Jaguar E-Type S1 3.8 Coupe

Even though we have now had over 50 years to get used to it, there is something so right and so perfect about the shape of the original E-Type Jaguar that its power to stop the world in its tracks has never been diminished. 

With a top speed of almost 150mph and at least as good as any contemporary Aston or Ferrari, it's only because Jaguar sold so many of them that mere mortals like you and I can realistically think of owning one today.

The best looking and most desirable of all the E-Type variants is the Series 1, as here. Like all the earliest cars it is fitted with the legendary 3.8-litre XK straight-six which provides a much sportier feel than the later, softer 4.2-litre engine. Quoted as developing some 265bhp and 260lb/ft of torque in standard tune, it is mated to a four-speed Moss gearbox with synchromesh on the top three ratios.

Quite apart from their sheer beauty, these are genuinely quick cars even by today’s standards, yet remain easy to live with and maintain (unlike Italian exotica) with all parts readily available and a whole army of specialists to service them. Right-hand drive 3.8 Coupes are also surprisingly rare, with just 860 made in total between March 1961 and October 1964 (chassis numbers 860001 – 860860).

This particular car is number 304 of the run and was first registered in October 1962. Not much is known about the early years of the car but it remained in the hands of just one family from 1975 right up until earlier this year. Although there is very little history with the car, we understand that it was fully restored about 20 years ago but was then taken to the owners’ holiday home in Lanzarote where it was to remain in storage virtually unused before being returned to the UK about 12 years ago.

Since then the car has also been very little used, the odometer (presumably re-set to zero when the car was restored) still only showing some 160 miles (an old MOT from 1975 showing that it had 16,888 miles on the clock at that date and another from 2001 recording just 73 miles). What is certain is that the car still has excellent bodywork and panel fit with nice shiny paint, good chrome, a smart interior and one of the sweetest XK engines we have ever heard.

Recently recommissioned and fully serviced for sale, the car is due to gain a fresh MOT before the auction. With effectively just one owner for the last 38 years and stored in a nice dry climate for most of that time, this is a particularly straight and sound E-Type that really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.