1966 Jaguar XKE Series 1 2+2

The rear seats won’t accommodate anyone bigger than munchkins from “The Wizard of Oz”

by Rob Sass

Glass-covered headlights—the 2+2’s saving grace

What was an E-type owner to do when little Nigel and Fiona came along? Grace, pace, and space was how the marketing blokes in Coventry described the new “family” E-type 2+2 coupe that bowed as a 1966 model. It was trotted out in an attempt to broaden the E-type’s market beyond confirmed bachelors and those well-heeled enough to afford multiple cars. It worked—5,598 were sold in two years. The difference in appearance between a two-seater coupe and a 2+2 is most pronounced when viewing the cars together. While the bonnet was the same for all three body styles, no panels except for the hatch were shared from there on back. The windshield was a totally different item, higher and less raked than the two-seater coupe. Jaguar stretched the wheelbase from 96 inches to 105, most apparent through the longer doors. Aside from the ungainly Quasimodo roof line, the most immediate giveaway is a chrome spear along the top of the door. None of these things is an...