An ugly duckling, an E-Type swan song, or an aging rock star. This is what the Jaguar E-Type Series was called in the early 70s, as the S3 lost its gloss and appeal compared to the very first car of this family.
Source: Car and Classic
Jaguar E-Types Series 3, the legendary British brand produced between 1971 and 1975. Between 1961 and 1975, this iconic model underwent several updates, which, according to many fans of the brand, did not make it better. Many were disappointed, believing that its best days were behind and the iconic roadster was in danger of being forgotten. In addition to all these problems, the stringent emission control regulations became a real headache: the XK’s 4.2-liter inline-six engine no longer produced the expected power. The company urgently needed to take action to save the legendary model from doom. So, the company’s engineering team decided to transplant a more “powerful heart” under the soot of an aging roadster. The choice fell on the V12, originally developed for the XJ sedan.
Source: Wallpaper Flare
In 1961, the debut of the E-type at the Geneva Motor Show caused quite a stir, earning it a place on the Daily Telegraph’s list of top sports cars of the 60s, where it was ranked first. The model even earned a spot among the six automobiles on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The E-type was designed by renowned designer Malcolm Sayer, who began his career in aircraft design and incorporated numerous ideas from the aviation industry into his work on Jaguar’s racing vehicles. However, the E-type’s success wasn’t solely attributable to its design, as the Roadster also boasted impressive technological advancements. Unlike the Mercedes-Benz 190SL and even the 300SL, which had drum brakes, the Jaguar E-type was equipped with disc brakes with an amplifier in a circle! Moreover, the Porsche 356 offered a miserable 4-cylinder boxer engine. Against the backdrop of these sports vehicles, Jaguar with its inline-six was a real beast and won 5 Le Mans in a short period. The 2+2 was the third body style in the first E-Type series. It appeared in 1966 when many of the shortcomings of the series had already been corrected. So this modification collected the best features of the first series. It had an additional row of passenger seats, and an extended wheelbase, able to be equipped with automatic transmission. Superior performance, elegant styling, and a good price (£2,000) made the E-Type extremely popular, rivaling a Ferrari or an Aston Martin, costing at least twice as much.
Source: Barrett-Jackson
The 1973 model belonged to the 3rd series, which went on sale in 1971. The model differed from the first two series in many ways. The 1973 edition received a 5.3-liter aluminum V12 SOHC four-carburetor Zenith-Stromberg engine. The configurations for the American and European markets differed: the European modification developed 272 hp, and the American one – 314 hp in the initial configuration and 250 hp after limiting harmful emissions. In 1973, the tracks and wheel arches were widened, the interior was improved, and four exhaust pipes and enlarged checkered radiator grilles were also installed. Power steering and radial tires became standard, and air conditioning was added to the options list. Many fans of the brand did not approve of the 1973 update when the American version received heavily protruding rubber bumpers. In their opinion, this update ruined the design of the car. From 1971 to 1975 the company sold 7297 2+2 coupes.
Source: NotoriousLuxury
Its famous owners included Tony Curtis, Steve McQueen, Brigitte Bardot, Jacques Charrier, Adam Faith, and George Best.
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