Jaguar E-Type Series 1: Why Enzo Ferrari Called It the Most Beautiful Car

When Enzo Ferrari — a man not known for praising competitors — called the Jaguar E-Type "the most beautiful car ever made," he wasn't being generous. He was being accurate.

We spent a glorious week with a 1963 Series 1 Roadster in Opalescent Dark Blue to evaluate whether the E-Type's beauty is more than skin deep.

Design That Defies Time

Sixty years after its debut, the E-Type's proportions remain shocking in their perfection. The impossibly long bonnet, the delicate chrome bumpers, the teardrop headlight covers — every element flows into the next with a fluidity that makes modern car design look forced by comparison.

Malcolm Sayer, the aerodynamicist who shaped the E-Type, used mathematical formulas derived from aircraft design to create its curves. The result is a car that looks fast standing still and turns heads in any setting.

The Straight-Six Symphony

The 3.8-liter XK inline-six produces 265 horsepower, fed through a pair of SU carburetors that require a delicate touch on cold mornings. Once warm, the engine pulls smoothly from 2,000 rpm all the way to its 5,500 rpm redline, accompanied by a mechanical soundtrack that ranges from a cultured purr to an urgent wail.

Driving Impressions

The E-Type rides on independent rear suspension — revolutionary for its era — and the difference is immediately apparent. Where contemporary sports cars hop and skip over bumps, the Jaguar maintains its composure with a suppleness that feels almost modern.

The four-speed manual gearbox requires patience and precision, but rewards proper technique with satisfying mechanical engagement. The brakes, disc all around, provide reassuring stopping power that was years ahead of the competition.

Final Thoughts

The Jaguar E-Type is that rare thing: a car whose reputation is entirely justified. Beautiful, fast, and surprisingly capable, it remains one of the greatest driving machines ever produced.