1961 Jaguar E-Type Roadster - Chassis 850062

• Extremely early hand-finished, no heel wells car with outside bonnet locks
• Matching numbers throughout with original engine, gearbox and differential
• One of the first batch of 56 dealer demonstrator launch cars. Pictured outside Browns Lane
• Fastidiously restored to its original specification by XK Engineering over two years
• This was a total restoration of every part of the car with forensic attention to detail
• Sherwood Green over Suede Green, all colours, fabrics and finishes are as original
• Recently finished, the two-year, six-figure project featured in Classic Car magazine throughout
• Owned by and offered directly from film actor, comedian and petrol head ~ Steve Coogan

The story of the E-Type requires little introduction, however, what perhaps may need some explanation is the position in the market of the very early cars and their importance to collectors and marque enthusiasts alike. In common with Works of Art, Furniture, Philately, Fine Wines and all the other things people collect, the rarest and best quality items tend to attract collector's interest and inevitably, the harder they are to find, the more expensive they can become. Should there be a number of well-heeled collectors chasing a particular painting, for example, then the result can be a serious clash of egos and wallets. This is equally true of Classic Cars and the E-Type is a perfect example. The most sought after of all the E-Types are the first 92 right-hand drive cars produced and these are easily distinguished by their outside bonnet locks. Fifty-six of this first batch were supplied in July 1961 to Jaguar dealerships to be used as demonstrators and they were expressly forbidden to sell them until that September. Interestingly, this car can be seen in the historic photograph outside the Browns Lane Factory of the first batch of RHD 'demonstrator' E-Types set to go off to dealers. With most of the first 20 cars produced being allocated for competition use, the very first road cars are considered to be the Holy Grail of E-Types, and arguably of all collector's cars.

Chassis #62 is a rare opportunity to enjoy the thrill of ownership inherent in one of these special early cars. It was rumoured to have been destined for Jaguar dealer, Rossleigh in Edinburgh, as a demonstrator for potential customers in Edinburgh and the surrounding area, however, it was in fact first registered by West Sussex County Council as 171 DBP in August 1961 and sold by Wadhams in Chichester to a Mr Cutley at Hurstpierpoint. Mind you, it did arrive in Bonnie Scotland sometime later and is recorded as belonging to Ian Simpson of North Berwick who owned the car until 1978. According to a letter on file, he apparently bought it as 'a rusty wreck' for ú250 subsequently restoring it and registering it as HSS 124, a number plate that was transferred from a Ferguson Tractor. It later became the property of a Mr D Russel of Edinburgh who in turn sold the Jaguar to Mr A Stewart in Fife before a previous client of Silverstone Auctions purchased the car from a gentleman in Edinburgh.

Number #62 is extra special in the history of E-Types in that, from the mid-seventies, it has spent a very quiet life in Scotland living under the radar and having had a number of geographically close, owners. The result of this sheltered life is that until recently its whereabouts have been a mystery to historians and it was one of only a few of the original 92 cars that hadn't been found. This was the case right up until Silverstone Auctions sold this car at the Silverstone Classic in July 2016, and it was then spotted by the eagle-eyed and much-noted TV classic car personality, Quentin Willson. In conversation with his friend and fellow petrol head, actor and comedian Steve Coogan, they hatched a