(first posted 7/18/2014) Long-term readers will recognize these shots as those of Laurence Jones, with a characteristic richness and saturation only fitting for a car with such exaggerated proportions. Though known for their performance, the classic Jaguar shape suggests a lushness incongruous with grand touring and dynamic prowess in the current idiom. When this US-oriented high roller was conceived, however, it was still a while before sober-looking German models would redefine the elegant, high-end sedan and with its resplendent contours, it represents a very different aesthetic sensibility.
Looking somewhat like a stretched version of the 1959 Mark 2, it introduced the now well-recognized forward slanting front end with four headlights at the same level.
And it’s quite a car, isn’t it? At 76 inches wide, it was broad of beam for its day and remains so in 2014; it’s 54.5 inches tall, which is low by current standards (though less so upon the car’s introduction in 1961). Even still, it looked low to the ground with a long 120-inch wheelbase and 202-inch overall length, and is dramatically squat to today’s eyes. Many criticized the car for being a bit too wide and fat looking; fair enough, but in many ways, it simply underscored the nature of what was supposed to be an indulgent car.
You can come to your own conclusions; few sedans looked like this when it was new and the same is true today and for all its alleged girth, it looks svelte compared to contemporary models. The combination of organic curves and a wide stance imparts a sense of athleticism and, when combined with the uniqueness of its overall appearance, makes it pleasing to most eyes. Whatever else could be said about the car’s styling might spoil the experience of just taking it all in, and as all possible cliches have already been employed in describing Jaguar styling, these excellent pictures make it clear that I’d be wasting my… keystrokes by describing it much further.
Under this earlier model’s sculpted hood sits a triple-carbureted, 3.8 liter twin-cam straight-six making 265 (gross) horsepower. This was bumped up to 4.2 liters in 1964, which was the max displacement the engine, dubbed XK6, would reach until the end of its life in 1987 after a thirty-eight year run (1992 if you include the Daimler limousines). At about 4,200 pounds, performance was as good as anyone could expect, but despite the added displacement meant to satisfy American customers, high-speed cruising was more the car’s forte.
If the Mark X was the first Jaguar conceived with American tastes, it had an equally enduring legacy when it came to the nuts and bolts, as it was the first sedan equipped with Coventry’s famed independent rear axle, a design used by no other manufacturer. Fully isolated from the body structure, using four coil springs/shocks, in-board disc brakes, big trailing links and axle half-shafts acting as upper control links, along with lower lateral links, it was a masterful way of reducing unsprung weight and tuning the chassis for ride comfort without losing the necessary degree of body and wheel control. Jaguar cars used it in modified form all the way until the last XK8 left the production line and even then, it wasn’t necessarily the rear suspension which dated that car’s driving experience.
What it might have been was the overboosted steering, a Jaguar characteristic which defined later XJ40 derivatives and much as it defined the MarkX/420G. People rave about the marque’s masterful combination of ride quality and handling prowess, but complaints seem to center around ergonomic missteps and poor space utilization, never the crazy lightness of the steering. As contemporary accounts of driving the MarkX/420G mirror my experience in the few Jags of the ’80s and ’90s I’ve driven, there’s obviously a chink in the armor.
The Mark X initially did well, with 17,500 sold through 1965, but only about 5800 were moved during the remaining five year run. The car was re-badged as the 420G in 1967, but remained a flop. Its appeal to American buyers was obviously limited by the mid ’60s and in many ways, the sedans which followed were similarly characterized by a caricature of old-world charm which no longer defined the UK or the world in general.
While the Jaguar’s engineering was certainly something to be proud of, I see more of post-war Britain in progressive designs like the 1959 Mini and the fabulous Rover P6 and Hillman Imp of 1963. Once cars like the Mercedes W108 became popular in the US, the Jaguars seemed even more quaint.
By 1967 the 420G ceased to be imported to the US, and by 1969 the sleek new XJ6 effectively replaced all Jaguar sedans, capturing whatever momentum the heftier cats had left, and not a moment too soon. The car’s more updated version of Jaguar sedan styling themes seemingly lasted forever, with twelve-cylinder versions finally being replaced in 1992. That sort of production run will make anything seem like a classic, and certainly, the XJ was a gorgeous car, but in light of the recent discussions around Cadillac, I have to wonder: should Jaguar have pursued a more modern image long ago?
