The written word cannot adequately or accurately capture all this is the Jaguar XKE.  To say that it is an icon of automotive style is to say far too little for it is the preeminent icon of automotive style.  To say that it is “elegant” or “timeless” or, heaven forbid, “the most beautiful car ever made” is to simply regurgitate yesterday’s clichés.  Rather, to fully understand the mystic of the XKE, the car must be viscerally experienced through the engagement of the visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile senses. 

The car traces its origins to the Jaguar racing cars of the mid to late 1950’s.  These cars, the C and D Types, were primarily built to be race cars and, through them, Jaguar perfected its knowledge of powertrains and drivelines.

After Jaguar mastered the mechanical fundamentals, the XKE’s primary designer, Malcolm Sayer, set out to craft a body shell based mathematical principles he claimed to have learned from a German professor.  Whatever these mathematical principles were, they produced one of the most striking body shells in automotive history.  This body shell has been described as “Phalliform perfection” and sitting behind the steering wheel staring down the XKE’s long bulbous cowl it is easy to see how that name arose. 

The XKE’s appearance in 1961 at the Geneva Motor Show revolutionized the automobile world by making every other car seem instantly dated.  The body shell was longer, lower, slimmer, sleeker and smoother than any production model to date and made its competitors seem, well, downright dowdy.  Further, given its original asking price (about $42,000 USD in today’s dollars), it made its competitors seems grossly overpriced.

The car’s beauty was more than skin deep, however, for underneath the gently rolled steel rested a partially monocoque chassis connected to front and rear tubular subframes.  These subframes were used to support a fully independent rear suspension and a torsion bar front suspension.  This combination approach to the frame made the XKE much lighter than its predecessors and greatly improved the car’s driving dynamics.  Further, owing to the design of the front subframe, the engine could be placed behind the front axle thereby giving the car a 51:49 weight distribution ratio.  This had the obvious positive effect on performance and handling.

The initial powertrain, a 3.8 litre, twin cam, straight six cylinder, was capable of producing a monstrous 265 horsepower and had a top speed approaching 150 miles per hour.  This easily made the XKE the then fastest production car in the world.  In order to help tame the magnificent 3.8, the car was equipped with four wheel, power assisted disc brakes.   

Production of the XKE (marketed in Europe as the E Type) ran from 1961 to 1974 and can be roughly divided into three periods: Series I (1961-1968), Series II (1969-1971) and Series III (1971-1974).  

The Series I car is a true sports car with little in the way of amenities or pretensions.  Its closed headlights, small “mouth” and airplane inspired cockpit make it the most highly sought after of all XKE’s.   Jaguar produced a total of 38,419 Series I (and 1.5) cars but it is estimated that less half of those cars are available today. 

Series II cars were produced from 1969 to 1971 and were equipped with a revised 4.2 litre, straight six cylinder which was de-tuned for the US market.  This engine came equipped with twin Stromberg carburetors (the European market got triple SU’s) and wider valve clearances.  This de-tuning was exacerbated by the emplacement of pollution control devices which robbed the engine of much of its gusto.  Stylistically, Series II cars are identifiable by their larger air intake (their “mouth”), twin electric fans behind the radiator, a ribbed valve cover, headlights without glass covers, larger tail lights, front turn signals and a wrap around rear bumper.  The interior of Series II cars was also revised with more supportive seats and a revised (cheapened) interior.  Jaguar produced 18,809 Series II XKE’s. 

Jaguar began production of the Series III cars in 1971 and continued it until 1974.  During this time, Jaguar produced 15,287 cars (7,990 roadster and 7,297 2+2 Coupes).   These cars were the most fundamentally altered of the entire production run as they were intended to be more grand tourer than sports car.  The primary  way this alteration occurred was through the advent of the new 5.3 litre SOHC V12 engine.  While not a powerful as some of its Italian contemporaries, the V12 offered a smooth, quiet, economical and dependable alternative to its Latin contemporaries.  The increased engine size permitted (or perhaps necessitated) a longer, wider chassis which added some 205 kg in weight.

