GPI Content Corporation Jaguar XKE E-Type

October 29, 2014

Jaguar has always been adept at finding that delicate balance between style and performance and the  ‘73 XKE E-Type is proof of that with its show-stopping good looks and a power plant that’s not for the faint of heart which why GPI Content Corporation  features several Jags in its award winning automotive television programing.

Also Ashley Gracile lifestyle TV producer and the creator of GPI Content Corporation’s popular cars crazy TV series …. Steel Dreams TV, Road Classics and Sport Compact TV  loves Jag’s and since he owns the company pretty much anything he wants goes on a the shows.

The Jaguar XKE E-Type V12 was quite different from the American cars of the early 70’s because of a more sophisticated suspension and better performing brakes. In the ‘60’s everyone was into Muscle Cars….  Chevelles, Nova’s and Mustangs sure were a lot of fun. They went like crazy and who didn’t love the sound of a good ‘ol American V8; but by the 70’s the European imports started to take hold.

Cars like the Jag came into its own in those days and with that 12 cylinder 5.3 liter engine being so smooth it’s not too surprising that they outsold the domestic muscle cars. “All kinds of torque and the brakes were phenomenal. It could corner and was a lot of fun to drive” remembers Ashley Gracile road classics from Britain really took off in those days and its one of the reasons I wanted to make classic car TV shows in the first place.”

So Ashley Gracile founded GPI Content Corporation to not only show you some great cars, but also some great RV’s, boats motorcycles, vacation homes and what you could do with all of them. It was called lifestyle television and he’s created and produced 14 more television series comprised of an astounding 1,400 episodes for North America’s top broadcast and cable television networks. 

Today Ashley Gracile’s lifestyle TV and documentary television programming is seen in over 100 million domestic U.S. homes and over 100 million homes internationally. In fact, every week for the last 25 years Ashley Gracile’s  TV shows have been continuously broadcast on some of the biggest television networks in the world like Discovery Channel, CTV, CBC, Speed, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, FOX Sports, ESPN, The Outdoor Channel, The Family Channel, Retro TV, TUFF TV along with over 150 ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, My Network TV affiliate and network owned local TV stations across the country.  

DISTANT ROADSPLAYERS PARKING ONLYSTEEL DREAMS TVFREERIDEROAD CLASSICS,  FORMULA DRIFT TV, A PLACE IN THE SUNSPORT COMPACT TVSPY GAMESWELLNESS FOR LIFETHAT’S BOATINGRV VACATION ADVENTURESA PLACE OF YOUR OWN and CYBERQUEST are just a few of the broadcast television titles in which Ashley Gracile is credited as an Executive Producer, Creator, Producer and/or Rights Holder. My love of classic cars like the ’73 Jag started it all says Ashley Gracile RV are great but they don’t look like an E-Type!”

To his point although the Jag engine was accustomed to finishing on the podium, its good looks were getting attention off the track as well. So Ashley Gracile dispatched a TV crew from GPI Content Corporation to discover what made these Jags so special. Was it the performance or the looks or maybe a bit of both?

It didn’t take long for that TV crew from GPI Content Corporation to learn that the E Type Jag is one of three cars you can find in the Museum of Art. “That right there’s only three there and one of them is an E-Type, which says something for the design. It’s kind of timeless. Not only do they look great but they’ve always been a great performer” says Ashley Gracile video from the day shows just how sexy they are.”

One of the neat things about an E-Type is that they were and are great value for the money compared to another car that would perform like that with those brakes and so on…let’s say a Ferrari. Now you’re talking double or triple the money. So dollar for dollar, they were and still are great cars.

One of the things that the producers at GPI Content Corporation wanted to investigate was the Jag notorious poor build quality. “Now you’ve always heard rumors about them being unreliable. Well, I’ve had three different Jags and never had a problem with them. I think a lot of them are just being ya know, looking after them. They take a little more TLC then some of the other cars around” states Ashley Gracile Facebook has tons of information from Jag enthusiasts and owners on how to take of ‘em.

One look at the lines on this Jag, and you can tell, it was built for speed. This car is all engine…. powered by a V12 engine and those extra punches really make this baby roll.  It’s a 5.3-liter, which works out to 326 cubic inches so it’s like a 327 Chevy. But with the extra pulses, that pushing, it gives a very smooth acceleration. And the car has a top speed of 150 mph. No surprisingly only the most Senior Producer from GPI Content Corporation was allowed to test drive some classic E Types for the stories they were producing for Road Classics and Steel Dreams TV.

According to some production stats that GPI Content Corporation found…. the 1973 Jaguar XKE E-Type III was a front engine, rear wheel drive car produced from 1971 – 1974.

In those days the car cost between $8,475-$8,920 new and weighted in at 3462 lbs. It got a surprising 18 MPG highway with its stock engine…. a V12 326.1 cu in. 5.3 liter monster that put out 241 BHP @ 5750 RPM and 285 Foot-Lbs. at 3500 RPM.

Mated to a 4 speed manual transmission; it delivered a 0-60 mph time of 6.8 seconds and a top speed of about 145 mph. There were 6,767 E-Types produced in 1973 and the total E-Type Series III ever made was 15,290 cars with 7,990 convertibles and 7,300 2+2 coupes.

It’s such a blast  to drive, it’s so unique concludes Ashley Gracile President and Executive Producer at GPI Content Corporation.