The stratospheric rise in Jaguar XKE prices was probably overdue. It’s not a mystery why these cars are suddenly very much in demand—they’re beautiful, fast, comfortable, and, when properly sorted, reliable—and the market is rewarding them with skyrocketing values. The Series I cars are perhaps the purest design, but if you like to drive and drive often, a Series II car is really what you want. More leg room, more power, more comfort, with the same performance, an SII delights the driver at least as much as the viewer.

To my eye, the 2-seat “fixed-head coupe” (FHC) is the most appealing of the breed. Sure, everyone loves a car with a folding top, but the purity of line on the coupes is what makes the E-Type so lovely. The elongated 2+2 body style isn’t quite as sleek and the back seat is useless anyway, making this 1969 Series II FHC a feast for the eyes. It’s fresh out of long-term ownership, coming from the collection of an enthusiast who has owned it since 1974 when it was little more than a used car. He recognized the beauty of the design and grabbed it for himself at a time when the E-Type was still in production. At that time, it was painted its original Willow Green, which he admits wasn’t his first choice, but to get into a six-cylinder E-Type as a young man, he took what he could get. He drove the car regularly in good weather, knowing that it was much too nice to risk in the rain and snow, and the mileage shown today, 59,194, is since new, so over the past 42 years, use was obviously limited. Sometime in the 1980s, the car was given a low-cost repaint in a bright metallic green that the owner preferred and which is still on the car today. Workmanship was about what the car warranted at the time—in 1984, this was still just a used car—but has held up well over the intervening years. There’s a nice shine to the finish and few nicks and chips from use, so it cleans up very nicely. I can’t say whether I prefer this color or the original Willow Green, we’ll leave that for the next owner, but it does have an appropriately flashy look. The chrome trim remains in very good overall condition, with no rust or pits and a good shine to all the exterior components. Most of the rubber, including the door weather-stripping, has been replaced at some point and remains in good shape, although the rubber gaskets around the bumpers are starting to curl once again simply due to age.

The black leather interior is almost entirely original, and goes to show how gently used this car really was. The seats show some light comfort marks and cracks, but the hides are still supple and comfortable and no major splits, tears, or cracks are apparent. The carpets are in excellent condition, with perhaps those in the foot wells having been replaced at some point. Likewise, the original door panels look great as does the dash pad, which hasn’t been baked in the sun. A wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel warms up the otherwise monochromatic interior and all the big, bright Smiths gauges are in working condition. The SII cars replaced the delicate toggle switches of the S1 with rocker switches, which have a satisfying “snap” to their operation and the original Philips AM/FM/shortwave radio remains fully operational. Only the clocks seems to be inoperative, which isn’t unusual in cars of this vintage. The cargo area is beautifully finished with bright chrome rub strips under the sleek bubbled hatch, making the FHC a practical high-speed touring car. Underneath, you’ll find the original full-sized spare tire wearing what we believe to be an original Dunlop whitewall tire, as well as a tool kit and jack.

The Series II cars received a bump in displacement to 4.2 liters (up from 3.8) in response to both American tastes for low-end torque and the slightly heavier SII bodywork. In the end, performance remained entertaining and the use of two carburetors instead of three made tuning and maintenance far easier on owners and their well-paid mechanics. This engine has never been out of the car and is the car’s original powerplant, and thanks to conscientious maintenance over the years, it runs quite well today. The carburetors have been recently rebuilt, so it starts easily using the choke; in fact, the first time I saw the car, it had been in storage since the summer and fired almost instantly even after all those weeks. It makes good oil pressure, idles contentedly, and drives well enough that the owner still used it as daily transportation when weather permitted. It’s not beautifully detailed under the hood, but it is clean and neatly preserved, with the big air cleaner on the passenger’s side and the unique exhaust manifolds on the driver’s side. The finned valve covers are a Jaguar trademark and all the lovely aluminum castings, including the intake manifold and cylinder head, are in excellent shape. You can still see the original Willow Green on the frame extensions and the ignition wires are original-style Champion units tucked into the factory conduit. Nothing of note deviates from factory spec aside from perhaps a few hose clamps.

An automatic transmission was available for shiftless American tastes, but this one is equipped with the far more desirable 4-speed manual that makes it a joy to drive. The synchros are good and it slips through the gears without a lot of effort. And as you’d expect, with 3.54 gears in the independent rear end, it’s a superlative high-speed cruiser built to travel long distances with ease. The suspension is that unique Jaguar combination of competence and comfort, although we believe the shock absorbers are original, so they might be due for a replacement. The exhaust is an older replacement system with a newer set of mufflers and tailpipes, and it has an appropriate Jaguar growl to it. And while wire wheels were a popular option, those of you who enjoy driving instead of cleaning delicate wire wheels will appreciate the handsome chrome wheels this car wears. Four 195/75/15 Goodyear radials were fitted a few seasons ago and are still in excellent condition, ready to use.

Is this a perfect car? Absolutely not, and you’ve already divined that from the price tag. However, this may be one of your last opportunities to own a Series II FHC with a 4-speed gearbox at a price that’s reasonable enough to warrant investing in upgrades. Given the aggressive Jaguar market, this is a car that can be easily upgraded and selectively restored without putting its owner underwater financially, and it’s the rare collector car that can make such a promise. Of course, if you simply like to drive, I’d argue that there aren’t many better choices than this green coupe, because there really is something special about the way an E-Type feels.