RINGING IN THE CHANGES
The E-type went on sale in the UK in July 1961, four months after its unveiling in Switzerland. Prices for the first 3.8-litre cars ranged from £2097 for the open roadster, to £2196 for the fixed-head coupé. These were remarkably low, all things being relative, given that they undercut the XK150S, which had, remember, only just been withdrawn from production.
Several minor refinements were made to the seating, footwells and brakes during winter 1961/62. 1962 cars also featured re-aligned pedals and changes to the bonnet locks. Further detail revisions were phased in between 1962 and ’64, primarily to the running gear.
The big news, however, was the arrival of the E-type 4.2 in October ’64. A leather-faced dashboard and seats that offered more generous lumbar support were the main interior changes but it was virtually indistinguishable from the 3.8 version externally. Jaguar introduced the stretched 2+2 E-type in March 1966, the original two-seater coupé continuing alongside unchanged.
Greater practicality for the new strain came at a cost, though, because the more steeply-raked windscreen and larger side glazing lost some of the original’s styling purity. However, it was well received in period and, at £2386, offered similarly amazing value for money. At this time, a Jensen CV-8 MkIII cost £3679, while a MercedesBenz 230 SL would have set you back £3764. However, labour unrest continued to disrupt production. Motor Sport reported in April 1966: ‘…if the Coventry craftsmen had got on with their work instead of going on strike, this model would now be selling in great numbers, for it would have been on show at Earls Court last October.’
The so-called ‘Series 1½’ variants produced from late 1967 foretold some changes inflicted on the US Federal regulations-friendly S2, not least the deletion of the ‘ears’ from the wire wheel spinners and the use of exposed – rather than faredin – headlights, while the original attractive dashboard rocker switches were also sadly consigned to the history books.