THE E-TYPE BOWS OUT

It’s 50 years since the last E-Type rolled off the line at Browns Lane, showcasing Jaguar’s remarkable V12 engine – François Prins looks back at the final incarnation of the world’s most beautiful sports car

Introduced in 1961, the Jaguar E-Type was an immediate success and would stay in production for nearly 14 years. During that time, the car was subject to many modifications and went through major redesigns to keep it fresh and in demand. Under the bonnet was the famous XK engine, which had been developed since its introduction in 1948 and, although it was still a capable power unit, it was showing its age. Jaguar engineers had been busy with different engine configurations, from V8s to V12s but for various reasons they had not been progressed.