1968 Jaguar Mk2 2.4-Litre Saloon - Manual

A peerless blend of elegance and muscularity, the Jaguar Mk2’s sleek lines clothed an evolution of the Coventry marque's first monocoque design. Introduced in October 1959, and equipped with coil-and-wishbone independent front suspension, a leaf-sprung Salisbury rear axle and servo-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, the range-topping 3.8-litre boasted nearly seven times the horsepower of a Mini 850 and a 126mph top speed! Blessed with one of the all-time great automotive interiors, its stylish instrumentation, rich wood veneers and sumptuous leather upholstery all conspired to cosset and cocoon its lucky occupants. The 2.4-litre-engined Mk2 did well compared to its bigger brothers and over 25,000 cars were produced, a few thousand less than both the 3.4 and 3.8.

By today’s standard of classic motoring, the performance difference is deemed largely negligible as most Mk2 Jaguars are enjoyed by the enthusiast not for their 0-60 capabilities but for the standard of restoration and early history. Obviously a manual gearbox is key for maximum enjoyment and this car not only fits the bill for motoring pleasure but its historical documentation is among the best we have seen. Delivered new to Mr Norman Walker of the British High Commission in Victoria, Australia in 1968 in Old English White with red leather, the car was issued with its first Diplomatic Permit shortly thereafter, and the subsequent original permits are included in the history file as are the original service books and a selection of British used tax discs from 1983 to 2011.

Mr Walker imported the car to the United Kingdom and registered it on the 1st May 1975. The car was bought by our vendor, a doctor, on the 9th April 2009 and he  has lovingly maintained it, adding to the light restoration replaced the sun damaged “fur-flex” and re-finished the wood trim. The current odometer reading of is just over 84,000 and the Jaguar is presented to auction with a fascinating history file and even the metal service tag from a garage in Melbourne is on the air intake.