With hindsight being 20/20, we can look back and see that none of the famed British luxury marques have survived as independents (then again, neither have Nissan or Chrysler). But if ever a Jaguar should have embraced old-fashioned style, this intended Rolls alternative would be it; “charm” can be a viable business model only when profit margins are gigantic and after the 420G went out of production in 1970, nothing officially replaced it.
With today’s XF and XJ, Jaguar has finally let go of retro inspired style in search of a look that’s truly contemporary; it will be interesting to see whether or not it’s a successful effort. Naturally, a lot of enthusiasts have been left cold (though some have obviously embraced it), but regardless of your take, it’s taken a long time for the brand to assume a more modern image. For fans of the company’s old-style look, though, it’s hard to top the MkX/420G, and the similar looking–but smaller–Mark 2 and associated S-Type and 420.
If not the last word in progressive, forward looking styling, these cars provided inspiration for decades after they went out of production, keeping the brand viable in the face of taller, more rationally conceived high-end sedans. It’s a look so distinct, and so physical, that it’s never been extensively co-opted by anyone else. The same can’t be said about the sedans which outsold them.
Related reading:
Curbside Classic: 1959-1961 Jaguar Mark IX – An Englishman Abroad
Curbside Classic: Daimler DS420 Limousine – Forgotten Lesser Royalty
Car Show Classic: 1980 Daimler Double Six – This Was The Best Car In The World
Storage Field Classic: The Very Advanced (But Mostly Forgotten) Rover 2000TC
Sourced a right hand drive 1993 XJ40. After all those V8 and V6 GMs the IL6 Jag is a different world. It’s up to see how shall prove itself as a daily commuter in recent years.
I actually saw one of these yesterday in Cobh, Ireland. I was going to post it to the Cohort before I saw this.
Well..All I can say..The owner is not a doctor :-)))
Best. Looking. Jaguar. Ever.
Am torn with the Mark 2..Lucky I don’t have the budget..So don’t have to decide..I have never felt happier been one of “the Poors” 🙂
Had one and will have another one day. Mark 2 is rightfully a legend but this is just one of the best looking production cars ever made. There is sometimes criticism of its girth, but one look at the non-G 420 puts any notion that it should have been narrower to rest. Caught one myself recently and want to write it up, but will wait a while in deference to this piece. Thanks Perry and Laurence, I can never get enough of this beauty.
Mk2 fan here.Way out of my price range long ago and my mechanical ability to keep one running.
Back in the day, it wasn’t exceptional mechanical ability one needed, as much as a magic wand to make the rust go away.
Totally the best looking Jag ever. My #1 dream car since I was about 12. I’ll have one some day…
I’m in line right behind you Scott. It’s been a dream car of mine forever. What a beast!
One famed British luxury marque IS independent – at least at the moment: Aston Martin. However, it looks as though, having been a part of Ford until a few years ago, they are now inching into the arms of Daimler-Benz…
The Kuwait Investment Fund, lent David Richards of Prodrive the money to buy the Aston Martin Lagonda from Ford.
The Kuwait Investment Fund as owned roughly 25% of Mercedes-Benz since around 1973.
There seemed to be a push for a merger. Aston Martin, is supposedly the 2nd most famous & valuable marque name after Ferrari.
The big problem being, many of the uber wealthy don’t want small Aston Martin sports / GT cars. So growth would be limited.
At one point, their was push to use Mercedes-Benz platforms, to re-invigorate the Lagonda marque.
So their would be a full 4 seater Lagonda Rapier, Coupe & Drophead Coupe, using the S-Class Coupe platform, but with different exterior panels, the AMG engine block but with internals & Cylinder head by Lagonda.
But the big difference would be the traditional British interiors of Connolly Leather, Wilton Wool Carpets & Walnut Wood Veneers. The car would have rivalled the Bentley Brooklands / Azure and Rolls-Royce Phantom / Wraith.
Then the Maybach 62 platform, would have been used for as the basis of a new Lagonda Limousine like great 1930’s V12 Saloons (something that may yet happen, King Charles has always liked Aston Martin Lagonda’s, like his father). To take on the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Bentley Mulsanne.
