1960 Jaguar MK II

The elegantly styled and aerodynamically pleasing Jaguar MKII had notably slimmer roof pillars than its MKI forebearer, with an airy inside that was quintessentially British with its leather-covered seats, comprehensive instrumentation, polished wood fascia and door cappings, and an assortment of auxiliary toggle switches. The monocoque bodyshell was equipped with independent coil-sprung front suspension, a well-located 'live' rear axle and disc brakes all round. Engine options included a 2.4, 3.4, or 3.8-liter version of the company's race-proven XK engine. Production of the MKII ran from 1959 to 1967, at which point the 3.8-litre engine option was dropped and the remaining models were renamed 240 and 340 respectively.

Engine Specification

The 2,483 cubic centimeter (2.4-liter) engine produced 120 bhp, the 3,442cc version delivered 210 bhp, and the 3,781cc XK engine produced 220 bhp. The 3.8-liter version was similar to the one in the 3.8 E-Type, with the same pistons, connecting rods, block, and crank. Among the differences were straight ports on the E-Type and curved ports on the Mark 2. Both the 3.4- and 3.8-liter engines had twin SU HD6 carburetors while the 2.4-liter was fitted with twin Solex carburetors.

The 3.8 liter Mark 2 saloon was one of the fastest in the world at the time, and the MK2 would be voted 'Car of the Year' when launched in 1959 and would form the mainstay of Jaguar's saloon production until 1967.

Mechanical Specification

The dimensions of both the Mark 1 and Mark 2 were nearly identical, with the wheelbase of the Mark 2 measured 107 inches (.5 inches shorter than the Mark 1) and was 180 inches in length (an inch shorter than its predecessor). Disc brakes were standard and power steering, overdrive or automatic transmission were optional equipment. The 3.8-liter engine came with a limited-slip differential.

Body Design

Although the styling of the Mark 2 was similar to the Mark 1, it had slender front pillars, a wider windscreen, enlarged side windows, and fully chromed frames for all the side windows. The side, tail and fog lamps were larger and rested in a different position than those of the Mark 1. The radiator grille shape was changed, coming to more of a point at the bottom while the Mark 1's was more symmetrical.

The luxurious interiors received ample quantities of burl walnut, chrome, Connolly leather and Wilton wool carpets. Jaguar's in-house wood shop created the interiors which rivaled that of the finest cars anywhere. The new instrument layout would become standard on all Jaguar automobiles until the XJ Series II of 1973.

Production

A total of 83,976 examples of the Mark 2 were produced from 1959 through 1967, and 7,234 examples of the 240 & 340 were built from 1967 to 1969.

by Dan Vaughan

3.8 Sedan
Chassis number: LA10118
Engine number: LA1011-8

The Jaguar MKII Saloon's were produced from 1959 through 1969. They were offered in either a 3.4- or 3.8-liter version of the six-cylinder engine. They came with a standard tachometer, limited-slip differential, four-wheel disc brakes, and a four-speed manual gearbox with overdrive. An automatic was optional.

With the 3.8-liter, 220-horsepower engine installed, the MKII Models were capable of zero-to-sixty in just 8.5 seconds and top speed was achieved at 125 mph.

This 1960 Jaguar MKII 3.8 Saloon was the 33rd example built. It is a left-hand drive model that was completed on September 3rd of 1959. It has been owned by several individuals throughout the years and has been driven 44,432 miles by 1996 when a comprehensive, high-quality restoration was undertaken. It is now painted in Old English White and rides on Pirelli radial tires. The interior is the original black leather upholstery. In 2007, the car was given a GM four-speed automatic transmission to replace the original unit.

In 2008, this car was brought to the 2nd Annual Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $40,000-$50,000. It was offered without reserve. Since it had no reserve, a high bid of $14,850, including buyer's premium, was enough to secure new ownership. The lot was sold.

by Dan Vaughan

Sedan

The Jaguar Mark II saloons were as much at home on the racing circuit as they were on country roads. The engine was the race-tested Jaguar twin overhead cam, twin carbureted 3.8-liter engine that produced 220 horsepower (the same motor used in the Xk120-140-150 series cars).

This was the first year of production for the Mark II saloon. It featured four-wheel disc brakes, chromed wire wheels, fog rangers and reclining front seats. Of course, there was a complete set of tools and manuals. Luxury touches included an all-leather interior, power steering, automatic transmission, and reclining seats.

Production of the Mark II lasted from 1959 through 1967.

