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Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster

Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster

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Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster
Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster
Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster
Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster
Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 RoadsterJaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster
Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster
Lot number 124
Hammer value £58,000
Description Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster
Registration BJA 325K
Year 1972
Colour Red
Engine size 5,343 cc
Chassis No. 1S51021
Engine No. 7P12510
Documents V5C; MOT June 2016; handbooks; invoices

Not so much an engine as a symbol of national pride, Jaguar's iconic V12 remains to this day the smoothest V12 engine ever built.

Mercedes even took one apart to see how it was done but no amount of Germanic genius could replicate the turbine-like delivery of Coventry's finest powerplant. The V12 was introduced to the world in 1971 in the Series 3 E-Type – what better way to get it noticed? Visually distinguished by its wider, more aggressive mouth, flared wheelarches, broader track and purposeful quad-exhaust pipes, the S3 combined supercar performance (0-60 in 6.4 seconds and 150mph) with limousine refinement.

Uprated brakes, power steering and benign road manners made long distance cruising an effortless delight. Even today there are few finer ways to cross a continent, basking in the glow of the admiration that this fabulous car elicits from other road users.

Finished in the classic E-Type combination of red coachwork with a black leather interior, this 1972 V12 Roadster has the desirable manual gearbox and rolls on chrome wire wheels. It is thought to have been converted from a Coupe body in the 1980s using, we presume, a new rear tub shell from one of the specialist suppliers.

No invoices exist for this work, but the quality of the conversion and of the parts used in the renovation all those years ago still shines through: even today, the Roadster is still collecting prizes at Concours events. Earlier this year it won the coveted Bugatti Owners Club ‘Scuderia Prize’ for non-Bugattis belonging to BOC members, and last year it collected the ‘Best in Show’ award at the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club ‘Isle of Man Tour’.

With only two previous keepers recorded, the vendor bought the Jaguar in 2014 for his wife to enjoy and immediately commenced improving the gear change by investing over £4,500 in a reconditioned gearbox and clutch work. The odometer shows just over 7,000 miles which is believed to be the distance covered since the conversion but there is insufficient paperwork to warrant this. Said to drive beautifully, the car has an MOT until June 2016.

It is always a treat to find a classic car that has been maintained so well that after all these years it is still capable of winning club concours awards. With top examples of factory V12 Roadsters making well over £80,000 at auction, this exceptionally well-presented example looks most appealing at the sensible guide price suggested.

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