The scene is Earls Court Motor Show; 1961, the entire audience was in awe at the Jaguar Cars Ltd stand with the unveiling of the all new E-Type or XKE. The new sports car was so advanced and had performance that was unheard of for its time. Even Enzo Ferrari is reported to have said “Perhaps one of the most beautiful cars in the world, too bad it doesn’t have a prancing horse on it”.

The E-Type was capable of 150-mph and 0- to 60-mph in less than 7 seconds. The E-Type continued on with three series, and three different engines. For model year 1971 Jaguar introduced the Series III with an all-new 5.3-liter V-12 engine. The Series III became more refined and more GT-like, the handling improved, brakes and suspension improved and the power was an endless supply of refined smoothness. Jaguar’s E-Type continued on to model year 1974 and many say the model has not been properly replaced since. It is possibly the quintessential sports car of all time, and as one of the most collected European sports cars, the E-Type values continue to climb so does the desirability for obtaining one.

This beautiful 1972 Jaguar E-Type Series III V-12 Roadster completed production at the Browns Lane Coventry factory on May 24, 1972 and was then dispatched on June 15 1972 to British Leyland Motors, Inc. of New York. According to the British Heritage Certificate, this '72 E-Type Roadster left the factory in Pale Primrose Yellow over Black leather interior and was mated to V-12 engine numbered 7S6295SA which is still in the car today. This unit is matched to the optional automatic transmission; it is also equipped with optional air conditioning for comfort, no matter the weather.

The lovely Roadster has lived a well maintained life and has undergone a full bare metal respray a few years ago with no rust or filler found anywhere in the body. All body gaps are excellent and the whole car has a great overall fit. Other than a couple small stone chips in the front and one small hairline crack in the passenger door edge, the paint shows beautifully. The leather interior is in outstanding condition showing minimal wear and very light creasing. The carpets appear to be original and in excellent condition. The dash and center console are in excellent condition and do not show any damage or wear. The convertible vinyl top is in excellent condition and does not show any wear, fade or damage.

The engine has been maintained since day one and starts right up. It idles smoothly and does not smoke on start-up or acceleration. The engine has a beautiful deep exhaust note to it and once shifted into gear has a glorious growl under acceleration. The transmission shifts into gear without any issues and shifts through all of the gears without any hesitation. The suspension feels nice and tight and free from any noises and the steering is nice and tight, free from any wandering or play. The four-wheel disc brakes are solid and free from any fade or grinding. All of the electricals appear to be operating and functioning as designed including all of the exterior and interior lights, turn signals, brake lights, reverse lights, headlights and side markers. All of the dash lights and gauges are operating including the temperature gauge and original British Leyland AM/FM radio. The thermostatically-controlled fans kick on at the right time and the car runs at normal temperatures.

Accompanying the sale of this lovely Jaguar is the original convertible top boot, the knock-off tool for the optional wire wheels (with redline tires), the spare and an original owner’s handbook. There is no rust to be found anywhere on the car and the undercarriage is clean and tidy. There are no signs of “bondo” or any damage repair on the car. This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a beautiful running and driving V-12 E-Type that is rust-free and is said to run with its original drivetrain.