History
When was the E-Type made?
Launched at Geneva in March 1961, built until 1974. Thirteen years, three series, and a set of changeover dates that are more useful than the headline span.
The headline answer is 1961 to 1974. That covers a lot of ground, because a 1961 flat-floor 3.8 roadster and a 1974 V12 2+2 have very little in common beyond a name and a silhouette. The dates that matter are the changeovers.
Series by series
- Series 1, 3.8-litre. From March 1961. Covered headlights, Moss gearbox, and flat floors on the earliest cars. See Series 1.
- Series 1, 4.2-litre. From around August and September 1964, with an all-synchromesh gearbox and revised brakes. The 2+2 followed from around September and October 1965.
- Series 1.5. The 1968 model year interim cars, built from around August 1967. A collector term, not a factory one. See Series 1.5.
- Series 2. From August 1968, with the last cars running through to around October 1970. See Series 2.
- Series 3, V12. From late 1970, announced in 1971, and ending in June 1974.
Those changeover dates come from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust research guide, which is also the basis for the chassis ranges given on the series identification page.
Finding the date of one particular car
Chassis ranges will put a car in a period. They will not give you a date, and cars near a changeover point are exactly where the ranges are least reliable. For an actual date, order a Heritage Certificate from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, which draws on the original production records. For cross-referencing chassis numbers, xkedata.com is the register enthusiasts maintain.
Common questions
When was the Jaguar E-Type made?
It was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961 and production ran until 1974. Some of the last cars were registered in 1975, which is why final-year claims vary between sources.
What years was each E-Type series built?
Series 1 with the 3.8-litre engine ran from 1961, the Series 1 4.2 from 1964, the interim cars now called Series 1.5 from around August 1967, Series 2 from August 1968, and Series 3 with the V12 from late 1970 into 1971. Series 3 production ended in 1974.
How do I find out when my E-Type was built?
The chassis number places the car in a sequence, and the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust can supply a Heritage Certificate giving the actual build and despatch details from the original records. That certificate is the authoritative answer for a specific car, and a chassis range table is only an approximation.
Was the E-Type made in 1975?
Production ended in 1974. A number of cars were first registered in 1975 after being built the previous year, which is why some sources describe 1975 cars. The build record settles it in any individual case.