Jaguar E-Type : l'histoire de la voiture que LEGO® vient de rééditer
Some cars are admired. A select few are viewed in the same way as a work of art. The Jaguar E-Type has belonged to that second category for sixty-five years, and there is little reason to believe that will change.
Geneva, March 1961: the night that decided everything
Jaguar arrived at the Geneva Motor Show with a single display car, registration 9600 HP. Bob Berry drove it from Coventry and reached the exhibition centre with only around twenty minutes to spare before the press presentation.
The reception exceeded every expectation. The crowds were so large that Jaguar founder William Lyons requested a second car for test drives. Company test driver Norman Dewis received the call that evening: the 77 RW roadster had to be brought to Geneva immediately.
He left Coventry during the night, crossed France and parked outside the stand early the next morning. The journey became part of Jaguar history. Our GENEVA REFLECTION design evokes that moment: the stand, the light reflected across the bodywork and the instant a new car became a legend.
Why the E-Type looks so distinctive
The shape was not created by styling alone. Malcolm Sayer was an aerodynamicist with an aviation background, and he developed forms using calculations and mathematical sections. The long bonnet, tapered rear and absence of unnecessary decoration all grew from the search for efficient airflow.
Beneath the body sat a monocoque structure with a tubular front subframe, an architecture influenced by Jaguar's successful 1950s racing cars. The early model used a 3.8-litre inline-six and was advertised with a top speed of 150 mph, about 240 km/h—an extraordinary figure in 1961.
Performance at a disruptive price
The E-Type cost far less than comparable exotic sports cars while offering striking performance. That combination explains much of the shock created by its launch. Motoring magazines quickly placed it on their covers; our FRONT PAGE design refers to that wave of attention.
Did Enzo Ferrari call it the most beautiful car ever made?
The quote is repeated constantly, but no reliable original source, date or direct witness has been established. It should therefore be treated as a famous anecdote, not a documented quotation.
A stronger, verifiable sign of the E-Type's design status is its presence in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art. The MoMA has selected only a small number of automobiles. Our WORLD PREMIERE style celebrates the idea of a car worthy of an art museum.
Thirteen years and three series
The E-Type was produced from 1961 to 1974. Series 1 is recognised by enthusiasts for its covered headlights; Series 2 evolved to meet new regulations; Series 3 introduced a V12 and a more comfort-oriented character. Roughly 70,000 examples were built in Coventry.
Our fourth design, BRITISH HERITAGE, uses British Racing Green and a restrained composition that lets the model take centre stage.
The LEGO® Icons 11381 set
LEGO® has recreated the E-Type as an Icons display model for adult builders. Once completed, a model of this quality deserves a clear viewing angle rather than being squeezed onto a crowded shelf where its lines are hard to appreciate and dust quickly accumulates.
A wall display designed for the model
Our aluminium wall panels are cut to suit the dimensions of the set, with the model mounts already positioned. Install the panel, attach the car and the display is ready.
Four visual designs tell different parts of the story—GENEVA REFLECTION, BRITISH HERITAGE, FRONT PAGE and WORLD PREMIERE. Three finishes are available: discreet spacers that make the panel appear to float; a structured black aluminium frame; or a battery-powered LED frame with lighting controlled from a smartphone.
Made in France. Free delivery is available in the countries we serve.
👉 Discover the wall displays for the LEGO® Icons 11381 Jaguar E-Type
LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorise or endorse KADRIS ART. Jaguar® and E-Type® are trademarks of Jaguar Land Rover Limited, which is not affiliated with KADRIS ART.
Turn this set into wall art
Kadris® makes custom aluminium wall art for your LEGO® sets. Your set isn't in the catalogue yet? Request it as a custom piece and we handle everything. Free shipping, made in France.
On the same theme, discover our LEGO® F1 and car wall art.
