1972 Jaguar E-Type Series III 5.3 V12

Launched in 1971, the Series 3 E-Type was a quite different animal to the cars that had gone before, being more of a luxury Grand Tourer than an out-and-out sportscar.

A common saying in the car industry is that the first iteration of a model belongs to the designer, but the last belongs to the engineer. Thus it was when the Series III Jaguar E-Type V-12 was introduced in March 1971. This 1972 Jaguar E-Type Series III 5.3 V12 has 5,343cc overhead camshaft V-12 engine generating prodigious torque, a lengthened body with extended arches allowing a wider track and a sumptuous and practical interior, this was a very competent luxury tourer. A limited-slip differential and servo-assisted disc brakes supported a 0-60 time of 6.4 seconds, the fastest of any E-Type, and top speed of 146mph was possible through the four-speed manual gearbox.

This Series III roadster despatched from the factory to the British Leyland distributor in New York, USA on 16th June 1972, and was originally finished in light blue with dark blue interior. Now fitted with a ‘km/h’ speedometer, the car has been restored by a specialist in Winterthur, Switzerland and is finished in metallic blue (a Mercedes-Benz colour) with original dark blue interior.

Series III E-Types, especially V-12 Roadsters, have become increasingly collectable in recent years. Benefitting from a very extensive and carefully documented restoration, this home market car presents in excellent condition both inside and out and is likely to attract a great deal of interest.