Launched in 1955, the 'Mk1' (as it would be known after the Mk2's arrival) extended Jaguar's domination of the high-performance car market in Britain, slotting neatly into the Coventry firm's range alongside the big MkVIIM saloon and the XK140 sports car. The medium size newcomer broke new ground for Jaguar, being its first model to employ unitary construction of the chassis/body. The Mk1 was released with a new 2.4-liter version of the proven XK 'six' but demands for more power, especially from American customers, prompted the introduction of the 3.4-liter version early in 1957. With 190bhp on tap the 3.4-liter Mk1 was good for a top speed of 120mph and could reach 60mph in nine seconds, though if used to the fullest, this greatly improved performance severely taxed the drum brakes. All-round disc brakes were hurriedly announced as an option, becoming an almost universal fitting thereafter. The Mk1 was progressively updated throughout its life before a wholesale revision of the basic design saw it re-launched as the Mk2 in October 1959.
This left hand drive Mk1 is fitted with the more potent 190bhp, 3.4-liter motor mated to a highly desirable four-speed manual transmission with overdrive. The car is presented in Pearl Grey with burgundy leather; the car presents well having been treated to a minor restoration in California which was completed a little over a year ago by the cars previous owner. A long-term California car, prior to the vendor's ownership this Jaguar spent the previous 23 years in the custody of the Hudson family in Manteca, California. This example which benefits from having spent the majority of its life in California does not suffer from severe rust as son many U.K cars do.
With most of the style and performance of a XK150 Fixed-Head Coupe, but the practicality of a much larger car, the Mk1 is a well-loved, useable and tractable classic, a gentleman's saloon Jaguar with a sporting pedigree.
This left hand drive Mk1 is fitted with the more potent 190bhp, 3.4-liter motor mated to a highly desirable four-speed manual transmission with overdrive. The car is presented in Pearl Grey with burgundy leather; the car presents well having been treated to a minor restoration in California which was completed a little over a year ago by the cars previous owner. A long-term California car, prior to the vendor's ownership this Jaguar spent the previous 23 years in the custody of the Hudson family in Manteca, California. This example which benefits from having spent the majority of its life in California does not suffer from severe rust as son many U.K cars do.
With most of the style and performance of a XK150 Fixed-Head Coupe, but the practicality of a much larger car, the Mk1 is a well-loved, useable and tractable classic, a gentleman's saloon Jaguar with a sporting pedigree.