Jaguar E Type Series II 2+2

Launched in March 1961 the E-Type took the world by storm. William Lyons’ ability to design a car which looked just right was by then already legendary, however with the E-Type he surpassed even himself. It was not just the looks that made everyone sit up though. "The Motor" magazine tested an early E-Type at 149mph – a truly extraordinary achievement for a road car in 1961. The first cars used the 3.8 litre engine from the XK 150S in a new chassis which carried torsion bar front suspension and an independent coil set up at the rear. It was also one of the first cars to use discs brakes all round which was entirely necessary given its remarkable performance.

The Series 1 was upgraded to 4.2 litres in 1964, and a stretched 2+2 added to the range in 1966 with an extra 9” added to the chassis, longer doors to aid getting in and out and a more vertical windscreen. It was also available with an automatic gearbox.

The Series 2 was produced between 1969 and 1971. This featured a number of styling changes, including larger indicators and tail-lights and a larger 'mouth' at the front plus twin fans for better engine cooling. These cars can also be identified by their ribbed cam covers and rocker switches which replaced the toggles which fell foul of the US safety legislation. During the life span of the Series 2, some 5,326 were produced as 2+2s with many destined for export markets.

Originally supplied by Rothwell and Milbourne in Malvern, this Series II 2+2 was registered on 1st October 1970. An original right-hand drive UK supplied car, this manual gearbox car has covered just 59,000 miles from new and has been used sparingly by its garage proprietor owner for the last 20 years. The vendor describes it as in very good working condition, with no untoward mechanical noises at all, and believes that the engine has never been touched. Ongoing maintenance has been attended to, with a recent new master cylinder and servo. Complete with period Webasto sunroof and wood rim steering wheel, this car represents a perfect way to own a genuine low mileage manual E-type for the price of a cheap modern hatchback. With the E-Type's 50th anniversary coming up next year, this looks like a great car in which to join the party!