It’s not only the sensational styling that made Jaguar’s E-Type a model by which every British sports car would be judged, it was the performance - and the price! At £1,800, it seriously undercut closest rival, the £4,000 Aston Martin DB4.

With its legend created by the C and D-Type Le Mans racers of the Fifties, the car set speed and performance records when it hit the road in 1961. Capable of 150mph, the first 3.8-litre machine was guaranteed instant status as a classic, and it’s appeal endures to this day. Even now, top examples fetch over £50,000, almost as much as a new XK.

The inspiration it provided for the current line-up is clear - but the link between the two machines is more than skin deep. As well as sharing the XK name - the 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine that powered the E-Type was named the XK-series engine - the cars both have a clear philosophy of combining svelte looks with stunning performance.

(Written by Chris Thorp for autoexpress.co.uk)

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