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Learn MoreRetro Ride - 1962 Jaguar XKE
When the Jaguar XKE was introduced to America in early 1961. the automotive world stood still. At that time, the British were best known as the producers of well-trimmed, solidly built motorcars of more than moderate performance.
The E-Type catapulted the British from being quaint historians and purveyors of the past, to the cutting edge of production sports car design. First seen in magazines and on turntables at international motoring shows, the sensational E-Type, with its long, low profile, pointed nose, glass enclosed head- lamps and short, tapering tail, set the pace for sports car styling and design for the next two decades.
It's not that the public spotlight was some- thing new for Jaguar. The firm had been at the forefront of sports car development a dozen years earlier. That was when they introduced the XK120, their first all-new post-war sports car, at the London Motor Show in 1948.
The flowing and positively sensual XK120 body had been assembled out of wood and metal sheeting on a very basic chassis. The body design was still being decided when show time arrived, so an interim design was chosen to showcase the new high perfor- mance XK dual-overhead-cam six-cylinder engine. The results came away with top honors at the show. So many people wanted to own THAT PARTICULAR CAR that Jaguar had to speed an all-steel version of the show car into production to satisfy all of the orders.
The XKE was developed in the late '50s. Styling, in essence, was derived from the last incarnations of the D-Type and XKSS. The car had to be stretched for more interior space, and the overhang, both front and rear, was extended to bring the whole package into visual perspective. It featured new rack and pinion steering and fully independent suspension, with inboard disc brakes at the rear. The thirteen-year-old XK series six still sparkled in its latest 3.8-liter, 265 horse, three-carb form.
The Jaguar people wanted to build a car that not only looked great and performed well, it was to do so with dignity, refinement and a ride that was soft yet well controlled. What they came up with was an exciting car that took the world by storm. The Jag would run right along with the hottest fuel-injected Vette 'til it blasted away to its 150-mph top speed. A mass-produced masterpiece!
Getting into an E-Type coupe is an interest- ing proposition. The top is really low and the sills are high and wide. I just sort of looked at that little opening, made a few mental calculations and dove in! It's bigger thatit looks.
Once behind the wheel, it's relatively comfortable. The E-Type still has that '50s British sport/race car seating position where your lower half lies down flat and your torso is kept bolt upright. I notice that my hair is rubbing the headliner a bit. Having driven a number of E-Type roadsters in the past, I had never even thought about how intrusive that low, sleek coupe top could be. Anyone taller than my 5 ft, 10 in. would need a sunroof for head clearance. Anyone with even a hint of claustrophobia should opt for a roadster.
A touch of the starter button produces that characteristic six-cylinder burble. The clutch is light, but the shift gate is so close that it takes some experience to avoid finding reverse when looking for first. There is no synchro in first, so we just use it to get the car rolling. Second is a power gear, and will take the coupe up to way past any legal speed limit.
Shifting becomes academic when you realize that the big six can power this one- and-a-half ton sportster away from near zero in ANY gear with little effort. "Going through the gears" is quite entertaining, with the sound and feel of all of that old fashioned torquey British power. But after awhile, you find yourself just sort of "motoring away" from slow turns in third gear, 'cause shifting is such a bore and the darn thing will do it without a hint of fuss.
On the road, she do fly! The ride is smooth and the car goes where it's pointed. The brakes have some power assist, but will seem weak if you're used to late model over assisted binders. The steering is direct and easy to use, even at moderate speed. But it's heavy when parking, and the turning circle is somewhat wide for a car of this size.
Is it still the coolest car on the planet? I loved it, but I don't have to maintain it. However, it gets a second look wherever it goes. The XKE does everything it was designed to do, and does it well,
By Rick Feibusch
Auto Parts
