Introduced in 1971 the Jaguar XKE Series 3 V-12 was a huge leap forward on the XKE Series 2. With its 4.2-liter six litre engine the XKE Series 3 V-12 introduced an entirely new class of racing car. The XKE Series 3 V-12 was Jaguar's comeback after the weakening of its classic XK inline six-cylinder engine due to emissions regulations. This was, in effect, an upgraded version of the sports car engine with added refinements.
The primary modification in this Jaguar XKE was a larger radiator inlet covered by ordered grillwork, as well the addition of thin wheel arches on wider tires. The chassis retained the iconic hood bulge, even though it wasn't necessary for housing the new engine.
The Jaguar XKE Series 3 V-12's introduction in 1971 seemed like a great idea at the time. The once iconic XKE was 10 years old by then and was lagging behind in terms of power and performance. Emission controls also took their toll on the Series 2 in the form of less engine power. To regain lost market share Jaguar began developing a much better engine from the ground up, and there was no better candidate than the venerable XKE series to showcase this new motor.
The plan was put into action, and in March 1971, Jaguar revealed its long rumoured "new" sports model, the XKE Series 3. Continuing the success of its highly vaunted predecessor, the highly vaunted XKE Series 3 boasted a powerful and exotic (at the time) V-12 engine.
Sadly the third XKE series never came close to matching the success off earlier XKE models. The 1970s, unfortunately, did not see a repeat of the dominance earlier XKE models saw in the 60s. The fault, it must be said, cannot squarely be laid at the feet of Jaguar.
Automobiles manufacturing were once the province of the small workshop. In the earliest days of automotive history each car was hand crafted in small numbers by talented and passionate engineers, mechanics and craftsmen. They could take their time and express themselves in their creations, almost as if making cars was an artistic endeavor.
Unfortunately for small luxury car makers like Jaguar this system of small workshops crafting a limited number of cars was not commercially viable any more. Factories needed to be upgraded, parts and engines streamlined for mass production and production needed to be vastly increased for the company to stay in business. Combine this with the fact that American lawmakers at the time were hell-bent on regulating car emissions meant bad news for the Jaguar sports car.
Its powerful engine that was once the envy of the world was saddled with anti smog technology that impeded performance. The clean sleek lines of its body were now marred by an infusion of new safety lights and bumpers, also mandated by new government safety and consumer protection laws.
To be fair Jaguar was just one of many car companies at the time wrestling with these new regulations. More and more vital resources were spend making the cars meet government specifications rather than on tradition automotive engineering. Combine this with the fact that by 1971 the roadways of America and Europe had become quite congested with traffic, preventing the average Jaguar enthusiast from enjoying his Jaguar XKE Series 3 V-12 to the fullest on the open highway.
The Jaguar XKE Series 3 V-12 was a victim of its time. By the time the sports car came out driving wasn't as pleasurable as it once was. Niche luxury car makers such as Jaguar were lost in the endless pursuit of meeting government regulations rather than creating the ultimate road/sports car.
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