Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee has showcased its fair share of luxurious, sought-after automobiles down the years. From all-time classics to modern-day monsters - it makes for quite a list when read aloud. Our choice for the greatest car to be featured on the show is a true classic. The Jaguar E-Type is quite simply one of the greatest British cars of all time.
The task of deciding which car truly is the greatest very much depends upon who you ask. Indeed, by modern standards, our vehicle of choice is slow and certainly wouldn't win any awards for its acceleration metrics. But for all that it currently lacks in straight-line grunt, it more than makes up for in aesthetics.
Here then, is our choice for the greatest vehicle to ever feature on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee - a choice that is sure to divide opinion.
It's A 1966 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
Firstly, it needs to be stated that this choice was not an easy one to make. There are a number of other exceptional options to choose from - one of which will be covered in more detail at the end of this article. However, the Jaguar E-Type Roadster rules supreme over every other. On the show to celebrate the King of Comedy was the king of 1960s cool, a car that oozed class, prestige, and elegance.
The Car Appeared In Series 10 With Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is quite simply one of the greatest comedic minds of all time. It only makes sense, therefore, that you get the great man a car that befits his name and status. In this case, Jerry Seinfeld went one better, managing to find the exact Jaguar E-Type Roadster model that Lewis drove all those years ago. The mid-1960s truly was a golden era for sports car design.
The beautiful red livered Jag appeared almost identical to how it would have looked when Lewis first purchased it in the mid-1960s. It's unsurprising that the superstar had one though, as just about every Hollywood star seemed to own a model at the time. Celebrities such as Steve McQueen, Bridgette Bardot, and even Frank Sinatra were all seen proudly driving the iconic British car, which was space-age for its time.
The E-Type Is Arguably The Greatest Ever Jag
The E-Type was revolutionary in almost every conceivable way. Enzo Ferrari was reportedly a huge admirer of the car, with rival Italian manufacturers to Jaguar failing to produce cars at the time that could rival it. In terms of pure speed, it boasted 265 BHP, meaning the sports car topped out at 153 mph. Back in 1961, when the car was first unveiled, that was unheard of for a road vehicle.
But it wasn't merely the engine or speed that made the E-Type so special. As Seinfeld states during the episode with Jerry Lewis; "What if there was a car so special, so beautiful, so elegant, it could show you the meaning of life?". To the stand-up superstar, the E-Type is that very car - automotive beauty distilled to its very essence.
The E-Type Was Remarkably Well-Priced
Lewis, as you might imagine, was quite keen to be reunited with his old friend. Despite selling the car many years ago for something a little more low-key, (he's now 91) the star of Bellboy and The Nutty Professor was suitably impressed with his afternoon cruise around the block.
"What a wonderful car", he exclaimed as Seinfeld pulled up on his driveway. The two comedy legends shot the breeze as Seinfeld - very carefully - drove the pair to Lewis' cafe. While it may be a near priceless model today, that wasn't always the case. Back in the 1960s, it was actually remarkably cheap. Comparative Ferrari and Maserati cars were in excess of $8000, but the humble Jaguar E-Type costs a little over $2000 when first launched in 1961 by comparison.
Effortlessly cool, extremely fast for the time, and dirt cheap; it isn't hard to see why the model was so coveted. It is for this reason that the E-Type is generally considered to be the best car that Jaguar ever made, even to this very day. Jerry Lewis most certainly had excellent taste, and while his appearance on Comedian's In Cars Getting Coffee went down a storm, we suspect autophiles watching also appreciated the Jag's peripheral time in the spotlight.
Honorable Mention: Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing
It says something about the greatness of the Jaguar E-Type that this spectacular piece of German engineering fell just short. But hey ho, here we are. The iconic Mercedes SL 300 Gullwing made its appearance in a series eight episode of the show, where the guest was Lorne Michaels.
This 1955 edition turns heads even today, so imagine seeing a car like this in the mid-1950s? Ivory White, with stylish lines aplenty, its most certainly a sight for sore eyes - especially with those rather grand, space-age gullwing doors protruding upwards towards the heavens.
Fresh out of the factory, it generated 340 bhp, getting up to around 135 mph on a good day. Mediocre by today's standards, but simply mindboggling for the time. A truly special car that is more than worthy of a place in this article.