Jaguar MkII 3.4 Saloon

Undoubtedly one of the greatest saloon cars of all time, the Jaguar MkII was launched to huge acclaim in 1959. The top-of-the-range 3.8-litre model had stunning performance from its 220bhp straight-six engine and could embarrass most sportscars of the day, leaving them trailing in its 125mph wake. Keeping everything under control were servo-assisted disc brakes all round, coil-and-wishbone independent front suspension and a leaf-sprung Salisbury rear axle with optional limited slip diff. Inside was beautifully trimmed in walnut and leather in the finest Jaguar tradition. 

A huge success both on road and track, the MKII was quick to dominate contemporary saloon car racing in the hands of drivers like Stirling Moss and Roy Salvadori. No wonder it also established itself as the ultimate get-away car. With room for four burly gangsters and a big stack of loot, no sixties’ bank job was complete without a MkII fishtailing its way from the scene of the crime – often hotly pursued by another one that the cops had been forced to buy to keep up!

In the middle of the range was the 3.4-litre which featured the superb twin-cam 3,442cc XK engine, as used in the previous 3.4 Saloon, now retrospectively referred to as the MkI. The 3.4-litre was a particularly sweet running engine with excellent performance that was nearly a match for the 3.8 (210bhp and 120mph top speed). Production of the MkII 3.4 ended in 1967, although a cheaper version, the 340, continued to sell until 1969.

According to its accompanying Heritage Certificate, this particular Sherwood Green 3.4-litre was originally supplied by AJ Beal of Exeter to first owner Mr Lupp of Minehead, Somerset, in April 1963. According to the V5C it has had just five keepers in all, the third and fourth being a Bristol-based father and son who owned it from 1985 until July 2009 when the current registered keeper acquired it.

The bodywork has clearly been expertly restored and repainted at some time in the not-too-distant past and it remains in superb condition with excellent panel gaps all round, sparkling chrome and beautiful paintwork. The Suede Green interior appears to be original and has a lovely mellow patina that gives it great character.

In 2009 the car received a very substantial mechanical overhaul at various specialists with bills on file for over £13,500. This included a cylinder head overhaul, reconditioned carbs, rebuilt all-synchromesh gearbox and overdrive, Koni shock absorbers, alternator conversion, high-torque starter motor, aluminium radiator, electric fan and many other improvements detailed in the history file.

The car is said to drive beautifully and certainly fired up promptly and ran very smoothly as we manoeuvred it to take these photos, with a very rorty exhaust note. With an MOT until May 2012 and taxed until next September, the car comes with a fair amount of history including most old MOTs back to 1996 when the car had covered an indicated 65,496 miles, a total which has now only risen to some 77,600 miles. Altogether an excellent example in a refreshingly subtle hue which is sure to draw lots of admiring glances wherever it goes.