Description
The first ever E-Type Jaguar was the product of dedicated development at the hands of the Jaguar racing team following the D-Types iconic success at the Le Mans 24 hour race in the previous decade. The car was first displayed to the press on 15 March 1961 to an unbelievable level of excitement, giving birth to a true automotive icon – but it almost wasn’t to be. Such was the demand for road tests from the British media that the E-Type scheduled for Geneva was still on UK shores on the evening of 14 March 1961.
So, in fittingly dramatic style, Jaguar executive Bob Berry drove the car flat-out from the factory in Coventry all the way to the Parc des Eaux-Vives in Geneva – arriving just 20 minutes before the car was to be revealed to the world. Of course, 20 minutes later, pandemonium ensued.
The car was revolutionary in many ways, but it was the stylish and iconic bodywork that set it apart from the rest of the cars currently in production. It also featured faired-in headlights and a centred twin exhaust, which was different to all other production models at the time. Rumour has it that Enzo Ferrari called it “the most beautiful car ever made” when it was released.
This vehicle was imported to Portugal in the early 2000s. It underwent a full restoration by the Jaguar Specialist Osório & Trindade, making it one of the best available on the market.
