in terms of its transmission did the XKE represent no significant advance over the XK150 whose durable four-speed Moss gearbox it retained, although the latter would be replaced when the 4.2-litre engine was introduced. The 4.2-liter version of Jaguar’s sensational XKE was launched in October 1964, a more user friendly, all-synchromesh gearbox and superior Lockheed brake servo forming part of the improved specification alongside the bigger, torquier engine. Apart from ‘4.2’ badging, the car’s external appearance was unchanged, but beneath the skin there were numerous detail improvements. These mainly concerned the cooling and electrical systems, the latter gaining an alternator and adopting the industry standard negative ground, while the interior boasted a matt black dashboard and improved seating arrangements. The XKE’s top speed remained unchanged at around 150mph, the main performance gain resulting from the larger engine being improved flexibility. In 1968 the XKE underwent major revision to comply with US legislation, emerging in Series 2 guise minus the distinctive headlight covers that contributed much to its aerodynamic efficiency and stunning good looks. Thus of all the many XKE variants, it is the Series 1 4.2-liter Roadster that the majority of enthusiasts consider the most desirable, combining as it does the purity of the original concept with ‘fresh air’ motoring, improved reliability and the larger engine’s superior performance. Supplied new in the USA, this 1967 XKE Series 1 is finished in its original British Racing Green livery with biscuit hide upholstery and Wilton wool carpets. The car has been the subject of a full, no expens