Collectible autos: the Jaguar E-type

Depending on who you ask, the Jaguar E-type is either of the most exquisitely designed cars of all time, or it's a hideously bulbous car bought primarily by old men aiming to look more virile than they actually are. "It's sortof like an old British Corvette," they might say. "Only wankers drive them."

I fall into the first category: the E-type is an amazing-looking car and it's got a very rich history in racing, films, and common culture in general.

Around 70,000 E-types (also called the XKE) were built in three generations, starting in 1961 and ending in 1974. The Series 1 (1961–1968) and Series 2 (1969–1971) cars were fitted with 3.8L or 4.2L inline-6 engines (making 265hp) whereas the Series 3 (1972–1974) got a ~300hp 5.3L V12. Most models were available with either a 4-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed automatic.

During the course of its lifetime, the E-type was sold as a 2-seat roadster (OTS or Open Two-Seater), a 2-seat coupé (FHC or Fixed-Head Coupé) or a 4-seat coupé (2+2). The roadster was always available, although the coupé was sold originally only in 2-seat form, and later only as a 2+2.

Of the three, the roadster clearly has the lowest lines.

The FHC was made from 1961–1970 and has a less serious windshield rake than the 2+2.

The 2+2 has longer doors than the FHC and is, in my opinion, the least attractive of the three bodies.

Collectability: Very good. A solid E-type will never lose value, and is starting to become a real gem.

(+) The E-type is really very striking. This is less obvious when you see the pictures here as it is when you see one up close—in person, these cars really come alive. The E-type is regularly on the list of most beautiful cars ever made.

(+) It's got bona-fide power. Compared to other British roadsters of the era, the E-type was remarkably well-powered. American cars of the early 1960s were making similar power, and it was only at the end of the 1960s that the big-cube US engines were making substantially more than the E-type.

(+) It's got a real racing past. Jaguar was heavily involved in motorsports up until the late 1970s, and the E-type saw actual track time across Europe during the 1960s and early 1970s. Admittedly, it didn't win any races (which is part of the reason why the E-type isn't as valuable as its more succesful predecessors) but it was entered, and that's a good deal better than most cars.

(+) It's got disc brakes and fully-independent suspension. This was really new technology when the car first debuted in 1961. It helps cement the E-type as a really groundbreaking design in both the mechanical as well as the design sense.

(-) Early models were mostly hand-built. Although this is the sort of thing important in buying a Rolls-Royce or a BMW M engine, I really do think it hurts the E-type. This car wasn't sold as an exclusive sports car—on the contrary, it was priced well below most of its competitors. The car was produced in enough volume that the manual assembly process really only introduces ill-fitting parts. For example, early E-type roadsters had enough variation in the body that the hardtop fitting points were manually measured and recorded at the factory in case the buyer later wanted to purchase a hardtop for the car.

(-) It's got a clamshell hood. While this means that it's got great lines on the front end, it also means that everything forward of the windshield is very delicate and expensive to replace. Both the Corvette (after the C4) and the Viper (after the 2^nd generation) lost their clamshell hoods because they're too costly.

Expect to pay: $25,000 for a coupé in good shape or $50,000 for a roadster.

What to look for:

• The Series 2 and Series 3 cars aren't as visually clean as the Series 1 cars. If you're buying an E-type because it's an amazing-looking vehicle, stick to the Series 1. The Series 1 is easily identifiable by its glass-covered headlamps.
  
• Avoid the early "Moss" 4-speed transmissions. All 3.8L engines came with a horrendously outdated transmission which is prone to failure and which doesn't have a synchromesh on 1^st gear.
  
• If you're looking for the ultimate cheap E-type, go for a 2+2 Series 2 or Series 3 car. These tend to sell for between $15,000 and $20,000.
  
• Manual transmissions generally involve a 10% premium over the automatics. It's probably worth it in the long run to spring for the 4-speed.
  
• All modifications are to be avoided entirely—with perhaps the single exception that US Series 2 cars may be upgraded to triple-SU carburettors off the UK model.