1958 Jaguar MK I - Mark 1 2.4 Litre

The first iteration of Jaguar’s timeless sports saloon

Extensively restored to a high standard

Long-standing German ownership history

Highly attractive colour combination

By the mid-1950s, Jaguar offered a fairly straightforward choice: you could have the XK sports car or the stately Mark VII saloon. Anyone wanting something a size smaller and rather more sensibly powered had to look elsewhere. Coventry addressed the problem in 1955 with the introduction of the Jaguar 2.4 Litre. The four-door, mid-sized saloon was the first Jaguar to feature unitary construction and was powered by a version of the straight-six from the XK models, albeit with a shorter stroke. With a capacity of 2,483 cc, rounded down to 2.4 litres, the engine also gave the saloon its decidedly unspectacular name – very British understatement indeed.

A four-speed manual gearbox was standard, with overdrive available at extra cost. Sir William Lyons himself was responsible for the body design. Its lines were unmistakably Jaguar, yet remarkably sporting for one of the company’s saloons. Inside, things were reassuringly traditional: leather, wood and classic round instruments ensured that the more compact dimensions came with no shortage of Jaguar atmosphere.

The range became considerably more interesting in 1957 with the arrival of the 3.4 Litre. Its XK straight-six, familiar from larger Jaguars, produced around 210 hp and transformed the respectable saloon into a seriously rapid four-door. Around 190 km/h was possible – quite a statement at a time when a Volkswagen Beetle could not even contemplate a three-figure speed in miles per hour. Disc brakes on all four wheels helped bring the whole affair back under control. Unsurprisingly, racing drivers soon discovered the compact Jaguar for themselves.

In 1959, the Mark II replaced its predecessor, which only then became retrospectively known as the Mark 1. The newcomer did not fundamentally alter the successful formula, but refined the somewhat idiosyncratic original into the Jaguar that would ultimately become an icon.

This Jaguar Mk 1 has been with its current consignor since 2023. Before that, the saloon had been registered to two German owners from 2018 onwards. The first of these was responsible for having the car extensively restored. Its ownership history prior to 2006 is documented by an old German registration document, which also records the number of previous owners. This, together with the speedometer calibrated in km/h and the manual gearbox, strongly suggests that the Jaguar may originally have been delivered new to Germany. The registration documents also quote an output of 133 hp, suggesting that during an engine rebuild the 2.4 may have been upgraded to Mk II specification.

On the outside, the Mk 1 charms with perhaps the most quintessentially British of paint colours, complemented by chrome wire wheels wearing 185/15 tyres. Inside, the harmonious combination of burr walnut, beige upholstery and dark red carpeting is equally appealing. The considerable effort invested in the restoration is evident throughout, making this Jaguar a highly desirable example of British motoring tradition.