The E-Type experience

YOU wait ages for an E-Type Jaguar, and then two turn up at once!

That's the way I felt last week after I wrote a piece celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the iconic Sixties sports car, which ended on the sad note that I'd never driven, ridden or even sat in one.

So I couldn't believe when not one, but two Life On Cars readers rang up to offer me the chance to do something I've wanted to do since the age of ten, and finally get up close to the classic car everybody lusts after. This, for a car nut like me, was a dream come true.

You don't even have to be remotely interested in cars to understand why everybody wants an E-Type - all you need to do is take in the shape, which first stunned the world way back in 1961.

Hesketh Bank reader Nigel Spry, who brought his bright red 1970 E-Type to the Champion offices last Friday, reckons it's the head-turning looks that make it such a memorable motor.

"It's the shape, pure and simple, and it's so elegant," he said.

"Yes, it's a car you can drive in any weather, and the performance was remarkable for its day, but the reason all the pop stars and footballers bought them in the Sixties was becase it's such a beautiful shape. It just hits you."

Although I wasn't allowed to get behind the wheel myself for insurance reasons, just strapping myself into the passenger seat and looking at the wooden steering wheel, the delicate rocker switches and that gorgeously curvaceous bonnet reminded me the car was something special. As soon as the Jag's straight six engine fired up, I couldn't help but smile.

I'd have been happy to leave it at the blast along Southport's streets in Nigel's glorious example of the elegant E-Type, but when Bispham reader Tom Melia got in touch to offer me a ride in his, I couldn't refuse. One E-Type ride is a dream come true, so surely two in the space of a weekend is just being greedy!

"It's a really nice car drive, really responsive, with great lumps of power. You could almost liken it to a four wheel motorbike," he said of his 1968 E-Type Coupe.

"Even the young kids wave and give you the thumbs up when you go past them in it. Everyone sees the shape and smiles, because it's just so different to anything else out there."

With prices for decent E-Types starting at around £25,000, I can't see one ending up in my garage any time soon but I can at least tick off one of the boxes in my list of things I've always wanted to do. For a car that turns fifty next month, the E-Type is as fabulous as it ever.

It's the best birthday I've ever celebrated, anyway...


Check out Life On Cars and the Champradio service later this week for a special E-Type edition of the Life On Cars radio show.