Description
By: Glen Smale .
For many, the Jaguar E-type was the quintessential sports car Of its day. It certainly had a hard act to follow, considering the gorgeous and voluptuous XKs that appeared just after the Second World War. But then the 1960s was the decade in which sports cars really matured, as they became more readily accessible to a wider range of car buyers.
Rather than just producing a road-going version of a race car, Malcolm Sayer created a sports car for the mass market that was much more affordable, could still outperform most of its rivals and with looks that even Enzo Ferrari admired. Although much has been written about the E-type over the years, this book is different in that it offers a detailed study of the design of the car, rather than just a history of the model. In fact readers will find very few technical specifications listed as the author has sought to uncover the inspiration behind the E-type's styling and overall design, revealing how both design and technical advances combined in the development of this remarkable sports car. The Jaguar E-type is a product of its generation, a time when advances in the "a echanical and aerodynamic fields were applauded by both the industry and the car- buying public, and the market marvelled at its higher top speed capability. This was a time when most sports cars were as British as tea and scones, and it was a proud thing to compare the performance capabilities of these homegrown sports cars against their more expensive continental rivals.
History has shown us that the E-type's design was so advanced that it became a landmark in the overall development of automobile design, and the effects of its influence are still being felt today. It was streets ahead of its rivals at the time, and, perhaps, one day another car will be created that will take the world by storm, just as the E-type did in 1961.
Glen Smale is a lifelong motoring enthusiast whose writing includes magazine features, books and automotive marketing. Graduating with a marketing degree from Rhodes University, South Africa, he has a strong interest in cars and people, and how these two interact. He is the founder of Automotive Research, which specialises in providing research services to the motor industry and related media. He is also the author of Porsche: The Carrera Dynasty for Haynes Publishing.
