Often called one of the sexiest cars in existence, the Jaguar XKE (sometimes also called the E-Type) is a masterpiece. With well under 100,000 manufactured, the XKE is also quite rare. If you're looking for a Jaguar XKE for sale, skip the next section and go to "Where Can I Find A Jaguar JKE for sale" below. Or if you just want to learn about the Jaguar XKE, read on!

Jaguar XKE: A Brief History

Production of the Jaguar XKE began in 1961 and continued until 1974. During this time, the Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3 versions were created and of course there were some variations within each series (coupe, convertible, roadster, lightweight and a few others).

Inspiration for the car was found in Jaguar's D-Type, a similar Jaguar with a very successful racing history. The D-Type's racing history was so successful, in fact, that the Queen of England actually sent her personal congratulations to Jaguar when the D-Type won several major races in a row ("Le Mans" winners in 1955, 56 and 57).

All specifications below are for the Jaguar XKE Series 1:

Jaguar XKE by the numbers

Production:

Manufactured between 1961-1968

Built:

38,410 made

Jaguar XKE configurations

Body Styles:

Coupe, convertible and coupe variant (with two + two seating)

Suspension:

Independent with torsion bars (front) and independent with four coil springs (rear)

Wheelbase:

96 inches (or 105 inches in the two + two configuration)

Front and rear tracks:

50 inches each

Overall length:

14 feet, 7 1/2 inches (or 15 feet, 4 inches in the two + two configuration)

Jaguar XKE engine specs

Engine:

XK-6

Engine type:

I-6, iron block, aluminum head with dual overhead camshafts and two valves per cylinder.

Engine displacement:

3.8 litre (3781 cc) or 4.2 litre (4235 cc)

Best 0-60 mph time: 6.9 seconds

Highest top speed: 153 mph 

Before running out and buying yourself a brand new Jaguar E-Type, you should definitely do some research. If you keep the below tips in mind then you'll be off to a great start when looking to buy your new Jaguar.

1. Be wary of RUST (Nothing ruins a fine antique car more than rust).
2. Verify authenticity of the car (Is it a true original or a fake? With some basic training in this area you should be able to sniff out a fake a mile away).
3. Originality of parts (This is more of a personal preference, but keep it in mind. Over the decades many car parts could have been replaced with non-authentic Jaguar car parts).
4. General car problems (Make sure the car does what the seller claims it can do! If the description says "car runs smoothly" but it spews black smoke out the tailpipe and has to crank for 10 seconds before starting properly, you should probably look elsewhere.)

For a more in depth list of things to look for when purchasing a Jaguar, look at this article.

Enough about the Jaguar XKE specifications, you say! If you're looking to buy a used Jaguar XKE, there are some great websites and dealerships out there. Don't just limit yourself to one seller, though, as you can often get a better deal when shopping around!

Take a look at the below links (of which I have no affiliation) and be sure to bookmark this page to come back to it and shop around for better prices and availability!

In case you wanted to see more of the Jaguar XKE, below are pictures taken from many different angles and even a video of the XKE being taken out for a spin. Enjoy!