NEWLY ACQUIRED JAGUAR E-TYPE ROADSTER FEATURED IN EXHIBITION AT THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
April 4–August 20,1996
Glenn D. Lowry, Director, The Museum of Modern Art, today
announced the acquisition of a Jaguar E-type Roadster, only the third
automobile to enter the collection. Given to the Museum by Jaguar Cars, the
1963 opalescent dark blue car is the focus of an exhibition opening at the
Museum on April 4. Refining the Sports Car: Jaguar's E-Type explores the
history and the unusual design method of what is widely regarded as the
paradigm of the modern sports car. Organized by Christopher Mount, Assistant
Curator, Department of Architecture and Design, the exhibition continues
through August 20, 1996.
The exhibition features the new acquisition and includes an additional E-type
engine, photo panels of the C– and D-type series which preceded the E-type, and
original engineering drawings. Many of the objects have been lent to the
Museum by the families of the car's original designers and engineers, and from
the archives of Jaguar Cars.
Although the car was introduced more than thirty years ago and production
ceased in 1974, the sleek, bullet-like shape of the Jaguar E-type continues to
be one of the most influential and imitated styling forms in sports car design.
Better known in the United States as the XK-E, the car is noted for its beauty,
its profile, its speed, and, at the time it was introduced, its affordability.
It was conceived by Jaguar to be the synthesis of a
competition racer and an everyday-use car. While it included luxury
appointments it was priced for a large consumer market.
"Since 1972, when the Museum acquired its first car, a Cisitalia '202' GT, we
have been committed to expanding this facet of the design collection,"
commented Terence Riley, Chief Curator, Department of Architecture and Design.
"We developed a wish-list of ten to twelve cars, with the E-type at the top.
When we approached Jaguar to acquire one for the collection, the company was
very enthusiastic. From a private collector they secured a car that we
considered to be in pristine condition and they donated it to the Museum.
Because of the E-type's beauty and sculptural quality, its functionality, and
its seminal impact on overall car design, it perfectly suits the criteria of a
landmark design object."
"Rarely has a car inspired the kind of passion in both car enthusiasts and the
general public that the Jaguar E-type has. Even today, the E-type is
considered an icon of the postwar British sports car," said Mr. Mount. "The
exhibition showcases a prototype of good car design while illustrating the
processes and decisions that went into creating it."
First introduced at the 1961 Geneva Auto Show, the Jaguar E-type was designed
by Malcolm Sayer, a car stylist at Jaguar Cars Ltd. who was trained as an
aerodynamicist. Mr. Sayer modeled the E-type after the C– and D-type racers
also designed by him and used predominantly for competition at Le Mans, one of
the most prestigious racing events in the world. The engine for both of these
cars was a modified version of the one installed in the XK series, later
adapted for use in the E-type. It is from the XK series that the E-type
obtained its American designation of XK-E.
The E-type is one of the first large-production cars to evolve out of
aerodynamic concepts, which until that point had been used only on
sophisticated racing cars and airplanes. In designing the E-type, Mr. Sayer
approached the exterior shape first, seeing the
silhouette as paramount to the car's performance. Mr. Sayer used secret
mathematical formulas to calculate the ellipses that defined the classic
outline as well as the bumpers, lights, wheels, and other exterior elements.
Scale models of Mr. Sayer's car were tested in a wind tunnel to assess its
response to air resistance from various angles. Attention to this detail
produced fluid, uninterrupted lines that tapered from every angle, a contrast
to the large, finned American sedans of the period that only allowed for
aerodynamic motion from front to back.
The mechanics of the E-type were also based on the C– and D-type race cars,
including such elements as its independent front and rear suspension,
rack-and-pinion steering, disc brakes, and an advanced semi-monocoque
construction. This construction, borrowed from the airplane industry, made the
car lighter and faster. The 3.8–liter, six-cylinder engine allowed for
performance that was comparable to a racing car, including the ability to reach
a speed of 150 miles per hour and accelerate from 0 to 100 miles per hour in 19
seconds.
The exhibition is made possible by Jaguar Cars.
For further information or photographic material, contact the Department of
Communications, 212/708–9750.
