A really special Jaguar

Ask any petrol head what s/he thinks the greatest Jaguar of all time is, and eight times out of ten the answer will be the Jaguar E-Type. And why shouldn’t it be? The E-Type has been nothing but a shot of beauty in the automotive world when it arrived at the start of the 1960s, an instant classic that refuses to lose its aroma and taste – unlike instant coffee.

While test driving a new Jaguar F-Type we by chance came across a very special E-Type. The coincidental meet was too good to pass up. So here we are, some fifty years later bringing the E-Type in contact with its millennial grandson. Or is it great grandson? Ag, doesn’t matter.

This specific E-Type is the only one of its kind in South Africa. In 1966, following near-unprecedented sales success since the E-Type’s launch, Jaguar expanded the E-Type range with this Series 1.5 Fixed Head Coupe 2+2 (four seater). This was a few years before the Series 2 went into production, but the Series 1.5 is an almost unknown (secretive?) model in the E-Type’s history. The Series 1’s 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine was expanded to 4.2-litres for use in the Series 1.5 and produced, at the time, 265hp (±200kW). Interestingly, this car was imported directly from England, which meant that it had 20hp more than the model produced for the US market. The gearbox is a four-speed synchromesh manual unit that sends power to the rear wheels. A three-speed automatic gearbox option was also added to the Series 1.5.

The owner says that when his parents found out they were expecting a boy, his father went out and bought the E-Type in celebration. The car has been in the family from before his birth and when he was old (and mature) enough, he took ownership of it. And every day since he’s been caring for it as if it was a member of his family.

This Jaguar E-Type is part of the owner’s family and does he treat the car as such. There is no way he’ll sell the car, he says, and will continue to care for it until the day one of his sons are ready to continue the passion. The car’s interior is left untouched. Though the seats and gear lever cover are torn, they will not be altered or repaired with pirate parts. The owner is adamant that this classic will only be repaired with original parts; which are very hard to come by. Scratches and dents are also left untouched in an effort to preserve the originality of the car. His father altered the exterior by adding an aerial, different side mirrors, and the Jaguar icon on the bonnet.

In its heyday, the 4.2-litre six-cylinder engine produced around 200kW to gift the car brisk performance. This was a throwback to Jaguar’s success on the racetrack in the 1950s, which gave birth to the E-Type concept.

Separated by decades, both the E- and F-Type share Jaguar’s racing heritage and DNA. They may be different, but they also couldn’t be more the same.

Article: Charlen Raymond Photos: Warren Wilson