1955 Jaguar Mark VIIM

World War II interrupted work and progress on Jaguar's advanced new saloon; in 1948 elements of the proposed newcomer could be seen on other Jaguar products. The XK120 was powered by the twin-overhead-camshaft engine while the interim MKV saloon had the new chassis design. It was not until 1950 that the new chassis and the new twin-overhead-camshaft engine were combined in the MKVII. Jaguar's Mark VII had been introduced at the 1950s Earls Court Motor Show and was the quintessential Fifties British saloon car. The new chassis was a cruciform-braced unit that featured torsion-bar independent front suspension, a four-speed manual gearbox, and all-round hydraulic brakes. The 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine was capable enough to carry the MKVII to speed past 100 mph.

Originally offered only for export, the MkVII was priced at a mere 40-percent of its Bentley MkVI rival. Jaguar continued to improve the product over the years, including offering an automatic transmission option in 1953. Two years later, a revised model - the MkVIIM, became available with power increased from 160 to 190bhp.

Over the production lifespan, slightly more than 10,000 MkVIIs were produced by the time the MkVIII arrived in 1956.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2016