1974 Jaguar E-Type Series III V12 Commemorative Roadster
Chassis no. 1S2835

'The V12 E-Type was at its best as a long-distance, high-speed tourer. There were few cars which could match its top speed and 120/130mph cruising ability, even amongst the exotica from Italy, and none at all the silence and smoothness of its engine.' ? Paul Skilleter, The Jaguar E-Type.

Testing the E-Type Series III back in 1972, Road & Track magazine reckoned the new V12 power unit, 'a sheer delight, by itself almost worth the price of admission. The V12 is a lovely piece of machinery, lovely to listen to and lovely to behold. The exhaust has that hurried sound characteristic of a multiple-cylinder engine where the many explosions per revolution make it sound as if it's running faster than an engine with fewer cylinders. The idle is smooth and quiet with none of the mechanical busyness one normally experiences from the likes of a Ferrari or Lamborghini V12. And the smoothness lingers throughout the rev range.'

This superior refinement would have counted for little had the Series III proved slower than its predecessors, but the new V12 engine was more than powerful enough to offset the weight gain over the preceding 4.2-litre XK six and ensure that performance was undiminished. Weighing only 80lb more than the cast-iron-block six that it replaced, the all-alloy, 5.3-litre, overhead-camshaft V12 produced 272bhp, an output good enough for a top speed well in excess of 140mph. Further good news was that the 0-100mph time of around 16 seconds made the V12 the fastest-accelerating E-Type ever.

Other mechanical changes beneath the Series III's more aggressive looking exterior included ventilated front disc brakes, anti-dive front suspension, Lucas transistorised ignition and Adwest power-assisted steering, while automatic transmission was one of the more popular options on what was now more of a luxury Grand Tourer than out-and-out sports car. Flared wheelarches, a deeper radiator air intake complete with grille, and a four-pipe exhaust system distinguished the Series III from its six-cylinder forbears, plus, of course, that all-important 'V12' boot badge. The interior though, remained traditional Jaguar. Built in two-seat roadster and '2+2' coupé versions, both of which used the long-wheelbase floor pan introduced on the Series II '2+2', the Series III E-Type continued the Jaguar tradition of offering a level of performance and luxury unrivalled at the price.

The rare and exclusive E-Type offered here is one of 50 special V12 roadsters built to commemorate the end of the model's production in 1974. The chassis number sequence commenced at '2822' and ended with '2872', all bar one of the 50 cars being finished in black. Its accompanying Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate reveals that this E-Type was distributed by Henlys and sold via H R Owen, London. The original registration was 'XYE 535N'.

First registered on 27th October 1975 to one W H Joodall, chassis number '1S2835' is one of only 19 manual transmission cars in this series. In April 1977 (at 3,000 miles), the car passed to current (second) owner and has remained in the same ownership in Germany for the last 41 years. Presented in accident-free, un-restored, and outstandingly original condition this most collectible of V12 E-Types is offered with a German Fahrzeugbrief.