Jaguar E2A

The Jaguar Works team had withdrawn from racing at the end of 1956. Privateers were still at it and Ecurie Ecosse had won Le Mans in 1957, but Le Mans rule changes had rendered the three-time winner D-Type uncompetitive for 1958.  Jaguar used their defunct racing department to hammer and massage the car into a genuine road car to replace the XK150. The first E-Type prototype was labeled E1A, with the suffix a reference to the aluminum monocoque.  It was decided that the chassis of the production car should be steel for practical and financial reasons.

William Lyons thought that cars were tested most effectively in racing conditions, so E2A was built as a race car with an eye on new regulations regarding minimum heights. A higher windscreen necessitated wipers instead of just looking over the top.  It also meant the car would have to be extended six inches to maintain aerodynamics.  Construction of the steel chassis, aluminum bodied E2A began early in 1960 and it was ready for testing in March.

As Jaguar was no longer in the racing business, the car was given to Briggs Cunningham for the Le Mans. It was probably a surreptitious factory effort that he had little involvement in, because he already had a clandestine deal going with Chevrolet to bring Corvette to the race for the first time.  With drivers Dan Gurney and Walt Hansgen, the E2A ran 89 laps before retiring from head gasket failure caused by faulty Lucas fuel injection. 

After the race, the windshield height was reduced and it was given a bigger 3.8 liter engine then shipped off to race in the US.  Hansgen won at Bridgehampton and was 3rd at Road America. Jack Brabham piloted it to 10th at the LA Times Grand Prix,  Bruce McLaren was next handed the reins at Laguna Seca, but could do no better than 12th.  The car was shipped back to the factory at the end of the 1960 season and the production E-Type made its debut in Geneva on 15 March 1961.  E2A passed to Jaguar's privateer racing manager, and his wife kept it until 2008 when it went to auction.