The fact that the E-type was a huge success for Jaguar meant a major dilemma when it came to eventually replacing such an iconic design. The problem with success is… what comes next? In much the same way that a best-selling debut author might have trouble writing their second book, or a successful singer might dread the prospect of their second album being panned by critics, whichever car came along to replace the E-type faced one of the biggest challenges in the motor industry.
In fact, a successor for the E-type was being explored long before that model’s Series III incarnation appeared in 1971, with studies created as early as ’67. Developed under model code XJ21, the project is widely regarded as being at least partly inspired by a design worked up by a young Jaguar apprentice of the time, Oliver Winterbottom. With his aspirations to join the styling department, Winterbottom had entered a competition organised by design house Bertone called the Concorso Grifo d’Oro and in August 1966 was astonished to discover that he had won the prize.
Promoted to staff stylist, Winterbottom was then formally engaged on the project to produce an E-type replacement, providing design support under project leadercorrespondingly compromised. In the end, of course, XJ21 was cancelled in favour of the V12 E-type.
