Until it was replaced by the one-size-fits-all Series I XJ, the Jaguar Mark X was the biggest and most luxurious Jaguar that money could buy. Bought by the man who wanted to be driven in restrained opulence and to whom a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce would be too decadent. Thanks to the magic powers of depreciation, now you too can drive around in one. Why would you waste all the money on a chauffeur when it’d just deny you the pleasure of driving your own car anyway?
The current Jaguar XJ gets a lot of flak for, well, not being the old Jaguar XJ. I’m guessing it was more than expected considering they’d be getting rid of a design language that could trace its roots back to when Sir William Lyons was still calling the shots.It may not look like it nowadays, but the Mark X represented a similar modernization of the brand’s image. Its predecessor (no points for guessing that it was called the Mark IX, above) was looking decidedly old fashioned with its sweeping sides and upright grille. Sort of like the very slightly less rich man’s Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.
The Mark X had a thoroughly reworked shape that brought it in line with the smaller S-Type. The changes were not only skin deep however, underneath the beautiful new body it was bestowed with independent rear suspension and disc brakes. 1964 brought forth the enlarged 4.2 liter version of the XK engine that would power big cats all the way to 1987 and Daimler DS420 Limousines until 1992.
The interior of this particular model is very well preserved, corresponding with the indicated 16,851 miles on the 5-digit odometer (no doubt it has rolled over once already).
The ad calls it both a “Mark X” as well as a “420G,” but this 1966 model year car is a Mark X (the car was renamed 420G for 1967 after minor changes). Giveaways include the different grille and the conspicuous lack of a strip of chrome running the sides of the car.
But either as a Mark X or a 420G, this striking sedan is still a nearly mint condition classic Jaguar at a very reasonable price. There are certainly a lot of worse ways to blow thirty grand on a car.
Related reading: Jaguar Mark X – Curvaceous Conventrian
I’ve always loved the Jaguar cars of the 1950s and 1960s. The XJ series were nice looking, if not nice quality, cars, no thanks, in part, to BLMC’s poor quality control.
Nice car a favourite of real and fictional gangsters.
These always make me think of Mark Knopfler’s song 5:15 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbl0YKfpyF0
In which an unsavory character is found dead in one.
I believe the Mark X had the greatest girth of any European car, being designed more for the US market. It was apparently hopeless on English country lanes.
Speaking of wide, in the UK the Mark X had a slightly less savoury reputation as the car of a “wide boy,” a fellow on the make and buying his way into the upper classes, if not respectability. “Gentlemen” preferred Bentleys (which cost considerably more than the typically bargain priced Jag).
Wide car for a wide boy? Whatever the UK reputation, I really like these cars despite never seeing one in the metal. It takes all the classic Jaguar styling cues and puts them in a very ’60s longer-lower-wider package, but without losing the elegance. And that white interior is lovely!
The opening paragraph of this piece suggests the Mark X was sort of a British Buick Electra. Are you saying the better analogy might be to the 71-73 Boattail Riviera? Being the American car that more than any other was immediately marked as a pimp/gangsta machine the moment it hit the showrooms.
I love these cars. There used to be one garaged near me, a handsome two tone green example. Apparently the owner tired of dealing with it, so he sold it and bought a boat. If I’m going to blow through big wads of cash for maintenance, I know which of the two I’d rather have. Thanks for the writeup, Gerardo.
I’ve loved this Jag since I first saw a very close reproduction of it in the Tintin cartoon The Black Island (the book, not the movie). It was red, and so perfectly reflected the villains that drove it, it also played a pretty major role in the storyline.
In a contest for “Most ’60s British Looking” the Mark X would be on the podium if not the gold medalist, along with the miniskirt and the go-go boots.
Definite Gangster look to it. Black would be it’s best color. No one can touch Jag and Rolls for wood and leather interiors.
It is truly is something that notorious British gangsters the Kray Twins would have driven while directing their gang on holdups and murders.
A long time since I saw it but I’m sure a Mark X was driven in the Krays film with Gary & Martin Kemp playing a chilling role as the twins and looking scarily like them.In real life one of the twins had an early Valiant(American made).It was for sale a few years ago as a burned out shell.
Ah the pics of the blue Jag look like they came from One Owner Car. Some of his youtube vids are very entertaining as they show cars that I have not seen in years or ever.
I came across this one in NYC’s West Village a year ago. I believe it was badged “420,” as that is what I named the jpeg file. However, if I’m getting your distinctions right, the grille and lack of side chrome would make it a Mark X. Interesting that the mirrors are about halfway between the placements on your 420 and Mark X examples.
interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing!
In the UK this model had three names during it’s lifetime. Originally Mk.10 (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81RMETVqUuL.jpg), then Mk.X (Roman numeral) then 420G.
The G was to distinguish it from the smaller 420 which was an upgraded S type with a Mk.X style grille and headlight arrangement. The S itself was an improved version of the earlier Mk.II, later renamed 240 or 340 according to engine size. The S type used most of the same body as the compact Mk.II but had independent rear suspension and new rear and roof panels.
I must have seen the same one at about the same time. British Racing Green I think, maybe with tan interior, or I just changed it to my favorite Jaguar colors in my memory.
The interiors are the last of really olde school Jaguars, more trad than the exterior.
Here’s another one on the east side. I can never manage to get a good picture of it (only shows up in the morning when I’m late to work!) but it’s a beautiful car:
British Beauties.
Rule, Britannia and God Save the Queen!!
Oof. Charming but rotund, it bears the same relationship to its wheels as Hilda Hippo does to Lowly Worm’s chair:
I knew a chap who had one of these in the 1990’s, Ivory white colour (a popular choice in northern Australia, particularly in pre air con days) with a beautiful beige interior. It was an early Mark X. Great car but that width was a big issue when parking and it had dozens of dings from other car doors opening on both sides of it. Engine was reliable, no problems with the tranny either but electrics were a nightmare for the owner!
