Launch of the Jaguar E-Type

By the beginning of the 1960s, Jaguar needed a new car to replace the XK series. Improvements such as disc brakes and a styling facelift had helped to rejuvenate the range but there was no disguising its age. The time had come for the E-Type – a car that was an absolute sensation at its Geneva Motor Show launch in March 1961.

Jaguar E-Type

One of the greatest attractions of the E-Type was its perceived racing heritage. The car’s shape and many of its structural features were direct adaptations of the D-Type Le Mans racers. The D-Type, unlike its C-Type predecessor, used a monocoque construction which provided great strength coupled with light weight. Although simplified somewhat for the E-Type, this stressed-skin construction was still recognisable in the bulkhead behind the engine, in front of the windscreen and in the deep sills. It was obvious too where the styling for the E-Type had come from. The old and upright look of the last of the XKs had gone and the D-Type’s influence was clearly visible.

For the suspension only detail changes were required at the front to adapt Jaguar’s existing double wishbone and longitudinal torsion bar arrangement, which had been well regarded ever since it was introduced on the Mark V. At the rear though something new had to be done in place of the XK’s heavy cart-sprung rear axle, and that was the introduction of independent rear suspension (IRS).

Jaguar did have some limited experience with IRS, having tried it on a small experimental military vehicle during World War II. Later it was also tried on the D-Type, but only once in an actual race.

For the new car, erring on the side of caution – such was its departure from the company’s previous systems – the suspension was rather heavier in construction than might be expected of a sports car. That in itself was an indication that the E-Type was first and foremost regarded as a road car rather than a replacement Le Mans contender.

In the braking department Jaguar were already well known for their pioneering work on disc brakes in place of drums. By the time the E-Type was launched, Jaguar had nearly ten years of development and experience, and the systems had been greatly improved and simplified. One pair of quick change pads per wheel ensured that the callipers were of a more reasonable and manageable size than those seen on the previous XKs.

For the engine, the existing XK unit was more than adequate, particular in its most recent 3.8-litre 265 bhp guise as found in the XK150S. 260 ft lb of torque at 4000 rpm meant that there was plenty of low down torque, which also made it easy to forgive the slow change, long throw and non-synchromesh first gear in the rather archaic gearbox.

The car’s performance was breathtaking at the time. One of the press cars – 9600HP, a fixed-head – just managed the magic 150 mph. The new rear suspension gave the car excellent road-holding and a level of ride and comfort that was unheard of for a performance car. The shape was stunning and the price unbelievable: at £1,480 it was around half that of an Aston Martin, and a third of the price of contemporary Ferraris.

The Mark X saloon

Overshadowed somewhat by the launch of the E-Type, Jaguar’s saloons had also undergone substantial redevelopment at the beginning of the sixties. To replace the ageing Mark IX, the Mark X was introduced in October 1961 as the first of a new generation of Jaguar saloons. In some respects it was similar to the E-Type in that it used a wider version of the new independent rear suspension, with front suspension along similar lines established by the smaller saloons. The Mark X used the same 265 bhp engine as the E-Type, but with the Mark IX’s transmission options. The most significant dimension of the new saloon was its width. At 1,930 mm it was one of the widest cars ever made in Britain. The interior was similar to the Mark 2, although on a much bigger scale, making the Mark X a full six-seater. Its rear end was also redesigned to make the luggage boot extremely large.

Because of the power of the E-Type engine, the Mark X was still capable of nearly 120 mph despite its weight of 1,880 kg (4,144 lb). Extensive use was made of rubber mountings to keep down the road noise. The appearance was thoroughly modern, with new slim-line bumpers and a four-headlamp system.

The mark X sold reasonably well, but it was not an outstanding success in terms of sales, partly because the Mark 2 was in such demand and partly because it seemed too big for European roads.

The S-Type saloon

There was considerable demand for a more luxurious version of the compact saloon, and Lyons decided to combine the major improvements of the Mark X with the established features of the Mark 2. The result was the Jaguar S-Type saloon introduced in 3.4-litre and 3.8-litre versions in September 1963. These cars were similar to the Mark 2 in most dimensions and running gear, except that they now had the new independent rear suspension and extended rear bodywork (along similar lines as that of the big saloon) to give more room for luggage. The roofline was also changed slightly to increase headroom and the interior made more luxurious. The front of the S-Type was tidied up and Mark X style slim bumpers were fitted.

The S-Type proved to be a great success and soon after their introduction, the manual versions received a new all-syncromesh gearbox to replace the rather basic unit that had served Jaguars so well since the XK120. This gearbox was also made available for the Mark 2 a little later.

The 420 saloon

In August 1966 the Jaguar 420 was launched. This was in essence an S-Type saloon fitted with a twin-carburettor 4.2-litre XK engine. The car had also had its front end redesigned along the lines of the Mark X with four-headlamp lighting, but retaining the original Mark 2 narrow bonnet opening to save on expensive retooling.

At the same time, the Mark X also received a new radiator grille and a little extra chrome trim, and was renamed the 420G (for Grand) to bring some order and convention to the model naming system.

The 240 and 340 saloons

Next in line for revision were the Mark 2 saloons. Items such as leather upholstery were made optional extras to keep the price down, and the 3.8-litre version was discontinued now that the 420 was in production. The new slim-line bumpers were fitted in place of the more expensive Mark VII style ones.

Introduced in September 1967, these new models were the Jaguar 240 (fitted with the 2.4-litre engine), and the 340 (with the 3.4-litre engine). Production of these continued until October 1968 when the new Jaguar XJ6 saloon was revealed.