A complete restoration was complete by the current owner in 2003. Since then, it has been a consistent award-winner at automobile events throughout the United States.

3.8 Sedan
Chassis number: P212240BW
Engine number: LA4107-8

The Jaguar 3.4 saloon of 1957-58 was replaced by the compactly packaged Mark II saloon which arrived in late 1959. It retained the earlier car's 107.4-inch wheelbase and featured a new wrap-around backlight and revised side window details. The rear track was increased by 3.25 inches. At the front, a new vertical center bar split the already classic Jaguar grille design.

The dual overhead cam 3.8-liter inline six produced 220 horsepower and featured dual SU carburetors. The Mark II was capable of 0-60 mph in just 8.5 seconds with a top speed near 125 mph. Along with performance, the Mark II was outfitted with a sumptuous interior. This example is trimmed in red leather and there are fold-down trays for the rear passengers. The car was restored in 2000, with the engine rebuilt and the transmission upgraded to a BW65 unit.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Quail Lodge Sale in Carmel, CA presented by Bonhams Auction. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $41,400, including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

3.8 Sedan
Chassis number: P210581BW
Engine number: 103519

This 1960 Jaguar MK II 3.8 Saloon is a recreation of the 1960 New York Auto Show car. The original had every bit of exposed metal, inside and out, was gold plated. The items included the bumpers, grille, door handles, trim, switches, wheels, tire valve screws, ashtrays, mascot, even the exhaust pipe. The body was 'hand-finished' in white while the interior was trimmed in white 'English glove leather.' Veneers were walnut and two occasional tables were fitted for the rear occupants.

The original 'Golden Jaguar' made its debut at the NY Auto Show and was accompanied by an armed guard from the Burns Detective Agency and Ms. Dorothy McDonough who was dressed to match the car.

After the car was shown, it was sent back to the factory, stripped of its gold, retrimmed, and sold as a standard road car.

Around 1997, the owner of this recreation began researching and gathering information about the Golden Jaguar. He, along with his brother, was able to recreate the long lost Golden Jaguar. They began with a 3.8 MK II and restored the car from the ground-up as the Golden Jaguar using all original or new-old-stock parts. Upon completion, the recreated Golden Jaguar made its concours debut in March of 1999 at the Amelia Island Concours. It was later shown at the Jaguar Association of New England Club Concours, the British Invasion in Stowe, Vermont, the Meadowbrook Hall Concours, and the Greenwich Concours. It won awards wherever it was shown including two at Greenwich: Best European Closed Sedan Post War and Best Debutante.

Since the completion of the restoration, the car has been driven about 100 miles.

by Dan Vaughan

Sedan

The Mark II was introduced in 1959 at the Earls Court Motors Show, and for a luxurious, four-seat family saloon, it was not only stylish, but also quick and relatively inexpensive. With its good looks came an interior on par with a sumptuous club featuring leather and a stunning burled wood dash in Jaguar tradition. Throughout the production run continuing until 1969, nearly 100,000 were produced in 2.4-, 3.4- and 3.8-liter guises.

The current owner purchased this example in September of 2021.

The Jaguar Mark II was introduced in October 1959 and continued in production until 1967. The MKII was built as a replacement for the 2.4 and 3.4-liter saloon, also known as the MKI.

The MK II was based on the MKI, but the result was different in many ways, both aesthetically and mechanically. Improvements in the design and modern materials resulted in a reduction of overall weight. The interior was completely redesigned but retained its luxury and elegance with such amenities as leather and wood veneer. The attention to detail both inside and out, only amplified the ambiance of sophistication. Leather seats continued to be standard until 1967 when Jaguar offered it as optional in an effort to reduce the cost of the vehicle.

Under the hood was an XK engine, the same that had won at LeMans in 1951 and 1953. The XK engine was now enlarged to 3.8 liters producing around 220 horsepower. The engine continued to prove itself as a reliable and capable power plant.

by Dan Vaughan

The replacement for the first small unibody sedan, the 1955 Mark 1, the Mark II was an extremely elegant sedan that has been considered the most eye-catching, most compact Jaguar sedan ever. The Mark II featured a larger greenhouse, larger side and rear windows, an updated grille, fitted fog lamps, a wider rear track without the full fender skirts, and standard four-wheel disc brakes. Jaguar postwar saloons have always been denoted by Roman Numerals until the introduction of the XJ. The Mark 2 used Arabic Numerals denoted on the rear of the vehicle as 'MK 2'.

