ALL THE LOOKS, LESS OF THE OUTLAY

JAGUAR E-TYPE SERIES 2 2+2 ENGINE 4235cc/6-cyl/DOHC POWER 265bhp @5400rpm TORQUE 283lb ft@4000rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 142mph 0-60MPH 7.1sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 12-19mpg TRANSMISSION RWD, 4-sp man/3-sp auto ENGINE OIL Castrol Classic XL20w/50 7.5 litres TRANSMISSION Castrol Classic EP90 1.3 litres AXLE OIL Castrol CLassic EP 90 1.4 litres

E-type Series 1 values have gone ballistic since Sixties Aston Martins became the preserve of only the very wealthiest buyers.

Series 1 and 2 E-types always looked like remarkably good value compared with Newport Pagnell products, but now those who have been priced out of DB4s, ‘5s and ‘6s have switched their fickle allegience to the first-generation E-type, the result being ever-firming-up prices, with six-figure prices for the very best examples.

Yet the wised-up E-type buyer knows that there’s a better-value E-type that has almost the svelte looks of the Series 1, but without the arguably less aesthetically pleasing appearance of the Series 3.

Yes, the Series 2 is the middle of the run, but appearance-wise it’s way more Series 1 than 3, and all to the good. Gone, however, are the fared-in headlamps and thin rear light clusters located below the bumper, but this was a facelift that could have turned out far worse. And there’s always the 4.2-litre XK engine, of course.

Like it or not, the Series 2 is way, way better value for money than any Series 1, where even Americanimport basket-cases can achieve sums that would make the most hardened Jaguar-lover wince. In second-generation form, there was a little less of the sporting element and more the air of a true grand tourer, the late-1960s/early-1970s being the end of this period.

Of course the saloon bar ‘expert’ will say that the Series 2 is soft, but in reality it’s not – not by any means. It’s just as demanding to drive, and while not as much ‘grab it by the scruff of the neck’ as a Corvette or bigger-engined Mustang, it has a reasonable amount of poke.

In that way it’s more like four-seater Ferraris of the same period, bar the magnificent 500 Superfast. It has plenty of poke to back up its unmistakable looks, but it handles well, stops well and should prove reliable if looked after properly. Luckily there are plenty of E-type specialists wellversed in these cars, whose downfall is often their structure rather than anything mechanical.

So why should anyone in the market for a six-pot E-type go for an S2 rather than an S1’?

It’s not like-for-like, but it’s going to be way cheaper than the early car and, let’s be honest, the earliest Series 1s aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, their looks belying just how much they demand from the driver – light they certainly aren’t. The S2, however, offers a more comfortable, less raw take and that, if anything, makes it more appealing to a broader spectrum of buyers.

In coupé and 2+2 form, the Series 2 offers unbelievably good value for money and they’re even better value if you’re not worried about driving a left-hand drive American import.

And while the Series 1 suffers from an overcooked Swinging Sixties air, the S2 doesn’t. British entertainer, Anthony Newley, received a Carriage Brown Series 2 (which he quickly sold to Tony Curtis) after one night performing at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas – if it was good enough for him, it’s good enough for anyone!