I was just going to ask how these cars fared on the LDDS (Lucas Degree of Darkness Scale). They are beautiful cars though…
haha
A gentleman has no need to be motoring during the hours of sundown.J.Lucas prince of Darkness
Also the guy who bought the Bugatti Royale roadster and had it delivered with the head lights in a box in the trunk. They could actually be bolted on and function, but he did not intend to drive the car in the dark.
The Mark X has it’s charms but there’s something very lumbering about it, I much prefer the S-type and the XJ successor, both had a better combo of class and sport in their design than the X. The Mark X body reminds me of the step down Hudsons
For what it’s worth I’m one of those people none too fond of the current XJ, not because it’s not another warmed over version of the classic series 1 version, it’s just too damn weird looking, it reminds me more of a Citroen than a Jag and that’s way too much of a leap. The XF is much more attractive when it comes to their current lineup
Growing up in Calgary, the Yorkshireman across the street had one of these. When I was 5, it seemed exotic – maybe just because the hood hinged at the front. The interior seemed really classy, but I certainly didn’t understand what a jewel I was looking at in the XJ engine.
Years later, as a gearhead teenager, I asked him why he’d stopped driving Jags in favour of his Ford LTD Landau(!), and I’ll never forget his answer: “English cars don’t run worth a damn unless it’s raining!”
I liked the XJ much better. The Mark X looks like a coachbuilder had to build an extra wide body for a rich obese family.
What I also like is their new XE model. (Think Mercedes C-class and, especially, BMW 3-series)
Clicking that pic and my browser window cut off the right side of it and subsequently the middle of the headlight and grille. In that view It’s practically a photocopy of the current 3 series, and I’m not sure if I’d call that a good thing
Unfortunately, that’s what sells. Be glad that Jaguar didn’t try to put a double kidney grille on it.
These look like they have come from the set of Thunderbirds, the proportions are over the top. Lovely interior though. I wonder what could be done with an ‘extreme makeover’?
Well :
for starters on that makeover thought. . . Ian Callum (Director of Design at Jaguar ) & Classic Motor Cars Limited did a redesign and reengineer of the Jaguar Mark 2. And they are being produced in a “limited run”
I’ve seen that car before, I’m not really a fan. I was thinking more along the lines of slimming the bulging sides and modifying the A-pillars to reduce the knee-knocker effect.
Here is a 420G interior I saw recently, what a place to spend a road trip!
Anyone see a styling resemblence between this Jag and the last generation Lincoln Town Car?
Yes the answer could be the fact that Ian Callums brother Moray worked for Ford USA styling Lincolns
Beautiful car. I especially like it with the chrome side trim as the 420G. It reminds me of the Mark 2 in the old TV series Inspector Morse, but more substantial, as it is a bigger ship all the way around. One thing Jag does so well, is incorporate the fine wood throughout the interior, especially above the doors, around the window frames. The interior is like a top of the line Chris-Craft yacht from the 1950’s, in a car. Love it! Gotta say, though, my favorite exterior is the IX with it’s Buick Roadmaster looking fender sweep. Was Buick inspired by Jaguar in the 1940’s to create their trademark sweepspear lines? Sure seems like a possibility. . .
I forgot to say, why wouldn’t this car have the larger outer headlights as per the green car?
If I were to take a guess, US headlight regs
Banning different sized lamps seems pretty arbitrary, nothing particularly unusual about 7″ lamps otherwise.
fuhgeddaboudit. A classic shape of the top order. First among leaping cat equals. Nice blue, sort of frenchy. Needs yellow lenses up front
Gold star to any designer who can sustain an unbroken line for nearly 18 feet while still keeping it relatively taut! Love those high sill too. The Constellation of fuselage bodies.
The Constellation of fuselage bodies. I’m stealing that.
The gritty gangster film ‘Get Carter’ with Michael Caine was based on the real-life murder of Angus Sibbet in 1967. The police claim (much disputed since) was that Sibbet’s Mk10 Jag had shunted the rear of the alleged hitman’s E Type. One murder, two Jags. Here’s the police photo:
Wow. I’ve read the Ted Lewis books and didn’t know about this true-life angle. Great books (first two), great movie and great jag pic.
If you liked Get Carter try Richard Burton’s Villain.Overshadowed by Get Carter when released in the same year it’s well worth a look.
Yep, I’ve heard so much about this film, but haven’t been able to find a copy of it. Peter Yates directed, he was chosen for Bullitt from this. Time was, you’d eventually catch a movie like this on the telly late at night, but all these old movies have been replaced with insomniac-baiting infomercials.
Edit: I’m thinking of ‘Robbery’. You’ve just given me another.
And here’s some of the cast of Villain at work in yet another Jag. Let’s face it, you just weren’t a proper gangster in Britain unless you could run to a Jag! Villain was based on the all-too-real-life Kray twins. Realistically nasty.
Feature car from Nathan “One Owner Car Guy” stock down in Southern Cal.Check out his web site. Good classics at cheap prices. Wish I could bring a Merc 560sel over to the UK. !/2 price compared to here.
Ah, the mighty Mk X, my favourite Jaaaaag ever. I love John Fluevog’s csutomised one:
This looks like my old car that my son allowed a cash advance company take, please reach me to discuss purchasing it ..
lets talk….
original owner of this Mark X that i rebuilt and was doing engine work when it was picked up, its has woofer in back, had original manual, CD player w remote under dash so that not to move original that also plays, …. who posted pic of this Sky blue Mark X Jaguar with white interior … reach me