Then a Lagonda Rapide, Sports Saloon / Sedan / Berline using the CLS platform. To take on the Bentley Continental Flying Spur and Rolls-Royce Ghost.
And finally, the G-Wagon platform, in both 4×4 and 6×6, especially for the Arab world. To take on the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan
This would then have funded, new sports and GT cars using the, Vanquish, DB and Vantage model names.
Using V12, V8 and Straight 6, AMG engine blocks, but with Aston Martin Lagonda’s own internals and cylinder heads.
With body options of Phaeton (2 seat), Berlinetta (2+2), Coupe (4 seat), Spider Phaeton (2 Seat) & Drophead Coupe (2+2) styles.
The smaller car would have taken on the Porsche 911.
But with push for Electric Cars, all this is like to be just a broken dream.
IMO when Ford sold Jaguar they should’ve kept the designs for the current XJ, adapted it to a stretched Mustang (or updated Panther) platform and sold the result as a Lincoln Continental.
+1
At one point Ford owned,
Lagonda
Daimler
Jaguar
Lanchester
Rover
&
Lincoln
And didn’t design and build a new Limousine platform that could be shared amongst them.
Compare that to the platform used by the VW Phaeton / Audi A8 / Porsche Panamera / Bentley Continental Flying Spur.
Fabulous car, though it did have a slight image problem in the UK, along with the original S-Type, due to its portrail on British television during the 1970’s; driven by wide boys and cads, and the choice wheels if a ‘blagging’ was being thought up.
The Jag IRS bacame a favorite of the UK custom car scene, due to being almost ‘bolt-and-play’. If Detroit had come up with a similar type of rear suspension, American cars may have a better image in the UK than they do.
The S3 XJ12 remains my ultimate dream car, in maroon, complete with pepper-pot wheels. My dream brand new car is the XF-R. The XF-RS being too loud and lairy, and not very Jaguar-ish.
+1 it was the choice for real and fictional gangsters.I dread to think how many were driven into security vans or fished out of gravel pits with a stiff in the boot on shows like the Sweeney.
Yes Gem..I think the film about the Krays with the brothers from Spandau Ballet had one of these Jags..Driven by one of the Kray brothers.
That’s right,in real life one of the brothers had an early Valiant as well.The Valiant turned up for sale after being set on fire a few years ago,I don’t know what happened to the Jags.
Quite a good film and worth looking out for.
+1 it was a good film.
Has anyone here seen ‘Robbery’?
If it’s the one with Stanley Baker I’ve seen it a long time ago. Peter Yates of Bullit fame worked on Robbery.A UK gangster film that’s often overlooked along with the Squeeze and Villain
So I’ve heard, gem. Hard to find and I’ve never seen it.
The Long Good Friday and Get Carter are my faves.
Hmm.
I can see were you are going with the S3 Jag and Maroon is the real Jag colour right enough.With a Beige leather interior.
But why no love for the New XJ?
I have seen a few of these in A plum/purple (almost Black) colour and it is a stunning car. Also saw it in a beige/Champagne Metallic and it had “Solid” wheels..It was real nice car. I prefer the XJ than the XF.
Also considering the New S class and Bmw 7 Series are pretty much ugly to me.
That would leave me with only the A8 Audi and that looks too much like the A4.
So, the Jag should really own this segment.IMHO
AMS – Yep, the current XJ is fantastic, and looks better as it ages, just like the S3 XJ. Prefer the XF as it is a touch smaller. Would not moan about having either, however.
Whilst I like, admire and would own the equivilent BMW or Mercedes-Benz, they lack the character of Jags. Audis dont figure on my radar, post switch to alpha-numeric model naming. Audi peaked with the 80/90/100/200/V8 range.
Yeah the Audi V8.I remember reading about that in a magazine.I liked that car a lot too.
I particular remember I liked the interior. It was Jag-like to me in that it was stylish.
Never saw one for real.But have seen one on Ebay.
The new ones ARE stunning – while they haven’t been around long enough for me to automatically think “Jaguar” as they drive past, the XJ absolutely gets my attention every time. All that’s needed is at least a ten year run of the style for it to start climbing into the pantheon that is the classic XJ.
[420s and S-Types were] driven by wide boys and cads…
…Whereas the Mark 2 found its niche with pompous wastrels and unemployed actors:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw0Za8Dhpms
“Bit early in the morning for festivities, isn’t it?”
