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I would never be so ungracious as to rain on your parade, BUT . . .
Having owned a 4.2L Series 1 FHC for 40 years and still lovin' it even though a mate took it away for a rude amount of cash, I am forced to admit that, even though its pristine looks are still the absolute head turner, and ours was a beautifully original example, its comfort, driveability, and in some respects, even its startling performance, today leave it wanting against a really fine late model XK8 or XKR. The body styling is still fantastic today but, alas, the mechanicals, the engineering, the electrics, every single (practical) detail is now 60 years old today..
Fifty years ago, when we bought the E, it was the uptimate supercar, but not any more. This same car, now with the benefit of a $100K ground up professional restoration, is arguably a better car than when it rolled from Browns Lane. Certainly it looks a million dollars. So, why did we sell it?
That's easy! It was always a dog of a car to get into and out of, but as I approached my 70s, my back just refused the challenge. Even more disappointing, knowing my passion for the marque, all 3 of my little children whom I used to load in the back under their "sky window" for a spirited run, were suddenly approaching 50s . . . turned their back on the E, but fought each other to acquire the XK8.
Hmmm . . . I did promise not to be a killjoy . . . but let me adjust those rose-coloured glasses!
Hehe. Coming out is always a weight off your shoulders.
FWIW Jaguar does factory-restoration sales of the Series 1 E-type plus there's the whole resto-mod world out there - restoring classics with additional modern tech and comforts. Plus there's also the Jaguar Concept E-type fully electric conversion with RIMAC. Having driven some electric cars, their performance is mind blowing and I literally just witnessed the Formula E racing series first hand which was fascinating due to the lack of noise! Bear in mind, we'll all need to re-tool for this whole new world of computerised electric motor cars.
Food for thought.... depending on your wallet size!
Jaguar does factory-restoration sales of the Series 1 E-type plus there's the whole resto-mod world out there.... depending on your wallet size!
How true David . . . of course, none of us have yet mentioned the EAGLE as tested by Jeremy on UK Top Gear (see YouTube vid celebrating E-Type's 50th birthday). Now that is the ultimate E-Type 'shoulda been' . . . but at a limited run price of over GBP500,000 (gulp) I can think of well over a million Australian reasons I will never afford one!
Ah . . . the glorious E-Type . . . a superb alternative to marriage, children, family and responsibility. I was blessed to enjoy them all, but there is one trick I simply cannot emulate in the XK8, nor an even later XKR I borrowed . . . flooring the E in second gear and watching it spin past 6,000 you will be horrified how much road ahead disappears. This is not a factor of acceleration (which the XKR will exceed). It's a factor of that long, long bonnet instantly obscuring 100 metres of roadway as the E leaps forward. Perhaps I haven't recovered from the passion, after all?
Perhaps I haven't recovered from the passion, after all?
There is no cure, IMO.
Like our XKs, it had its faults, but there's no doubt it was spectacular back in the days of Morris Minors, Austin A35s and the rest of the British detritus. You were privileged to have owned one:- In my youth, I promised myself 'one day' but never quite got there, and they are so valuable now that I wouldn't want the responsibility.
The man who started it all, Mr. Malcolm Sayer:
Last edited by michaelh; Jun 22, 2021 at 07:09 AM.
How very true Mike . . . C, D, then E . . . the latter firmly echoed in the X100 and X150.
Beyond Sayer and not commonly known is that, prior to production of the XJ-S, Jaguar invited a number of external consultant stylists to contribute. Here is the concept car, XJ Spyder, as presented by PininFarina . . . and the year was 1978 . . .
Now that baby could park its wheels under my bed any day !!!
What style; what pazzazz; what a Jaguar !!!
Cheers,
Is the X100 a pathway to the E-Type
