For 1971 Jaguar introduced the Series 3 E-Types (known as the XK-E over here). Standard power steering, an optional slushbox in all models, and improved disc brakes at each corner were among the changes, but they weren't the ones that set tongues to wagging.
Externally the car sprouted newer, uglier bumpers with rubber overriders. To comply with US impact standards, cars sold in North America had grotesque, chunky rubber blocks affixed, to the front end in 1973 and both fore and aft for '74 and on.
While a few were still sold with the 4.2L DOHC inline six, the big news under the hood was Jaguar's new V-12. This was a 5.3L (326 cubic inch) DOHC motor that was initially intended to be fuel injected but debuted with four Zenith-Stromberg sidedraft carburetors instead. Stateside, this '73 Pale Primrose drophead two-seater would have had a 7.8:1 compression ratio and been rated at 241 SAE net horsepower.
Road & Track tested a 1973 convertible with a 4-speed manual, and the V-12 pushed the 3,450 pound ragtop to a top speed of 138 miles per hour. Acceleration was reasonable for the dawn of the Malaise Era, with a zero-to-sixty time of eight seconds and a 16.2 quarter at 89 miles per hour, and the big cat circled the skidpad at 0.73g, comparable to the contemporary Corvette or 911. (R&T lamented that the loss of compression ratio made the '73 noticeably slower than the '72.)
Base price back in '73 was $8,475 and the total for the magazine's test car, including $521 for air conditioning, was $9,665. That's $68,635 in constant dollars, but at the time it was a Corvette and a half, or half a Ferrari Dino.
This example was photographed with a Canon EOS M and EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM zoom lens in May of 2019.
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