However, this weight gain did not adversely affect the horsepower increase offered by the V12. Rather, the bigger engine lowered the XKE’s 0 to 60 time to 6.4 seconds (one second faster than the Series II) and a 0 to 100 time of 15.4 seconds (one second faster than the Series I cars).  Further the big 12 cylinder permitted the Series III XKE’s to reach a top speed of 146 miles per hour! 

The longer, wider, heavier chassis also permitted a flaring of the fender arches and a further enlargement of the XKE “mouth.”  The engine and exterior modifications metamorphasized Series III cars ’s from a true sports car into a stylistic grand tourer. 

The example presented here was initially sold to a private individual in Dallas, Texas and the car remained there for almost twenty years.  The car was then purchased by a Houston based oil and gas magnate who gifted the car to his wife.  She used and enjoyed the car for a little over ten years until her unfortunate demise.  Subsequently, the car was placed into her estate (and titled as such) and then placed into storgage for a number of years. 

On December 24, 2012, I acquired the car from the second owner's estate and immediately began to drive and enjoy it.  Cosmetically, the car was virtuallly perfect and I drove it home on the day that I bought it. 

I was told at the time of purchase that the car was never involved in an accident but that, at some point in the car's life, it was treated to a factory correct paint job.  I was further told that this was the second coat of paint to grace the car's body.  After thoroughly examining the car, I could not detect the presence of any filler or accident damage and believe that the representation made to me was entirely accurate.  The paint shines brightly with only a few discrete flaws and gives no indication of accident, rust or filler,  This paint is nicely matched to perfect and unpitted chrome and stainless steel brightwork.  Given the pristine nature of the paint and brightwork, it was easy to see that the car had never been been abused or stored outdoors.  Further, the car's wire wheels showed almost no signs of age and were not pitted or rusted in any manner. 

The front seats appeared to have been recovered in factory correct leather and all leather surfaces remain in excellent shape.  In similar fashion, the dash board was without cracks and appeared to be virtually perfect, as were the door panels and original rubber floor mats.  The car's carpet was in excellent shape however, the car was sold with a completely new set of interior wool carpeting and padding.  Additionally, the car came with its original owner's manual and an illustrated Jaguar manual specific to the XKE V12. 

I bought the car for one reason - it was rust free and stunningly gorgeous.  While I could see some minor imperfections in the car, I knew it was a high quality, original mile, 2 owner XKE and there was simply no good reason not to buy it. 

Over the course of the holidays, I drove the car approximately 100 hundred miles.  During this time, I noticed that the car did have a few performance issues such as an unwillingess to start and a hesitation under hard acceleration.  Further, there was an odd clunking in the rear end which sounded a lot like the broken transmission mount on my TR6.  Obviously, I wanted to fix these issues and, given the car's virtually perfect exterior, I decided a complete refurbishment of the car's mechanicals was warranted. 

I transported the car to Houston's premier independent Jaguar repair facility (Motorcars, Ltd.) and ensured that all needed repairs were performed (and thoroughly documented).  The repairs undertaken on the car included the following:

New front suspension bushings installled;

New front ball joints installed;

New inner tie rod ends installed;

New outer tie rod ends installed;

New control arm bushings installed;

New transmission mount installed;

New transmission spring seats installed;

Carburator floats and bowls removed and cleaned;

All carburators synchronized;

New cam cover seals installed;

New cam cover gaskets installed;

Engine cooling system drained, flushed and recharged with new coolant;

Dash switch for twin radiator cooling fans rewired;

New fuel filter installed;

New in-line fuel filter installed;

Gas tank sediment filter removed and cleaned;

New valve cover gaskets installed;

New valve cover plugs installed;

New inlet manifold gasket installed;

New air rail O-rings installed;

New plenum gasket installed;

New front brake hoses installed;

Four wheel alignment performed;

New steering rack mounts installed;

New transmission gasket pan installed;

New transmission filter installed;

Automatic transmission fluid replaced with Dextron 3 Mercon;

New transmission kickdown switch installed;

New gas tank inlet pipe fuel filter installed;

Fuel pump removed, disassembled, cleaned and reinstalled;

New Petronix Electronic Ignition installed; and

New Flamethrower Ignition Coil installed.

In addition to this, four new Dunlop Signature 215/70R15 tires were emplaced, a new muffler mount was installed and 2 new brake resevoir caps with switches (sourced from Moss Motors) were installed.  Finally, the car's AC original AC system was recharged with R12.