The interior of the Mark II was truly a masterpiece with its beautiful walnut veneer dash, plush leather seats, and multiple gauges now placed in easy distance from the driver along with a row of toggle switches. The cabin space was updated with 18-percent more cabin glass area, which majorly improved the visibility. The Mark II had a wide windscreen thanks to new slender front pillars. The rear windows nearly wrapped around to the enlarged side windows now with the familiar Jaguar D-shape above the rear door and completely chromed frames for all of the side windows. The larger side, tail, and fog lamps found a new home as the radiator grille was updated. A new heating system was added to the Mark II and ducted to the rear compartment.

Powering the Mark II was the DOHC aluminum six-cylinder, in 2.4-liter, 3.4-liter, and 3.8-liter displacement from the Mark I. The fast and capable Mark II had a top speed of 125 mph and had an estimated 210 horsepower. The saloon came with a 120 bhp, 210 bhp, or 220 bhp Jaguar XK engine. The 3.8 engine is very similar to the unit used in the 3.8 E-Type and shared the same block, crank, connecting rods, and pistons but had a different inlet manifold and carburetion, so it was 30 bhp less. Compared to the straight ports of the E-Type configuration the head of the six-cylinder engine in the Mark II had curved ports. The 3.4- and 3.8-liter models were fitted with twin SU HD6 carburetors while the 2.4 was fitted with twin Solex carburetors.

The transmission was typically a four-speed with overdrive though some Borg-Warner automatics were purchased, usually, in the U.S. The Mark II featured independent suspension all around, and most of the models were constructed with wire wheels. Four-wheel disc brakes were standard and the 3.8-liter was supplied fitted with a limited-slip differential. The Mark II was more than 100 kg heavier than the 2.4 / 3.4 models.

In 1961 The Motor magazine tested a 3.4-liter Mark II with automatic transmission and found it to have a top speed of 119.9 mph and the ability to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 11.9 seconds. The 3.8-liter car with 220 bhp was found to have a top speed of 125 mph and could accelerate from 0-60mph in just 8.5 seconds. The Jaguar Mark II has a history of racing success in the European Touring Car Championship.

A total of around 85,000 of the Jaguar MK II models were produced during its lifespan from 1959 to 1967. For the last twelve months of its production period, the MK II was re-labeled Jaguar 240 and Jaguar 340.

The Mark II has been portrayed in the media as either the perfect vehicle to start a car chase in, or to apprehend the lawbreakers in. With a top speed of 125 mph, the 3.8-liter model had room for up to five adults and was a popular getaway car choice. The car was also employed by the police to patrol British motorways. Fictional TV detective Inspector Morse drove a Mark II with a 2.4 L engine, steel wheels, and Everflex vinyl roof in his popular television series, which later sold for more than £100,000.

The Mark II cars were re-labeled 240 and 340 in September of 1967 as interim models to fill the void until the XJ6 would be introduced the following September. The 3.8-liter engine was dropped from the lineup. Once the XJ6 arrived on the scene the 340 was discontinued, but the 240 continued as a budget-priced model until April of 1969. Carrying a price tag of only £1364 the Jaguar 240 was only £20 more than the original 2.4 in 1956.

Output increased from 120 bhp at 5,750 RPM to 133 bhp at 5,500 rpm of the 240 engine. The torque was also increased and the engine now had a straight-port type cylinder head and twin HS6 SU carbs with a new inlet manifold. The 240 received an upgrade to a Borg-Warner 35 dual drive range instead of automatic transmission. The 340 now offered power steering by Marles Varamtic.

The 2.4-liter model could go faster than 100 mph for the first time, which resulted in higher sales. The servicing intervals were increased from 2,000 miles to 3,000 miles and there was a bit of modification in the shaping of the rear body while slimmer bumpers and over-riders were fitted. Amble leather-like material and tufted carpet replaced the rich leather upholstery that had graced the earlier Mark 2. The front fog lamps were replaced with circular vents and optional fog lamps for the UK market. The price of the 240 was reduced in an effort to compete with the Rover 2000 TC. Total production of the 240 and 340 series totaled 7,246 units with 4,446 240's sold, 2,788 340 models, and 12 380 models before the XJ6 was introduced in September of 1968.

Despite its hefty price tag and rigorous maintenance schedule, the timeless MK II is quite a popular collectible today. The bodylines of the Mark II (derived from the Mark I) proved to be the inspiration for the Jaguar S-Type introduced in 1999.

by Jessican Donaldson