Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Coupe - Auction 8/8 For Sale by Auction (1964)
Estimate: (£) 35,000 - 45,000
Reg Number: DVJ116B
Chassis Number: 861685
Engine Number: RA6966-9
Cc: 3781
Body Colour: Red
Trim Colour: Black
MOT ExpiryDate: None
By now, even the little green men of mars must be aware that 2011 was the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type, such was the level of global celebration. And rightly so - this was the sports car that put the swinging into the 'swinging sixties', that no lesser a man than Enzo Ferrari dubbed 'the most beautiful car in the world', and the sexy feline that transported a galaxy of stars from Brigitte Bardot to George Best, Tony Curtis to Donald Campbell and Roy Orbison to Steve McQueen.
That Jaguar was initially unaware of the new jewel in its crown is now plain to see. When the newcomer was unveiled at the restaurant du Parc des Eaux Vives prior to the 1961 Geneva Salon, the clamour for demonstration runs in the Coupe ('9600 HP') was unexpectedly intense. So much so that Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons demanded another E-Type be delivered by 10am sharp the following morning. Chief test driver Norman Dewis duly ditched the brake test equipment from the company's now famous prototype Roadster, '77 RW', and began the race of his life, averaging 68mph for 11 hours, arriving with 10 minutes to spare.
The response of the press and public to the show cars was unprecedented - in one fell swoop Jaguar had redefined the sports car genre. The combination of the car's sensuous Malcolm Sayer-penned lines, ground-breaking ride and handling and 150mph performance was unbeatable - especially for the princely sum of £2,256 15s (the equivalent of £38,000 or a Lotus Exige today).
Though not designed as a racing car, the E-Type was nevertheless a direct descendent of the all-conquering D-Type - motorsport was embedded in its DNA. Small wonder then that, just one month from launch, Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori drove the Equipe Endeavour E-Type ('ECD 400') to victory at Oulton Park. A few weeks later the examples of Salvadori and Jack Sears outstripped the Ferrari 250 GTs of Whitehead and Parkes at Crystal Palace.
The die was cast, and the E-Type has continued to be a winner ever since. In 1996 the New York City Museum of Modern Art recognised the model's design significance by a adding a blue Roadster to its collection - one of only six motorcars to achieve the distinction. In 2004, Sports Car International magazine voted it the best sports car of the '60s, while four years later it topped the Daily Telegraph's list of the '100 most beautiful cars of all time'.
'DVJ 116B' is a matching numbers right-hand drive 3.8-litre Fixed Head Coupe from 1964. It sports Red bodywork and Black leather upholstery. In May 2009 it became part of a very large Continental car collection, where it has benefited from a considerable degree of refurbishment, including: a total respray, re-upholstery of the seats and new headlining and carpets. Recent mechanical attention has seen the overhauling of the brake system and rear axle. The E-type has not ventured onto the roads during this period, but has been treated to a strict preservation programme that included regular start-ups, and the Jaguar is currently said to be "on the button".
The vendor classes the bodywork, six-cylinder XK engine and four-speed manual transmission as "very good" and the paintwork and interior trim as "new". He is now selling the car complete with sunroof, driver's handbook, workshop and special tuning manuals, Heritage Certificate and invoices totalling £7,000. The E-Type's odometer currently reads an unwarranted 38,162 miles and it will require a fresh MOT and tax before returning to the Queen's highway.
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