WHEN THE final E-Type, chassis 1S/2872, slowly rolled down the Browns Lane assembly line on 12 June 1974, with its bonnet raised it looked like a mourner bowing its head. It’s certainly how those who built the car must have felt.
It’s not unusual for a production car to come to an end especially after 13 years like the E-Type. But the final example of this iconic model was still a significant moment in Jaguar’s long history. As arguably one of the prettiest sports cars ever designed, it became Jaguar’s most famous model and helped solidate its position as a major player in the European car market. Together with the miniskirt, the Mini and The Beatles, the car had also come to define the 1960s.
"It is impossible to overstate the impact the E-Type had when it was unveiled in 1961," explained Jaguar’s former design director,
