Vehicle Facts
The Details
The Series I E-Type occupies an elite position in automotive history. Unveiled at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, it was a road car of genuine competition pedigree, a direct descendant of Jaguar's Le Mans-winning D-Type, offered at a price that scandalized the establishment. Enzo Ferrari declared it the most beautiful car ever made. The motoring press noted its 150 mph capability and sub-seven-second 0-60. Both assessments proved correct.
What distinguished the E-Type technically was the sincerity of its engineering. Independent rear suspension was revolutionary for a production sports car in 1961. Four-wheel disc brakes, mounted inboard at the rear to reduce unsprung weight, were a racing-derived solution with no contemporary equivalent on a road car at this price. The monocoque construction, rack-and-pinion steering, and tubular front subframe reflected a level of sophistication the market had not yet seen outside of purpose-built competition machinery.
The 1962 model year represents the earliest production of the Series I lineage, the purest expression of Malcolm Sayer's original vision, before regulatory requirements and market demands necessitated changes to the design. These first-year cars carry details and construction methods that distinguish them from every E-Type that followed.
This example is finished in Red over Black leather, presenting as a Hagerty Condition 3 driver with an honest competition history. This is for the collector seeking an early Series I roadster of genuine historical significance.
