1969 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Roadster

Registration No: NNB 259G
Chassis No: 1R8948
MOT: Exempt

• Desirable 'matching numbers' example with just 12,000 recorded miles
• Finished in its original colour combination of Primrose Yellow paintwork with a Black leather interior and Black hood
• Long-term previous ownership (thirty years)
• Recent new mohair hood and full repaint
• Offered with Heritage Certificate

PLEASE NOTE: This lot now has a saleroom estimate of £50,000 - £60,000.

Interested parties should note that with the minimal use the E-Type has seen, a degree of recommissioning should be anticipated.

Triumphantly unveiled at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, the Jaguar E-Type created a furore thanks to its supercar performance, stunning looks and modest price tag. Early racing success at the hands of Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori amongst others helped cement the newcomer's reputation. Built as a monocoque with an engine cradling front sub-frame, the E-type's combination of all-around independent suspension and disc brakes allied to rack-and-pinion steering resulted in excellent roadholding and handling capabilities. The indomitable straight-six XK twin-cam engine supplied abundant power. If the design had an Achilles' heel then it was the recalcitrant Moss gearbox. However, Jaguar was quick to correct this shortcoming with a four-speeder of its own design just part of a continual programme of E-Type development that saw the model metamorphose through three Series. Introduced in August 1968, the Series II cars were distinguishable by their revised bumper and light arrangements. Less noticeable was the increased size of the front air intake that in conjunction with dual cooling fans made the Series II better behaved in hot weather and heavy traffic. With its 4235cc engine developing a quoted 265bhp and 283lbft of torque, it was reputedly capable of nearly 150mph and 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds. Available in open two-seater, Fixed-Head two-seater and Fixed-Head 2+2-seater guises, the American market accounted for the vast majority of Series II production. 8,627 open two-seaters made were made.

Chassis 1R8948 was dispatched to British Leyland, New York on the 3^rd of May 1969, and was finished in arguably the best E-Type colour combination of Primrose Yellow paintwork with complementary Black leather interior trim and a Black hood – pleasingly the same livery in which the car is very smartly presented today. Among the accompanying history file is a document from the Illinois-based keeper who purchased the Jaguar in 1987 from the previous owner who had purchased the E-Type as a retirement fund and thus had scarcely used ‘1R8948’ with a view of maintaining its value. Retaining the Jaguar from 1987 to 2014, the document details his tenure; including the long periods of storage that account for the car's incredibly low mileage, as well as extensive improvements.

Repatriated in 2014, the E-Type is now offered with just 12,067 miles on the odometer, making this 55-year-old matching numbers E-Type barely run in! At some stage, it has benefited from having its power-strangling Stromberg carburettors replaced by a trio of UK specification SUs, and having been converted to right-hand-drive. In current ownership since 2019, the vendor has again scarcely used the E-Type to maintain the low mileage. Offered with a Jaguar Heritage Certificate; reproduction handbook and workshop manual; a collection of invoices and a current V5C. Clearly the subject of ongoing maintenance over time, 'NNB 259G' boasts a previously retrimmed interior; brake and suspension overhaul including new bushes; a new mohair hood, exhaust system and Michelin tyres. The Jaguar was also repainted as recently as 2018. Surely one of the lowest mileage E-Type examples extant!

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452