1967 Jaguar E-Type SI - 4.2-Litre Series 1 ½ Roadster

The Americans accounted for a significant proportion of Jaguar E-Type production. It is no wonder, then, that the demands of US buyers and the legal framework in the USA had a particularly strong influence on the development of the sports car unveiled in 1961. The second-series E-Type is regarded as less sporty, and many also consider it less attractive than the early versions. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961, the Jaguar E-Type set sports car enthusiasts’ hearts racing. For a comparatively modest price, the British manufacturer offered an elegant and aerodynamically sleek coupé or convertible with a 269 hp (265 bhp) six-cylinder engine, which even won over Italian sports car manufacturers. Jaguar continually adapted the E-Type to meet customer demands and comply with legal requirements. The flat underbody was phased out at an early stage. In October 1964, the 3.8-litre engine was replaced by a 4.2-litre inline six-cylinder. At the same time, the partially synchronised Moss four-speed gearbox was replaced by a fully synchronised four-speed unit. Finally, from the summer of 1967, American emissions and safety regulations necessitated the Series 1½, in which US models were fitted with only two carburettors and all vehicles had to do without the glass covers over the headlights. According to internal plans, Jaguar had actually intended to unveil a twelve-cylinder version of the E-Type as early as 1969, but the V12 version was not finally introduced until 1971. To bridge the gap, the Series 2 was unveiled as early as October/November 1968. The Jaguar E-Type on offer here, one of only 320 right-hand-drive Series 1½ roadsters ever built, was probably delivered in England and first registered there in 1967. It is thought that the roadster was imported into Switzerland in the mid-1970s – as suggested by the custom registration number entered in the vehicle registration document. In 1979, the Jaguar joined the collection of its last owner, who had it restored over 30 years ago, a process that took around two years. A completed logbook shows that this sporty British car has covered less than 5‘000 miles since March 2005. The E-Type, which has been registered to the daughter’s company since 2020, is currently in decent condition. The engine runs, the gearbox shifts correctly and the car is roadworthy. The bodywork is in good condition but requires a new coat of paint. The interior has a patina befitting its age and is in an attractive condition. Due to the prolonged period of inactivity, a major service and a general inspection should be carried out before this ‘big cat’ is unleashed onto the world’s roads once more. The last MOT was carried out in August 2020.