Mk2 Jaguar - A Timeless 1950S British Classic Car
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About the MK2 Jaguar
The MK2 Jaguar isn’t just a sleek design, it’s the continuation of great work at the Jaguar head office and the story starts in 1948 when Jaguar announces the arrival of their new engine; a six-cylinder twin overhead cam XK engine.
This was a big shake up and also gave Jaguar customers something very different in a time where many companies were still using side valve engines - look at any of the big names of the time and you’ll see them launching brand new models with side valve engines.
Now it would be unfair to say companies were resting on their laurels, money was tight after the second world war, so design cash was limited, but Jaguar really did pull it out the bag.
The change wasn’t instant of course and you see the the engine gently introduced into the range. This then see’s Jaguars existing engine choices quietly depart the range and this is a big thing, because these engines, the existing range are actually designed by the Standard Motor Company.
The Standard Motor Company engines, the 2.5 and 3.5, which fair enough, Jaguar had the tooling for so it’s not just like Standard parcelled them up and shipped them over, were done away with along with the Standard designed 1.5.
Skipping to the end of the 40s early 50s, Jaguar begin considering their next move. I mentioned money was tight - not just for businesses but customers as well - even the old money buyers.
Conscious of developing something appealing to the widest possible audience in a world where luxury truly meant luxury, the company made some really sensible decisions around ‘project utah’ and decided the next new car had to sport a middle of the road engine at entry level, the 2.5, it had to be saloon based on historic sales information showing the customer preferred them over convertible and unitary construction would be a given.
This method of construction ensured the company kept profits where they needed to be, as a seperate chassis and body meant faster production and therefore lower costs per unit.
Time ticks on at a rapid rate and you’ve got Chief Body Engineer Bill Thornton working with Pressed Steel to get the body right, William Lyons on styling and engineer Bob Knight on the hard task of bringing noise down to a level a luxury customer would find acceptable. Plus, this new car had to be capable of 100mph - so no pressure eh.
To get the desired power, William Heynes decides the best course of action is modify that aforementioned 6 cylinder XK engine. There was talk of a 4 cylinder, but with it being high money motoring, it was perceived to fall short of customer expectation and the power needed.
With the engine for the car refined with a shorter block, paired with a Solex carb set up and coil spring suspension mounted to a seperate subframe to front and cantilevered semi-elliptic leaf springs to the rear, Burman steering and drums all round, the prototype was all set.
By 1955, the Jaguar 2.4 now known as the MK1 goes on show at Earls Court and wows both public and journalists alike. Standard lacked the heater and various other motoring essentials ans the special equipment had all the trappings of nice, warm, comforting motoring. With special only costing an extra £29, most buyers were happy to just step up without question.
Quietly, Jaguar begin to build on the car from the mid-late 50s and it’s simply known at this point as Utah MK2. The team had a clear vision: improve the heating, visibility, interior, handling at higher speeds and modernise the exterior for the decade ahead.
Changes were made including power steering as an optional extra, a more modern steering wheel, a wider track rear axle for that high speed motoring. These additions added weight, so alongside all the aforementioned considerations, they switched up the engines a bit.
You get the B type cylinder head fitted to the 2.4, the 3.4 is kept as is and Jaguar introduce a new version of the XK engine, the 3781cc which as the fastest option immediately became the ‘one to have’.
Autumn 1959 sees the launch of the MK2 and the early tests on a 3.8 gave a hearty 125mph top speed and 0 to 60 in just over 8 seconds in manual transmission format. no wonder it was sold under the strapline of grace, space and pace.
The car sells well as the 60s sets in and there are nearly 84,000 built in total before the car is replaced by the Jaguar 240 and 340. For context, this is more than double the sales figures of the MK1.
A bonefide classic if there ever was one, but is it as good as the reviews said it was? Well, let's find out!