From the moment the Jaguar E-Type was first unveiled to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961, the world of sports cars changed forever. A new benchmark in beauty and performance had been set by Malcolm Sayer’s curvaceous creation, against which all future competitors would be measured. The ground-breaking design was not only achingly attractive—it was truly fast. A 3.8-litre inline six-cylinder engine fed via three Weber carburettors was mated to a Moss four-speed manual gearbox, offering lively acceleration and a 150 mph top speed. Nowhere was this better demonstrated than on the eve of the model’s launch, as Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis drove flat-out through the night to deliver the show car—77RW—to Jaguar’s stand on time.

The first of the three generations of E-Type represents the purest and most desirable expression of Sayer’s vision, the earliest of which are arguably the most sought-after. Chassis “875594” is one of these highly collectible early examples, featuring a “flat floor” body with welded—rather than pressed—bonnet louvres, though distinguished from the earliest cars by its internal, rather than external, bonnet latches. This left-hand-drive car is recorded as being completed at Jaguar’s Brown’s Lane factory on 25 September 1961 and was despatched on 4 October 1961. Destined for export—as was the lion’s share of early E-Types—it arrived at Jaguar concessionaire Fattori & Montani in Rome, Italy finished in Cream over Black leather interior with a matching Black soft top.

The car returned to the UK in 2013, by which time it was said to have been restored, having undergone a colour change to the popular combination of British Racing Green over tan leather, while retaining its matching-numbers chassis, engine block and cylinder head. During its time in the UK, the car was fitted with a costly new hood frame and black cloth soft-top. Stylishly finished with 15-inch, 72-spoke chrome wire wheels, this E-Type is a rare example of Jaguar’s iconic sports car that ticks all the boxes, whether as an investment or a toy for sunny weekends—or indeed both.