Lot 738: 1960 Jaguar XK150 3.4 litre Drophead Coupé

For a concept that can be said to have emerged almost by accident, Jaguar’s XK series of sports cars was an incredible success story. The XK120 of 1948 was developed as a test-bed for the new XK engine destined for the Mark VII saloon, but such was its success that Jaguar put the XK120 sports car into series production. The competition successes of the XK120 and ‘C’ Type are of course legendary and in 1954 the XK140 in the same concept was introduced. The final development came with the XK150 in 1957, the all-new Dunlop disc brakes finally providing the XK sports car with the stopping power to match its prodigious straight-line speed. Restyling provided a roomier cockpit and featured a higher front wing line, a one-piece wrap-around windscreen and a broader radiator grille. The chassis remained much as before, as did the 3.4 litre, six-cylinder engine and the four-speed Moss gearbox. Overdrive and automatic transmissions were options, as was the new ‘B’ Type cylinder head which boosted maximum power from the standard 190bhp to 210bhp. This car was delivered new to Lady Geraldine Lister of Dursley, Gloucestershire, and is believed to have had just two owners prior to acquisition by the Yorkshire Car Collection. The car is liveried in Air Force Blue with silver painted wheels and retains its original black leather upholstery with blue carpets. Individual features include the overdrive specification, matching auxiliary driving lamps and a chrome luggage grid to the rear. The car is offered with a Swansea V5C registration document, a series of old MoT certificates, a recently issued MoT certificate, a driver’s manual and documentation confirming past ownership. This highly original car is tidily presented, although not to concours standards, and having seen only occasional use during its time in the collection will respond well we feel to gentle recommissioning and improvements.