The 3.8 E type retrospectively tagged the Series I was the first " E" type and was announced in March 1961 to much aclaim,. Its shell was designed by an aerodynamics engineer Malcolm Sayer and was propelled by a high-spec version of the famous XK engine based on the 50's Le Mans winning D type race car. The 3.8 is considered the most sporting of the E Types but lacked the comfort of the the later Grand Tourer models.Unlike other 'supercars' of its time it was a mass-market product:with over 70.000 being built.