1961-1974 Jaguar E-Type — MPG & Fuel Facts NO OFFICIAL EPA RATING

The EPA's public fuel-economy dataset only goes back to 1984 — the 1961-1974 Jaguar E-Type (Series 1, 2, 3) predates it, so there is no government-rated MPG number for this car anywhere, including here.

Estimated 12–18 MPG combined.

Period British road tests put the 3.8 and 4.2 sixes at roughly 18.7-21.3 Imperial mpg (about 15.6-17.7 US), while Motor Sport's V12 test averaged 16.4 Imperial (about 13.7 US) and dipped below 15 Imperial in hard use — so the honest published range is 12-18 US mpg, with the Series 3 V12 owning the bottom of it.

This is our estimate, not an EPA rating — built from the period road tests, marque-specialist guides and corroborated owner reports cited below, hedged where sources vary. Treat it as a ballpark for planning, not a spec to rely on.

Three engines: the 3.8-liter XK six (1961-64), the 4.2-liter XK six (1964-71, Series 1 and 2), and the 5.3-liter V12 (Series 3, 1971-74). The V12 is a different economy class from the sixes and is not averaged into their range without saying so.

Sixes, period figures (Imperial, converted at 0.833): The Motor's 1961 test of the 3.8 roadster recorded 21.3 Imperial mpg (17.7 US). Motor Sport (April 1961) on the 3.8 coupe: 'Driven at speed, petrol consumption does not fall below 20 m.p.g.' (about 16.7 US). Motor Sport (January 1965) on the 4.2 coupe over ~1,300 hard miles: 'fuel consumption averaging a creditable 18.7 m.p.g.' (15.6 US); their April 1967 two-year 4.2 report claimed 20 Imperial (about 16.7 US) even at a 100-mph cruise. One footnote: early press cars were works-prepared, so period numbers are best-case.

V12: Motor Sport (January 1972), Series 3 2+2 manual: 'Fuel thirst in average running in this country worked out at 16.4 m.p.g.' (13.7 US), 'rising to under 15 m.p.g.' in harder use (under 12.5 US), and nearly 17 Imperial (about 14.2 US) on a 1,444-mile tour. EPA-archival corroboration: the E-Type itself pre-dates the guides, but the 1976 EPA guide rates the Jaguar XJ12/XJS — the same 5.3 V12 in a heavier car — at 9 city / 14 highway (11 combined), consistent with low-teens US mpg for the V12.

No E-Type row exists in any EPA Gas Mileage Guide (production ended in 1974, the year before the first guide), so no EPA figure is implied for the E-Type itself.

Sources: Motor Sport archive — 'The New 3.8-Litre Jaguar E-Type G.T.' (Apr 1961) · Motor Sport archive — 'A lengthy road test of the 4.2-litre' (Jan 1965, quote verified) · Motor Sport archive — 'Two years with the Jaguar E-type' (Apr 1967) · Motor Sport archive — 'On the road with the V12 E-type Jaguar' (Jan 1972, quotes verified) · Wikipedia — Jaguar E-Type (The Motor 1961 test: 21.3 Imperial / 17.7 US mpg) · EPA 1976 Gas Mileage Guide (Jaguar XJ12/XJS rows, V12 corroboration)

All classics Search Jaguar E-Type (Series 1, 2, 3) on FuelFacts (in case a later model year is in our 1984+ EPA data)