The Common Jaguar Classic Car That's Worth A Small Fortune Now

When Jaguar's E-Type — called the XK-E for the American market — launched in 1961, it's reported that Enzo Ferrari called it "the most beautiful car in the world." But the sleek sports car was more than just a pretty face. The E-Type was an early adopter of modern features like four-wheel independent suspension and disk brakes. Its inline six cylinder engine was derivative of one which had powered previous Jaguars to no less than five victories at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.

As expected, the E-Type was both quick and fast. Accelerating from 0 to 60 mph took less than seven seconds on its way to a top speed of 153 mph. Even though celebrities like George Harrison, Elton John, and Frank Sinatra owned this sleek sports car, it was still priced at a level that was attainable by reasonably financially successful members of the general public. In the United Kingdom, the price of entry for this future classic was a mere £2,256 — just over $3,000, and much less than competing marques like Aston Martin or Porsche.

Jaguar produced the E-Type until 1974, with subtle updates along the way including extra seating and a monster 12-cylinder engine. All told, more than 67,000 E-Types left the assembly line and today, the average selling price over the past five years is nearing six-figures: $96,083. Meanwhile, the holy grail of E-Types — a rare lightweight racer — is worth millions. 

When discussing the value of this classic Jaguar sports car, it's important to realize that three body styles and three different generations were available, some of which are more desirable than others. Of course, there's a coupe and convertible (a.k.a. roadster) versions. There's a saying among car collectors that when the roof goes down, the price goes up. Just like the Cadillac Series 62 Convertible, E-Type roadsters are typically worth slightly more than their hardtop counterparts.

However, the most affordable E-Types are the third body style, dubbed the "2+2." Introduced in 1966, the 2+2 refers to an extra set of seats behind the front row. In other words, seating for four people, including the driver. On the surface, that might seem like a worthwhile pursuit. But to pull it off, Jaguar ballooned the svelte E-Type in length, width, and height which ruined the slippery aesthetic for some enthusiasts. 

For the 1971 model year, Jaguar began using the 2+2's larger chassis as a platform for all E-Types, regardless of seating arrangement. To offset that potential negative, an exotic V12 engine was offered — fully double the number of cylinders of the previous generation E-Types.

The original E-Type from 1961 to 1968, called Series 1 by fans, has an average selling price of $130,575 over the past five years, according to the vehicular auction aggregator Classic.com. That said, particularly original roadsters in mint condition have eclipsed the $300,000 price point on multiple occasions. The next generation, the Series 2 which ran from 1968 to 1971, is sometime considered the most desirable E-Type to actually drive. It has numerous functional improvements over the first-gen cars, while retaining its slim proportions. 

Per Classic.com, the average selling price for Series 2 over the past 60 months is $64,543, though cream-of-the-crop roadsters have sold for as much as $276,00 and $212,800. In contrast, the highest price realized for a Series 2 with the 2+2 seating configuration is $85,181. Finally, there's the supersize Series 3 E-Type from the 1970s, with its flared fenders, quad exhaust pipes, and famed V12 engine. The top selling price for a swan song E-Type was $230,000 for a 1973 roadster in February 2021. Meanwhile, the lowest price recorded was $12,250 for a 1973 2+2 coupe in "project" condition that required considerable repairs. 

Finally, there's the Series 1 Lightweight, an aluminum bodied 1963 model intended for racing. Eighteen of the lean machines were proposed, but only 12 were built. In 2015, Jaguar used recreated parts to complete the remaining six and sold them new for $1.6 million each. However, one expert source values the original 12 cars at a much-higher $6.8 to $10.9 million each. Granted, you'll probably have a better chance finding a rare coin in your change cup than stumbling on a Lightweight Jag.