In a way Inspector Morse was a struggling man too.
When I think of a white Jaguar, I think of that one used in various tv series produced by ITC (The Baron, the Saint, the Champions, Department S, The Adventurer, the Persuaders, etc…), who thanks to the stock footage, you’ll know when they use a white Jaguar, it meet its sad fate at the bottom of the cliff.
http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_51139-Jaguar-MkI-1957.html
That stock footage seem to be popular then it was re-used for a SNL (Saturday Night Live) skit titled “Toonces the driving cat”, the stock footage is at 1:19 in this clip.
http://youtu.be/ywQEcv22Mdk?t=1m19s
“He took the Dodge!”
I wish I were around when this skit was hatched. Some playful use of imagination there; think the same minds were behind “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer?”
And Richard Burton, playing Vic Dakin a Gay Gangster loosely based on Ronnie Kray, of the Kray twins.
With Ian McShane playing a Gigolo who was his lover. Who he would beat up just as much as he would kiss him.
The Mk10 / 420G, had a Big Boot to stick a body in.
There is a classic-ness about the Jaguar that Cadillac never had, due to GM constantly changing the design language. While I’m impressed with the current XF and XJ, I’m one of those who whimpers a bit with the old XJ6/XJ40/and later design language finally being put out to pasture. There was a design continuity there that always made the car easily recognizable as a Jaguar, even at a couple hundred meters in crowded traffic.
Cadillac never had that. Every time that Cadillac went into a redesign, the stylists went into a different direction. There have been a few times when there was a design that could be defined as “Cadillac”, mid-50’s, mid-60’s, the last of the rear drive DeVilles, but otherwise their design was a constant mish-mash of changing style. The current styling seems to have them back on a set track that is now identifiable as “Cadillac” since its been around for about a decade. Hopefully, it will last.
This continuity can be done, while embracing more change than the classic XJ6’s. Mercedes-Benz, despite having changed their bodies about as often as Cadillac, still keep the continuity of what is a Mercedes-Benz. Audi, likewise, once they got started on the letter/number series cars.
Spot on Syke. However Audi takes design continuity too far. Hans or Joachim simply presses the + or – 150% key on the fotokopier. It sells though, so what do I know.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that! Audi needs to make the fractionally different sizes of car more distinct – maybe keep four rings on the grille of the A4, but put six on the A6, eight on the A8…
I’ve always found these to be incredibly beautiful cars, though I’ve never seen one in person. Would love to someday but there can’t be all that many left. Still, it does seem like the ultimate over-the-top expression of the Jaguar styling idiom. The original XJ6/12 may have worn it best, but this car comes very close and has a richness that the more svelte XJ doesn’t convey.
I must say I do, very much, like the new XJ though. While a complete break from the old design language may have been a bit drastic, you have to admit their styling had become very stale. XJ6 to XJ40 was a significant change. XJ40 to X300/308 was another significant one and returned some of the beauty and tradition that had gone missing, but it was also dangerously close to retro. X300 to X350/358 was carrying a good thing too far–not only did it lose some distinctiveness but it was also easy to confuse a 2009 X358 with a 1994 X300. This is something of a problem, and the new car solves it in dramatic fashion.
I was never crazy about these – as Perry says, too big and too round – but I was quite impressed when I saw the Flueguar
Thanks for the write-up, Perry. I lovelovelove the design of this car; it’s big and proud, like a British Cadillac. I know better than to buy an old British car, but this is the only one that might make me change my mind.
I like the Jaguar in the 2nd photo. I also like the Rover P6 saloon. My dad had a Jaguar XJ6 when I was a boy, although I couldn’t, for the life of me, understand why he would buy one. He was never good with cars.
Does anyone else see more than a passing resemblance between the last generation Lincoln Town Car’s curvaceous body and these early Jag saloons?
indeed. I never noticed that. The Jag is gorgeous.
In the pearl white color, from certain angles, the resemblance is uncanny.
Yet another reason for me to buy one!
These really are cartoon-ish (or advertising illustration-ish!) in their proportions and I think the curb weight overmatches the engine a bit. after this and the 420, the XJ was the ‘just right’ size. I would regard the long wheelbase XJ, particularly the V12 as this cars successor.
