Background
It’s hard following an act that wows the entire motoring world. With even Enzo Ferrari allegedly declaring the original six cylinder E Type the most beautiful car in the world, what were Jaguar supposed to do when it came to updating it?
Many didn’t like the answer back in 1971, but today the Series 3 E Type V12 has a huge following, with many younger enthusiasts preferring it to the earlier six cylinder XK-engined cars. I prefer it too. There, I’ve said it. Heresy, I know. Call the cops. But when I was a kid we lived in a little village and our house was opposite the shop, so lots of cars pulled up outside our house while their owners nipped to get a newspaper or a pint of milk.
Three are stuck in my memory: a purple Triumph GT6, a yellow Lotus Elan and a red Jaguar E-Type 5.3 V12. I remember going outside and walking around it. It may as well have been a UFO, so different was it from anything else I’d seen. I got to the back. Four exhaust pipes. I was sold.
The Jaguar E Type first appeared on the world stage in 1961 and quickly became the benchmark for high performance sports cars. An icon, and a huge success for Jaguar, the car was highly desirable back then and is even more so today.
By 1971 over 57,000 had been produced with 83% exported around the world. But the car was beginning to show its age so Jaguar decided on a new engine for it.
A V8 was considered, but in the end Jag’s engine designers settled on a V12 configuration. Their superb design resulted in a powerplant with more efficient combustion and improved mid-range power – plus an all new soundtrack for future E Type buyers.
The Series 3 not only showcased the new engine, but there were many other changes. The longer wheelbase allowed a tad more passenger space, while styling changes such as the larger grille and flared wheel arches gave the Jag a more contemporary, slightly less fragile look. A more aggressive look too, in some eyes. (And all the better for it, in mine.)
As before both convertible and fixed head coupés were available. Power steering and a limited slip differential were standard fitments, and the brakes were beefed up to cope with all that extra V12 grunt.
Inside there were many detail improvements including a smaller leather trimmed steering wheel, improved heating and ventilation, new seats, and a revised dash layout.
E Type production ended in 1975 and the following year saw the arrival of the XJ-S which, although a great car in its own right, was never a true sports car like the E Type.
We had an exceptionally long wait for that, when the F Type finally arrived in 2013, after a 38 year gap. They even do one with four exhaust pipes. It’s not the same, though.
