At the 1961 Geneva Auto Show, Jaguar stunned the automotive world with a timeless design that is still regarded as one of the finest in history. That car was none other than the E-Type. The company said it will mark the E-Type's 50th birthday at this year's Geneva Motor Show and at other events such as the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Goodwood's Revival and Goodwood's Festival of Speed, without going into any more details.
“Half a century of progress has not diminished the significance of the E-Type,” says Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director Jaguar Cars. “It was a sensation when it was launched, and remains Jaguar's most enduring and iconic symbol. The E-Type is simply one of the most exciting cars ever created and a legacy to the genius of Jaguar's founder, Sir William Lyons.”
After all, what other car is a permanent exhibit in New York's Museum of Modern Art? Even the proud Enzo Ferrari said about the E-Type that it was “the most beautiful car in the world.” If one was asked to portray the sixties in the form of a car, the E-Type would be the obvious choice.
It was an even more impressive car considering the E-Type's performance managed to match its looks. Its straight-six 3.8-liter engine produced 265 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, so the car was capable of doing 150 mph, earning it the title of the fastest production car of its time.
On top of that, it only cost a fraction of the price of rivals with similar performance (in today's money $60,000). It remained on the market for 14 years, selling more than 70,000 units.
By Dan Mihalascu
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