It has been called "the sexiest car, ever" by three generations of automotive journalists. And by three generations of just regular people going completely slack-jawed when one drives by. When the original was first introduced in March of 1961, Malcolm Sayer's design didn't just cause talk, it is said that it came close to causing a riot. The original Jaguar XK-E (or E-Type) made a statement that was absolutely clear to anyone with eyes and a pulse: "Sex on wheels."
It wasn't just physically beautiful, either. If the visual design put you in what the priests used to call an "occasion of sin," the performance would make its drivers want to sin over and over again. Seldom has any car met the challenge of "walkin' the talk" like an XKE at full song on a long stretch of highway.
The E-Type was one of the visual icons of the 60's, but so, too, was it a symbol of the changes that would come in the 70's. After 10 years in production, the demands of emissions restrictions changed the game. The original 3.8 litre six had already grown to 4.2 litres to try to keep the power up. But then Jaguar decided to really up the anty. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the XK-E V-12.
Benchmark Classics, the Hot Rod, Custom, Specialty and Muscle Car playground in Madison, Wisconsin has a time machine sitting in the front of its showroom. It is a 1973 Jaguar XK-E Series III V-12 convertible with just 9100 total miles on the car. Not 9100 miles on a restoration. 9100 miles total. Really. That's only about 250 miles a year since it rolled off the line at the famous Jaguar works in Coventry, England.
This time capsule comes in green sand (olive-yellow) over a deep moss green interior. It has a black soft top and, incredibly, its original factory hard top still sealed in its original shipping crate!
It'll make you gawk from one end to the other. The amazingly long, beautifully louvered hood covers an engine compartment containing the 5.3 litre 60 degree V-12. The four Zenith-Stromberg carbs, all the wiring, all the everything is just how it should appear. At the other end is that spectacular Jaguar rear, highlighted by four artfully chromed tail pipes. And in the trunk? In there, you'll see some of the many awards won by this timeless example of a timeless design.
An E-Type can be appreciated by almost anyone. But an E-Type this special is going to appeal to an equally special owner. When you see it, it will speak to you. You'll hear it when it does, but it will surely be a very private conversation. Don't be shy... |
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