E Type Jaguar Borrani Wheels

In 1961, 12 years and 4 months after the launch of the XK120, Jaguar wowed the world again at the Geneva motor show with the Jaguar E type (XKE) coupe. This phenomenal car offered people 265bhp, 150mph performance with acceleration to match and 18mpg average fuel consumption, all from a fully equipped touring/sports car that cost £2000. In its day this was a feat that no other manufacturer had achieved and is quite remarkable even now! From its inception in '61 in 3.8 litre series one E Type form, through 4.2 litre series two Jaguar E-Type in 1968 to its death in '75 as the 5.3 V12 series three XKE the Jaguar E-type was a benchmark car, and some might say, the most beautiful car of all time.

The first E-Type Jaguar was fitted with a 640H15 Dunlop RS5 cross ply tyre until 1965 when the factory offered the E Type with a Dunlop SP Sport Aquajet 185x15 radial tyre as an alternative. This ,now classic, tyre became standard fitment to all series one Jaguar XKE's and series two Jaguar E-Types.

1971 saw the introduction of the series three Jaguar XKE in 5.3 litre V12 form fitted, as standard, with Dunlop ER70x15 radial tyres on 6"x15" steel wheels (wire wheels were optional). The series three Jaguar E-Type also had the benefit of power steering as standard equipment. This overcame the problem of otherwise heavy steering gained by the fitment of wider tyres.