Lot 215: 1963 Jaguar MK II

Justifying his conclusion that the Jaguar MkII 3.8-Litre was one of the world’s best saloon cars, Motor Sport’s Editor William Boddy had this to say: “We consider the explanation easy - here is a car capable of 125mph, of devouring a quarter mile from a standing start in not much more than 16 seconds, and endowed with a full complement of Dunlop disc brakes which are well able to cope with high performance of this calibre. Add to this the ease with which this 220 horsepower Jaguar can be driven, the sense of well-being conveyed by its hide upholstery, deep seats and polished veneers, its silent functioning and its very complete equipment, and no one, surely, will dispute our claim”.

One of the most readily recognised cars of the 1960s, Jaguar’s MkII saloon set the standard for the class throughout its entire production life and today remains highly prized by enthusiasts. With the advent of the MkII, the 3.8-litre version of Jaguar’s XK ‘six’ became available for the first time in the company’s medium-sized saloon, which in top-of-the-range, manual/ overdrive configuration was a genuine 125mph car capable of reaching 60mph in 8.5 seconds, outstanding figures for a saloon of its size even by today’s standards.

This well presented left-hand drive example of the Jaguar MkII in its ultimate, 3.8-litre, overdrive-equipped form was restored in 1997 and remains in superb condition, the interior in particular appearing like new and boasting repolished wood veneers. The owner, a meticulous Jaguar enthusiast, has strived to maintain his car to ‘factory fresh’ appearance and it starts first time and runs smoothly. Smartly finished in black with beige leather interior, the car is described as in very good running order and offered with restoration invoices and French Carte Grise.

Cet excellent exemplaire de ces Jaguar MkII, en conduite à gauche, dans sa plus exclusive motorisation 3,8L et équipé de l’overdrive, fut restaurée en 1997 et est présentée en superbe état, en particulier l’intérieur, tendu de cuir beige, qui apparait dans un état ‘comme neuf’. Les boiseries ont été complètement refaites et sont aujourd’hui parfaites. Le propriétaire actuel est un monsieur très méticuleux, passionné de la marque, qui a su donner à son automobile la quintessence de l’époque où elle sortait de l’usine. Son moteur tourne très bien et à la première sollicitation. Ce très bel exemplaire, présenté sans réserve, sera livrée avec sa carte grise française et plusieurs factures de restauration.