RM Sotheby’s Arizona Presents The Distinguished 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series Roadster
“The most beautiful car ever made” in the eyes of Enzo Ferrari, graces the auction blocks of RM Sotheby’s from now till 22nd January 2021.
The sexiest car of the 1960s graces the auction blocks of RM Sotheby’s from now till 22nd January 2021. Regarded both an E-Type and XKE, this 1961 Jaguar Roadster follows a long-proven formula of providing sensational looks and performance, at a unimaginably low price. First introduced with the XK120 in 1949 this iconic build was later restated with vigor in 1961, replacing the voluptuousness of the former XK150 was the sleekness of the new E-Type.
RM Sotheby’s Arizona Presents The Distinguished 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series Roadster
Taking the automotive world by storm, this 1961 Jaguar Roadster was introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in March 1961, where it was honored by Enzo Ferrari as “The most beautiful car ever made.” Recognizing the significance of the E-Type’s design, New York’s Museum of Modern Art added a blue roadster to its permanent design collection, making the 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series Roadster, one of only six automobiles ever to receive such distinction.
According to its Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate, this left-hand drive Series 1 E-Type was built on 2 October 1961 and dispatched to New York on 12 October 1961. Exactly 30 days later, it was delivered to its first owner in Los Angeles, California. Three subsequent owners have had possession of the car prior to the consigner purchasing it in 2016: the second owner purchased it in the late 1960s, Kirk Fry of Palo Alto, California took ownership in 1976, and the fourth owner in 2002.
Complete with a frame-off concours-level restoration by well-known restorer and marque expert Dave Ferguson in 2013, this 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series Roadster was refinished in its original colour of Opalescent Bronze, and fitted with a striking new leather interior matching the beige original. Enhanced with a new black convertible hood, all proof is provided for the exhaustive detail of the work completed in the form of both video-recordings and photographs.
Featuring larger front disc brakes to improved stopping power, alongside a five-speed manual gearbox for effortless cruising, the 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series Roadster showcases new and improved wire wheels, an electronic ignition changed to negative ground, and the car’s authentic headlamp covers, windscreen, fluid reservoir, nuts, bolts and washers.
