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I’ll say it right up front: there has never ever been a more beautiful series of automobiles than the Jaguar E-Types. The svelte, undulating curves - the heritage of the legendary Jaguar D and SSK - are instantly recognizable. On its introduction in 1961, the E type revolutionized the sports car world as a 150 mph car with all the looks of a Ferrari or Aston Martin at half the price (and despite having an inline six engine originally introduced in 1948). It continued to be refined in three different series, the last (Series III) modeled here beginning in 1971.
While some automobiles visually differentiate themselves primarily by the grille and headlight arrangement, it’s fair to say the salient design element that makes the XK Jaguar’s iconic is the front bonnet. It’s long and sleek and AUTO art has correctly modeled it here, front hinged, with 14 cut louvres. Underneath is the V-12 unique to the Series III edition. Add this to the list of AUTO art Jaguar engines (the XJ13 comes to mind) that have been replicated on a scale equivalent with models twice the price.
In fact, several design elements unique to the Series III version are traceable directly to the introduction of the upgrade to a V-12 engine. The grille had to be more widely vented to cool the monster power plant, tires were upgraded to a fatter profile to translate the additional horsepower into straight line speed and the wheel arches flared, subtly in the front but more obvious in the back. All in all, the Series III E Type was probably the closest thing to a British muscle car there ever was.
AUTO art, as usual fit and finish are superb, shut lines are tight and the slingshot stance is perfect. The bonnet and trunk open spectacularly in cantilevered fashion yet there is no fragility to the build. Among the details to further tempt you are the meticulously done dash and interior, photo-etched badging, the bucket seats with coarse and smooth texture and the independent rear wishbone suspension - well modeled but not functional. The only cheesy factor are the sun visors; non pose-able, plastic and strangely mounted on an insubstantial plastic frame. It’s curious that something you’d see like the visors is done in such a crude rendition when a hidden detail like the dual exhaust is outstanding: anodized and braced with the exit pipes properly staggered. Then again, maybe they prepped this model for the coupe versions to come at which time the visor issue will be essentially a non starter as it will be hidden from view.
The people at AUTO art must just have it in their blood to do Jaguars because each model they’ve attempted has been memorable from this superlative E Type to the Le Mans C and D types to the wild child XJ13 to the 2006 XK Coupe and everything in between – it seems to be a real labor of love. Guess that’s why I love it too.
(12/01/2007)
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