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77 of 186 lots
Lot 77
1961 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8-Litre Roadster
Estimate:
$250,000 - $325,000
Starting bid:
$100,000
Sold for
$179,200
Live Auction
Pebble Beach Auctions 2024
Description
Chassis: 875140
Engine: R1202-9

Presented in Elegant Maroon over Beige Color Combination
The 140th Left-Hand-Drive E-Type Roadster Built
Desirably Equipped with External Hood Latches, Welded Hood Louvers, and Flat Floor
Retains Matching-Numbers Engine per JDHT Certificate
The Most Collectible Example of Jaguar’s Iconic 1960s Sports Car

3,781 CC DOHC Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Three SU HD8 Carburetors
265 BHP at 5,500 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Servo-Assisted Dunlop Disc Brakes, Inboard Rear
Front Independent-Wishbone Suspension with Torsion Bars and Telescopic Dampers
Rear Independent Coil-Spring Suspension and Telescopic Dampers

An icon of design and performance, the E-Type is among the most important sports cars ever made. Fresh off a series of five Le Mans wins in the 1950s, Jaguar wasted no time putting the lessons it learned into its sensational new sports model. Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961, the E-Type had monocoque construction, a twin-cam engine, four-wheel disc brakes, and independent suspension all around.

It is no wonder then that 72,507 E-Types were built, with the earliest examples being the most collectible road-going E-Types by a wide margin. They had several unique attributes, including flat floor pans, welded-in hood louvers, and external hood latches, which were only on the first 500 or so cars.

As the 140th left-hand-drive example built, this E-Type Roadster has all of these coveted features. It was completed on June 28, 1961, barely three months after the E-Type’s debut, and finished in the striking combination of Opalescent Gunmetal over Red. Originally dispatched to New York, the Roadster had relocated to the mid-Atlantic coast by the 1980s. In recent years, the Jaguar was cosmetically restored in its present maroon over beige color scheme and, according to the accompanying JDHT Certificate, retains its matching-numbers engine. This attractive Jaguar also benefits from an extensive service in 2024, with invoices on file totaling over $15,000. Beautifully presented, this early production E-Type Roadster remains as attractive and sought-after today as it was 63 years ago.

*Please note that this vehicle is titled 1962.