Head to Head – Maserati Sebring vs Jaguar E-Type

It’s pasta vs pasties in the latest instalment of our popular Head to Head series as we pit one of Italy’s finest against our very own burly Brit. Yep, that’s right, it’s Maserati facing off against Jaguar with the Sebring going toe to toe with the E-Type.

At first glance you may think that these two beauties are quite different but look a little closer and you’ll soon realise that there are a lot of similarities. Both are two-door, fixed head coupés, they’re both powered by inline, six-cylinder engines with manual gearboxes and they are both correctly configured with the engine up front driving the rear wheels. So which is it going to be? Mazza or Jag?

The ’60s was a wonderful time for sports car production, both here and on the continent. We were churning out cars like the E-Type, Aston Martin DB5 and Jensen Interceptor, while the Italians were doing their own thing with models like the Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari 250 GTO and Iso Grifo. Long before the interference of marketing focus groups and overbearing safety regulations it truly was a special time to be a car enthusiast and some of the most sought after classics today are a product of that period, including these two fine specimens.

So first off, let’s take a look at the Maserati Sebring. Here was a beautifully styled GT car with a high performing six-cylinder engine that developed 245bhp and it’s a work of art frankly. Based upon the Maserati 3500GT the Sebring was engineered by Giulio Alfieri, designed by Michelotti and coachbuilt by Vignale, and if that’s not a holy trinity then we don’t know what is.

Initially shown at the Geneva International Motor Show in ’62 the Sebring was marketed as a 2+2 but in reality, unless your feet were attached directly to your derrière, the space behind the front seats was only really good for a bit of light luggage, most likely Louis Vuitton. But that’s not to say the Sebring wasn’t comfortable. Far from it. This was very much a car for the elite and as such it needed to be luxurious, and it was. It was also no slouch.

Named as a tribute to Maserati’s triumph at the 1957 12 Hours of Sebring where Juan Manuel Fangio and Jean Behra took first place at the wheel of a Maserati 450S, with Sir Stirling Moss and Harry Schell claiming the silver trophy in a Maserati 300S, the Sebring has plenty of grunt. The matching numbers, factory specification example we have available via our auctions platform is a Series II car that’s fitted with the later, and larger, 3.7-litre six-pot, albeit with a more reliable and conventional triple Weber setup in place of the factory fuel injection

Benefiting from a recent comprehensive, high-end specialist restoration the car remains in fantastic condition throughout, evinced by a class win at the Salon Privé Concours De Vente last year. It’s incredibly difficult not to be enamoured with Italian GT cars of the ’60s and this Sebring perfectly captures the zeitgeist of the period.

But what of its English rival, the E-Type? Much has been said of these quintessentially British coupés, most all of it positive and this particular Series 2 is no different. The E-Type has been a stalwart of the classic car scene since its inception and although that sounds a little counter-intuitive what we mean is the car was always destined to become a classic.

Which incarnation is best depends very much on who you talk to. Many will argue that the original Series 1 cars are the purest and therefore most desirable but there are thousands of loyal second series fanatics that will die on their chosen hill. The fact of the matter is, whichever version you go for, you’ll be in good company and the word regret will likely never enter your head.

Alongside the styling, layout and engine similarities between the two, this Jag, like the Maserati, has recently been professionally restored to the highest standard, covering a mere 2,000 miles since. The work was carried out by GS Concours and Willow Triumph and included a full body renovation and bare metal respray, retrim and mechanical overhaul with an engine rebuild that included some tasteful, and indeed useful updates. Comprehensive then.

The results speak for themselves and you can tell that the attention to detail is unmatched. This is perhaps one of the best Series II fixed head coupés we’ve seen and the alluring colour scheme and maintenance history are the icing on top of a particularly sweet slice of Victoria Sponge.

Both cars epitomise the quality of craftsmanship and individuality of design that high end manufacturers were famous for back in the ’60s and despite the distance between Coventry and Bologna, the mindset of both Jaguar and Maserati was the same. Combine that with impressive performance and either one of these gems will not only put a huge smile on your face but they’re also better than money in the bank. So what are you waiting for? Pick your favourite and get bidding.