Pedigree of the Jaguar XKE Series 2

Manufactured by legendary British automobile company Jaguar, the Jaguar XKE Series 2 remains highly popular to this day in automotive circles. The Jaguar XKE Series 2's good looks, excellent performance, competitive pricing and easily handling resulted in impressive sales figures and a lengthy production run of nearly 15 years.

The upgraded version of a two seat sports car, the Jaguar XKE Series 2 refined many times throughout its production. The unique characteristics of Jaguar XKE Series 2 were open headlights without glass covers, a wrap-around near bumper, repositioned larger front indicator, and tail lights positioned below the bumper. Later on in the Jaguar XKE Series 2's life cycle upgraded brakes, a better cooling system and twin electric radiator fan were installed.

Not all of the modifications were universally admired, however. Some XKE owners claimed that the modifications made the car slower, albeit smoother to drive. Such criticism, although commonplace at the time, did not take into account the fact that Jaguar at the time were struggling with meeting changing auto safety and emissions regulations in the U.S. The company was scrambling to retool its entire production line to meet new U.S. regulations, while at the same time devoting resources to developing its high-volume sedan business.

As they did with the legendary Jaguar XK 120 of the late '40s, the XKE Series 2 was designed primarily as a high-end, high performance road car. The car's design, beauty, extraordinary performance, charged up mechanical specification earned it rave reviews made it a star virtually overnight. The Jaguar XKE Series 2 achieved much of it popularity for its excellent performance on the race track and ranked highly in terms of customer satisfaction.

Although designed mainly for driving in city roads, the Jaguar XKE Series 2 was famous for winning nearly every race it was entered in. This cemented the XKE Series 2's reputation as both an attractive road car and a high performance race-car.

Not many Series 2 models were manufactured prior to the bonnet design change. The louvers on the top of the bonnet's huge expanse were contained in a pair of add-on pieces; they were eventually pierced directly into the sheet metal for extra strength and stability. In the earliest models the hood couldn't be locked or unlocked without needing to insert a special T-shaped instrument on each side; this cumbersome arrangement was eventually replaced with more convenient cockpit levers.

For three years all the way up to autumn 1964 the 3.8-liter XKE was modified and altered in every conceivable way. Rear-axle ratio was upped from 3.31 to 3.07:1 for easier high-speed cruising, though the main gear set would eventually return to regain lost low-end acceleration.

New piston rings that reduced oil consumption, and a new brake-operating system was fitted to allow for more consistent stops with less effort. The handbrake was given an auto-adjusting mechanism to make it easier for owners who previously had to do the dirty job by hand. The interior was made more silent and the cooling system upgraded. The rear windows received a heater and the seats were upgraded to be more comfortable. Due to many customer complaints about the placement of the pedals, these were moved to a newer more comfortable position.

This level of attention to detail and non-stop dedication to improving the Jaguar XKE Series 2 based on ongoing customer feedback is largely the reason why the car was and still is so highly regarded by automotive enthusiasts.

Looking for information on Jaguar XKE?

Click to http://www.jaguarxke.com/, the ultimate website for Jaguar XKE fans and enthusiasts.

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The Rise and Fall of the Jaguar XKE Series 3 V-12

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.

Looking for information on Jaguar XKE?

Check out http://www.jaguarxke.com/, the ultimate website for Jaguar XKE fans and enthusiasts.

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How the Jaguar XKE (E-Type) Series 3 Compares to Earlier Models

The legendary Jaguar XKE series received its last major update in 1971 with the introduction of the Series 3. Jaguar was having a hard time retooling their older Series 2 models to comply with stringent US emissions laws, so decided to introduce a brand new all alloy 5.3 litre V12 engine in the S3. Not only did this new V12 engine meet and beat all US emission limits, it also boosted the car's performance back to where it was with the original 3.8 litre 12 cylinder engine found in Series 1 E-Types.

The bigger, heavier V12 engine in the S3 lead to a widening of the chassis, wider wheels and tires, flared wheel arches, and a lower centre of gravity for the car. Thanks to the greater weight and wider tires power steering was no longer an optional extra but a basic feature. Unlike other E-Type models the S3 was available in only two options: a sporty Roaster and the larger Coupe 2+2.

While the S3 should have been the end all and be all of all E-Types with its larger engine and newer technology, the car did have many shortcomings. Perhaps the biggest disappointment in the S3 was the power steering. Gone was the zippy, sporty feel of the older E-Types. The power steering gave the S3 a vague and soft control, something akin to that of a Grand Tourer than a high performance sports car. Another major drawback was the prodigious quantities of petrol the S3 needed; the car consumed between 12 and 14 miles per gallon, an astounding amount by any standards.

What are the differences between the various S3 models?

The Roadster, although short on luggage space, gives the S3 its iconic sports car look and is always a pleasure to drive. The coupe is more refined and civilised, with more than enough luggage space for long trips and touring. The coupe 2+2 models offer even more luggage space if the back seats aren't being used and are moved forward.

All coupe models suffer from heat bleeding into the interior from the engine compartment of the car. Not all models came fitted with air conditioners and long trips in the coupe could make it very uncomfortable in places with a hot climate.

Regardless of Roadster or Coupe, there is not much leg space in the S3 for people with large frames. If you are above 115 kgs (250 lbs) or more than 6' 2" tall you will have trouble fitting inside an early model E-Type. Your best bet would be the S3 Roadster or the coupe 2+2 models.

Which one should I buy?

It all comes down to personal taste. The earlier S1 models are the most iconic looking, with their covered headlamps and zippy engines. Those who want the convenience of power steering and extra leg room at the expense of raw performance should go for the S3. A good comprise between the two would be S2, which offers the best of both worlds.

Of all the E-Type models the Coupe 2+2s are the most widely available and cheapest - a great way to get introduced into the joys of owning a Jaguar.

Another good option is to hire the E-Type of your choice for a weekend, and go on a tour. Not only will this allow you to spend quality time with the car of your dreams, it will also provide practical insight into the joys and day-to-day challenges of owning a Jaguar.

Looking for information on Jaguar XKE?

Click to http://www.jaguarxke.com/, the ultimate website for Jaguar XKE fans and enthusiasts.

View the original article here