At one point they tried the Daimler 4.5L V8 in one and it was much faster than the 4.2 – a missed opportunity.
Jaguar experimented with V8s sometime between the mid 1960’s and early 1970’s, I think. However they did not offer the smoothness or refinement Jaguar (or I think specifically William Lyons) wanted. Therefore they stuck with the L6 and V12.
I believe a part of the reason was that Daimler’s bigger hemi was so much better than the XK 6 that it was an embarrassment and corporate ego kicked in. I was never very impressed with the XK; lovely to look at but too heavy, not really powerful and – due to the long stroke – NOT an engine for a high speed cruiser (try to do a sustained 95-100MPH in one of those for longer than a short burst and see what happens. Oh, and it rarely lasted more than 100,000 miles before needing major attention. A two door Daimler with the V8 could have been a winner in its category and might have generated sales in the US where it could have been seen as an alternative to the local personal luxury models.
William Lyons is one of the greats, but he had his pride. Daimler’s V8 was an interesting purchase; as John says he stuck one in a Mark 10 and it embarrassed his XK, the other was the little Dart /SP250 with the 2.5 version of the V8. A new body style was prototyped (the old one looked like a catfish) but Lyons decided it would eat into the sales of the then new E-type. Woulda, shoulda, coulda, who knows, but Lyons is still on par with Chapman and Ferrari in my eyes.
The Daimler that 4.5 came out of could top 130mph, it was so much more powerful than the Jag motor its no surprise Lyons canned it.
Many Daimler hemis ended up in early UK dragsters.
Daimler built very good engines.
The Majestic Major was 220 bhp but probably made more because the one i had was faster than a Jag.
You ever heard of someone putting a 4.5 in the Dart?
I understand the 220 hp rating came about because that was the maximum power rating of the dynamometer it was tested on, so the actual power output was somewhere above that.
Only about 2100 Majestic Majors and DR450 limos were built with the 4.5L V8, but I think it would be an interesting proposition for an E-Type I saw with a 327 swapped in many years ago. I have only ever seen 3 Majestic Majors from memory.
The smoothness quote is a lie.
Jaguar had invested time and money in the V12 engine, originally to re-enter Le Mans and endurance racing with the XJ-13.
One Mark 10, was modified by Browns Lane, to take the Daimler 4561cc / 278 ci V8 Engine (It can be taken out to 5 Litre), that was fitted in the Daimler DR450 Limousine & DQ450 Majestic Major.
It was said to do 130mph very easily.
The claim was, that the this engine couldn’t be put into series production. Every engine had to be hand built like Rolls-Royce/Bentley & Aston Martin Lagonda’s, needed an engine builder not an assembler !!! ???
Apparently the Queen Mother wanted a Daimler version of the Mk10 with the Daimler Engine. Instead Lyons created the DS420 Limousine for her, but with the XK6 engine.
Its claimed about 20 of so of the SP250 Dart’s have been transplanted.
As a kid, I was deeply impressed by this big Jag, which seemed to epitomize the brand. As a kid, the three representative brands from the main auto-producing Euro nations had such distinctive qualities: The German Mercedes, the French Citroen DS, and the big Jags from Great Britain; what a study in contrasts and priorities. And the MkX underscored them more than any other.
I’m still in love with these, although more of the “look don’t touch” kind.
For a good perspective of how this car fared against the top luxury car competition in 1965, read this:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/six-luxury-cars-a-car-and-driver-test-from-1965-with-some-cc-pictures/
My friend Ron had a Jag XJ6 with a 351 V8 i drove it down the freeway a few times and around to get the feel of it . Was not as good as i thought it might be , a bit bland and dead.
At the time i had a Lancia Flavia with Kuglefischer injection about the same performance.
Certainly not as poised as the later Flavia 2000 IE sedan.
But huge space and big boot!
Nice write up about a rarely seen car, new or used. It’s pretty amazing that the rear suspension lived all the way until the last XK8.
I will disagree with you Perry on the steering. Power steering that feels bizarrely light on an older car tends to be associated with poor road feel, handling and fun to drive. Certainly most American cars from the 60s and 70s felt that way but it wasn’t the case everywhere. The XJ6 steering was light but to quote Popular Science… “works very well, with more feedback than any other power steering system we’ve tested, yet delivers very strong assist.” Jaguar and GM were about the only companies that could pull it off until Audi did later with the first A4. I would argue light, quick and responsive beats heavy any day of the week. Variable assist addressed this issue somewhat but systems that go into heavy mode except for the parking lot still feel oppressive to me.
