Sixty Years of the Jaguar E-Type
An elegant location for an elegant car.
The better weather of Spring and Summer always bring out the classics and there’s fewer better than the car Enzo Ferrari called the most beautiful in the world – the Jaguar E-Type, a car that needs no introduction. One of the most iconic British cars of all time, it was built in three iterations between 1961-1975 before it was replaced by the somewhat controversial Jaguar XJ-S. Yes that’s right, this car has hit its sixtieth anniversary this year and it is looking as good as ever. To celebrate this I look back on a very memorable photoshoot from 2019. This example is the later Series 3 2+2 coupe, fitted with the then new V12 engine that was a departure from the straight sixes seen in the previous Series 1 and Series 2 cars. Though it might seem a bit mad, this version is considered the ugly duckling of the range, being longer and considered less elegant than the earlier cars and the strict two seaters.
Despite the large fuel tank the 5.3L V12 engine will mean visiting the petrol station will be a common occurrence.
Picking this car up from Kim Cairns in Norfolk was easy enough and you definitely knew you were in something classic as soon as you got in. The car is much narrower than modern offerings and it always feels a bit weird when there aren’t any headrests, though at least we had seat belts to give ourselves the false sense of safety that we might survive a crash. However, we were quickly reminded of the foibles common to old cars when an electrics failure promptly killed all the dials on the dash. It was at this point we realised we hadn’t checked the fuel gauge before it stopped working, so the first port of call was a petrol station. After the re-fuel we wanted to quickly check the engine to make sure it wasn’t overheating now we were without a working temperature gauge but soon realised we didn’t know how to open the E-Type’s classic front hinged bonnet. A quick google search later and we were happy everything was in order before we carried on out to the shoot.
You’ll struggle to look uncool behind the wheel of an E-Type.
On the way over to the country roads, we spotted an attractive looking pub with a large gravel car park which we earmarked as a place for the statics though first we went out to get action shots whilst giving the car a good run out. In the middle of this we saw a whole host of other period classics drive-by much to our amusement, if we’d tagged along on the end we would have fit right in. I’ve definitely improved at how quickly I can get action shots compared to how good I was back then in 2019 but this was the first shoot using my 70-200mm F4 lens which has gone on to become one of my favourites, and this was the shoot that helped me see its potential.
The car park of dreams for classic car enthusiasts. Let’s hope this is a more common sight with the pubs reopening.
With the car fully warmed up and the time having gone past noon we decided to return to the pub we had seen previously (the Duck and Inn in Stanhoe) to pick up a pub lunch and get all the statics before getting a few more road shots on the return journey. To our great surprise the classics we had seen earlier were all parked here with a few others and what was there was jaw dropping. Not only did we see some of the more usual classics like another E-type and a Jensen Interceptor but there was also an Aston Martin DB5 and the craziest thing of all a RHD 250 SWB Ferrari. To see a car worth millions at a pub car park was really quite something and the sound of its Colombo V12 as it drove off later was nothing short of magnificent. As it turned out this pub was a favourite for classic cars owners due to its large car park in a scenic country setting, near great local roads.
Another iconic British car, but one you rarely get to see in the metal, an Aston Martin DB5.
The mega rare and valuable Ferrari 250 SWB. Its Columbo V12 is something to behold.
The interior was absolutely immaculate and just as stunning as the outside.
The owners fire up their cars after a memorable day out at the pub.
Once we had had our lunch out of the way, we had the car lined up in different places in the car park and worked away. The people who ran the pub were very accommodating, not only being very enthusiastic with the shoot but also even bringing out glasses of water for us on what was a hot day. Needless to say, if you are in the area, I highly recommend going now that it has reopened. The last bit of excitement for the day was a van nearly crashing into a car in front as he was so distracted by the E-Type as we were finishing up. If that isn’t an endorsement of its good looks then I don’t know what is!
A staged shot Aaron thought up for the magazine, with a thoughtful pose whilst the car sits in the background. Being pretentious never looked so good.
The S3 E-Type is instantly recognizable by the enlarged grill, needed for the additional air intake required by the V12.
Wonderfully well put together interior which is deceptively narrow, with more modern looking switchgear than earlier models. The dashboard dials prompted failed within five minutes of us hitting the road.
No headrests here but at least there’s some primitive seatbelts, visibility out of the back isn’t too bad.
Not a fake modern exhaust in sight and delivers the noise you’d expect from a large V12 engine.
The distinctive front hinged bonnet the E-Type is known for reveals the 5.3L V12 introduced for the S3 E-Type. Opening was not as simple as we first expected and moments before a van nearly crashed into another car as he was admiring the beauty of the Jag.
After leaving the pub and wrapping up the last of the photography, I managed to get behind the wheel for a few miles on the return journey to the dealer. What a wonderful experience it was, shooting down country roads with that V12 up front. It was by no means quick by modern standards, but it did get a move on and sound the business once you put your foot to the floor. Being a V12 the power delivery is smooth, much smoother than the modern cars I’m used to driving with only four cylinders, and further reminds you this is something far from ordinary. This is helped further by the delightful power assisted steering which was light, delicate and direct in a way I haven’t experienced in a car before or after. It goes to show it is possible to create a car that’s easy to steer without losing the connection to the road beneath you. Seeing as this later car was a good 200-300KG heavier than the earlier cars it did make me wonder how different the driving experience must be between them, but its something to ponder once you’ve gotten out. You just don’t care when your hands are firmly grasping the wheel.
It’s hard to see how this could be called an ugly duckling with road presence like this.
Although prices have stabilised and fallen a little bit recently, they still aren’t quite the affordable classics they used to be a generation ago. This one was up for £75,000 but that was top money for an S3 2+2 in 2019. Many cars are on the market go for significantly less than that, though of course it always pays to buy well to save your wallet from expensive and extensive restorations. With the lockdown fueled classic car sales boom I hope to see a few more of these of the road this year and hopefully it won’t be too long until I can get behind the wheel again, even if I doubt I’d ever be able to afford to own one.
The car is certainly in its element on British country roads. Fittingly the car is painted in pale primrose.
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