Restored at considerable expense
1972 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12 Roadster

Footnotes

Testing the E-Type Series III back in 1972, Road & Track magazine reckoned the new V12 power unit, "a sheer delight, by itself almost worth the price of admission. The V12 is a lovely piece of machinery, lovely to listen to and lovely to behold. The exhaust has that hurried sound characteristic of a multiple-cylinder engine where the many explosions per revolution make it sound as if it's running faster than an engine with fewer cylinders. The idle is smooth and quiet with none of the mechanical busyness one normally experiences from the likes of a Ferrari or Lamborghini V12. And the smoothness lingers throughout the rev range".

This superior refinement would have counted for little had the Series 3 proved slower than its predecessors, but the new V12 engine was more than powerful enough to offset the weight gain over the preceding 4.2-litre XK six and ensure that performance was undiminished. Weighing only 80lb more than the cast-iron-block six that it replaced, the all-alloy, 5.3-litre, overhead-camshaft V12 produced 272bhp, an output good enough for a top speed well in excess of 230km/h. Further good news was that the 0-160km/h time of around 16 seconds made the V12 the fastest-accelerating E-Type ever.

Other mechanical changes beneath the Series 3's more aggressive looking exterior included ventilated front disc brakes, anti-dive front suspension, Lucas transistorised ignition and Adwest power-assisted steering, while automatic transmission was one of the more popular options on what was now more of a luxury Grand Tourer than out-and-out sports car. Flared wheelarches, a deeper radiator air intake complete with grille, and a four-pipe exhaust system distinguished the Series III from its six-cylinder forbears, plus, of course, that all-important 'V12' boot badge. The interior though, remained traditional Jaguar. Built in two-seat roadster and '2+2' coupé versions, both of which used the long-wheelbase floor pan introduced on the Series II '2+2', the Series 3 E-Type continued the Jaguar tradition of offering a level of performance and luxury unrivalled at the price.

Delivered new to the USA, this E-Type V12 roadster was completely restored to European specification in the 1990s by marque specialists, XK Engineering of Shilton, Coventry, UK and comes with a dossier containing related invoices and a photographic record of the work. Originally equipped with automatic transmission, it has been fitted with a Getrag five-speed manual gearbox and we are advised that the engine is unleaded compatible. The preceding owner only used the car at weekends and on occasional tours, maintaining it regardless of cost.

Since being acquired by the current vendor in 2011, the car has undergone the following:
Full interior re-trim to original specification (2011) Attention to paint and bodywork (2011) Full brake overhaul (2014) New clutch, ignition, extensive maintenance (2015) New radiator (2020)
Invoices relating to the above works are on file totalling the equivalent of approximately €30,000. The E-Type has been regularly exercised on European rallies; well maintained, it is in lovely cosmetic condition and performed faultlessly on a recent test drive with a Bonhams specialist.