The parallels between the Mark X and 60s efforts by Mercedes and BMW are significant. In all three cases a 60s model introduced a new look for the brand that did so-so on the first car then went bonkers on the next. I mean if there hadn’t been a fintail Mercedes would we have seen that gorgeous 108? Would the segment defining 5-series have looked that way if the 2500/Bavaria hadn’t paved the way? I love the Bavaria and hate to put it in that first set but Americans didn’t seem to get it. Love how all three companies stuck to a look and made it work.
The comparison to Cadillac is a great one. I would argue Jag has made a fatal mistake trying to reinvent itself with the current line-up. There is no link whatsoever to their glorious past and sales reflect that. Plus the XJ is just too big and ugly. New Cadillacs look modern but still like Cadillacs and the company is doing relatively well. Jaguar on the other hand is just like Lincoln these days — both are doomed because of a blown strategy call.
You do realize that Jaguar’s global sales have been growing very strongly ever since Tata bought it, and in 2013, its sales were the highest since 2005? And sales have accelerated since the new look cars have been introduced.
I would not put Jag in the same sinking ship as Lincoln; Jag sales in the US may not be spectacular, but it’s a strong and growing global (read: China) brand, and seems to have a real future.
I think the sales have grown simply because of the new models and the economic recovery; Tata bought Jag in 2008. If you compare where this new generation of cars is when they are older I think you will see some retreat, at least in share. And yes I’m viewing Jaguar from their US sales which can be misleading.
I live in a poor part of the world but I see lots of late Jags around many with the twinturbo Puegeot V6 diesel, Jaguar supercharged their V8 gas motor to give it a performance advantage over the Pug diesel
I always kinda liked these, they are probably one of the most “blighty” driving experiences outside of an old Rolls or Bentley, that dash…..it has enough wood to build a cottage, toggle switches, levers, Smiths gauges…..so British!.
These used to go for almost nothing, there always used to be one lingering on the backlot of every place that sold old cars, slowly decomposing on to the lot, these and the XJ6 coupe are some of my favorite odd ball Jags, as the article states, before the Germans really got serious in the luxury market, this was sort of the equivalent of a 7 series for its day, an expensive performance oriented sedan.
The shape of this car is just a delight. This car has always seemed so much more exotic than the XJ-6. I had never really noticed how objectively wide these are.
Wonderfully louche cars- they should have come from the the factory with a bottle of gin and a pair of show girls ( or chorus boys if you prefer) in the back seat.
Or Tommy the Rat in the boot with 2 shovels and Big Vern and Dagenham Dave in the back seat
I love this photo and the cockeyed plate adds to the atmosphere.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/9221649546_3e29648ee8_z.jpg
My favourite car ever! I fell in love with the Mk X/420G as a 12-year-old in 1986, when one featured as the baddie’s (Michael Bentine) car in Kiwi TV series, Terry And The Gunrunners. I knew Jags at the time (my late Great-Uncle had had two XJ6s and was currently driving an XJS-HE), and I recognised the big bloated pink (with purple velvet interior) sedan in the TV series as a Jag, but was unsure what model it was. I soon found out and have craved one since. They look fantastic inside and out, and who doesn’t love a big, British 6-cylinder engine?!
I think the Mk X/420G is an unsung hero of styling – big and bold, but deceptively simple. There are few – if any – un-necessary flourishes on the shape, every line is beautifully resolved; it’s strong simple styling that really works. Although a fan of the SI-III XJ6 (especially the SIII), aspects of its styling seem fussier to me. The XJ40 series was fussier again. Compare the door/window frames of a 420G with an XJ40 and you’ll see what I mean; strong simple style on the 420G gives way to fussy frilly detailing on the XJ40.
The current XJ is simply magnificent, and I see a lot of parallels with the Mk X/420G. Both march to the beat of their own drum, both are strong fuss-free designs (XJ’s D-pillar cover excluded). Both make a statement about their self-confidence and assuredness. Both are in my top-2 all time best looking cars list (with the SIII XJ in third).
