1967 Jaguar Mark II

The Mark II lineage traces back to its predecessor, the 2.4 saloon or MK. I as it would be retrospectively known in later years. It was the Coventry firm's first unitary construction saloon car. The leather and walnut interior was elegant and comfortable, but the 112 horsepower produced from the 2.4-liter engine left much to be improved upon. Jaguar's response was a 3.4-liter version introduced in 1957 which greatly improved performance and necessitated the introduction of disc brakes a year later. Instead of introducing a completely new car, Jaguar successfully re-designed the car from front to back, birthing the Mark II.

The Jaguar Mark 2 was launched in October of 1959 and received a noticeably improved driving experience over its predecessor due to its revised front suspension geometry, four-wheel disc brakes, and widened rear track. The cabin glass area increased by nearly 20-percent, and its appearance was more refined due, in part, to the narrower front and central body pillars. Power continued to be from the XK engine, with a 3.8-liter high-performance version poached from the leviathan Mark 4 saloon, delivering 220 horsepower and available in the 'mid-range' Jaguar saloon for the first time. The 3.8 offered spirited 125 mph performance and zero-to-sixty mph were accomplished in 8.5 seconds. Both a manual and optional Borg-Warner automatic transmission was available.

The MK II came in basic and slightly larger and more luxurious 'S' models. Both were powered by the 225 horsepower engine with twin carburetors, and overdrive and power steering were standard. The 3.8S had a different wheel-opening shape, different position of the side/signal lights, an independent rear suspension with coil springs, and slimmer bumpers.

The Jaguar Mk.II saloon was voted the car of the year when launched in 1959.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2020