Almost $8,000 was spent on the mechanical refurbishment of this car and, when driven, it truely shows as each and every one of my prior concerns has been eliminated.  That is, the car starts on the first try (albiet with the choke fully engaged) and there is no "clu-clunk" sound when I hit a rough spot of pavement.  Further, the car pulls strongly through all gears and does not hesitate with hard acceleration. 

On the subject of rapid acceleration, please see our YouTube channel - TheBavarianMotors - for a short video of this car being driven on the freeway.  Please note, the car easily obtained, held and perhaps exceeded freeway speeds and looked and sounded great doing it.

If you are interested in acquiring this incredible example of a true British motoring legend then please call Mark at 713-320-3059. 

We are a licensed lender in the State of Texas and can assist you in obtaining financing for your automobile purchase.

If you need assistance with financing then please contract Mark counts at 713-320-3059.

Please ensure that you have obtained financing prior to bidding on one of our cars.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, our cars are sold "As Is" and without warranty.

However, some of our cars are eligible for extended warranties.

Please discuss the potential purchase of an extended warranty with your sales representative.

Unless stated otherwise in the vehicle's listing, shipping is the sole responsibility of the buyer.

There are many reputable transporters across the country and the Buyer is required to contract directly with one of them.

If required, we can locate a shipper for the Buyer but will not assume responsibility for the vehicle once it is consigned to a shipper.

Terms and Conditions

All vehicles we sell have clean and clear titles. 

We do NOT sell salvage vehicles or vehicles with reconditioned titles.

All vehicles are sold "AS IS" and there are no representations or warranties except those contained in the written sales contract or bill of sale.

The winning bidder must contact us within 24 hours by phone to start the transaction.

The winning bidder must respond within 2 days after the auction with a $500 deposit required via wire transfer, Visa/MC, or certified funds(cashier's check) to start the transaction.

It is understood that the vehicle is sold on an "As Is" basis. 

Buyer are free to purchase with or without an inspection.  

We strongly encourage pre-purchase inspections.  These inspections are relatively cheap and help ensure  that the Buyer is completely satisfied with their purchase.

All sales are subject to a state inspection fee of $40.75 and a Vehicle Inventory Tax based at .2271% of the purchase price. Ex. $10,000.00 X .2271% = 22.71.

Texas residents must pay applicable sales tax and a registration fee.

Out-of-state customers may pay tax and register the vehicle in their own applicable state. Upon request, we may be able to complete the buyer's home state registration.

The buyer is responsible for all shipping costs. We will arrange for shipping, if requested. Also, transportation to and from the airport and our location is buyer's responsibility.

We make every attempt to deliver our vehicles to our clients with two keys, key fobs, manuals, booklets, NAV CDs, wheel locks, tool kits, etc..., however, from time-to-time, a vehicle may be missing one or more of these items and we cannot guarantee that they will be included in the vehicle at the time of sale. Please call for the exact accessories included for the vehicle.

Our vehicles are pre-owned vehicles and they are sold in "As Is" condition. At time, some of our vehicles may still be in factory warranty or an extended warranty may be purchased. Ask for details.

For Canadian car buyers: If the title is to be released at the time of delivery (which is much mandatory to move the vehicle through customs), a wire transfer is the fastest  way to complete the sale.  If the payment is not by bank wire transfer, i.e., certified bank check or approved loan check, the title will only be released when all funds have cleared. Please keep in mind that the funds verification process can take up to 15 days. We will assist you with the documentation needed to clear Canadian customs, but knowing exactly which documents are required by your home province are the buyers responsibility. Requirements for Canada can be found at www.riv.ca under "Registration of import vehicles, Canada".

Notice to All Bidders

Please remember your eBay obligations. When you bid, you are entering into a legal and binding contract. Do not bid if you do not intend to buy this vehicle!

All bidders must have pre-approved loans or other financing.

The winning bidder must contact us within 24 hours by phone to complete the sale and to receive a purchase order via fax.

Major Credit Cards are accepted.

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Please remember that you have the option to call for the reserve price direct at 713-320-3059.

We appreciate your interest in this auction and look forward to seeing your bid. Good Luck and Happy Bidding!