I concur, although I’ve never heard of Terry and the Gunrunners.
A Kiwi cult-classic if you were a kid in the mid-80s as I was! It’s available online (6x 30ish minute episodes http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/terry-and-the-gunrunners-1985/series), so I rewatched it recently to relive my childhood. The Jag remained the highlight with its glorious tacky 80s pink exterior, purple interior and mirror-tint glass (the first mirror-tint car windows I’d seen) – and is pictured below with Michael Bentine about to zoom off to commit crime etc:
In Australia the MK 10s were unreliable rust buckets.
Mine wasn’t.
I haven’t heard that before. I know the door bottoms were susceptible to rust, but I’ve seen a lot of them in varying condition over the years, and aside from the afore-mentioned doors, most have been relatively rust-free – I would say notably so given the age and unrestored nature of many.
Other than well-known mechanical matters such as the unsophisticated early brake booster and manual gearboxes, and the ever-present British oil leaks, I’m not aware of the Mk X/420G being known as unreliable. Keeping the triple carbs synchronised could be a challenge, as could the inboard rear brakes, but no more so than on other similarly-equipped vehicles.
The Mk X might look OK in photos, but in the metal it did not. It bulged like a pregnant elephant between the front and rear axles, becoming too wide for the front and rear tracks.
I’m shocked and stunned Uncle Mellow, shocked and stunned!! 😉 I think the Mk X/420G has a combination of individuality, elegance, grace and presence that looks great in the metal! The bulbous nature is certainly noticeable (more so in some colours), and ‘pregnant elephant’ is an apt analogy, but it provides a family connection with Malcolm Sayer’s aerodynamic thinking that was so evident in the E-Type’s narrow track/convex body-side look. When I think of car bodies being too wide for their tracks, a large number of GM products from the late 50s/early 60s are what springs to mind, not the Mk X/420G. Mind you, I like elderly JDM RWD Nissans, so what do I know? 😉
I have liked these ever since my mom got me a Corgi version of one at an antique store in about 1992. I still have that model, in silver blue with red interior. Such sharp cars! Sadly, I have never seen one in the metal.
In Australia I saw rusty XJ6 Jaguars that were still under warranty. I believe they were left out in the open (new) waiting for buyers.
I some parts of Aussie cars will never rust if left in the open other places cars rust if they get wet, make and model make very little difference
Jags problem is it rested on its laurels and became antiquated both technologically and stylistically. It would have died if not for Ford’s gamble, patience and commitment. It is even more fortunate under Tata in that it doesn’t have to compete for capital with a weak parent organization as it did under Ford. Weak capital allocation to JLR from Dearborn had the effect of clipping JLR’ swings and growth prospects. Under Tata, JLR’ resurgance has been marked (I don’t like all of the JLR design but the company is succeeding) and it will be interesting to see where it goes in the future.
With hindsight Jaguar in the post-war era should have never retreated from producing a direct 2-litre 4-cylinder post-war Standard Vanguard-sized replacement for the Jaguar 1½ Litre below the Jaguar Mark 1, since it would have anticipated both the Rover P6 and Triumph 2000/2500.
After all Jaguar did develop a few 2-litre XK4 Twin-Cam prototype engines for the unbuilt Jaguar XK100 as well as during development for the Jaguar Mark 1 as an alternative to the downsized 2.4-litre short-stroke version of the XK6 engine.
Along with a Vanguard-sized 2-litre Jaguar saloon, the company could have also developed a smaller sub-XK120/140/150-sized sportscar reminiscent of a 2-litred Twin-Cam 4-cylinder engined challenger to the early Triumph TRs (TR2 to TR4A) and Swallow Doretti.
Jaguar and Triumph should have been merged together in the BL mess. And then spun off.
Everything up to a 2.5 litre straight 6, would have been a Triumph. Everything above Jaguar.
The first Jaguar sedan I became aware of was the XJ6. I was immediately smitten. I think it might be the most perfect car ever designed. It was several years later that I first saw a Mark X/420, and it confused me. It looked like a cartoon version of the XJ6…so very similar to it yet so aesthetically inferior.
I experience this same confusion every time I see a Mark X…and each time I have a conversation with myself to try to talk myself into liking it…and every time I am successful.