Classic essay Jaguar Mk2 3.8 1961: highway to heaven
Tests • JaguarOctober 8, 201812 Min readAmbroise Brosselin
As surprising as it may seem, the Jaguar Mk1 owes its origin to its engine. The famous 6-cylinder in-line XK was born in 1948 and made its letters of nobility in competition under the hoods of the Coupé and Roadster XK120, 140 and 150 and especially the 5 victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Type-C then Type- D. The idea of slipping this block into a saloon a little more compact than the large MkVII and VIII germinated in the head of Sir Williams Lyons to present the Jaguar 2.4 liters and 3.4 liters in 1955. They will become Mk1 in 1959 only during the presentation of its replacement, the Mk2, a slight but visible evolution: the glazed surface increases significantly with thinner windscreen and door pillars, a wider rear axle for better hold of road. At the same time, it takes on the very unofficial title of the fastest production sedan in the world with a technical sheet that would make the competition pale in 1959: monocoque body, 4 disc brakes, 6-cylinder 3.8-litre 220 hp engine, manual gearbox 4 speeds and 125 miles/h or 201 km/h top speed! Add a rather sensual line, interior equipment worthy of the big sisters of the brand, a relatively contained weight of 1400 kg (empty) and here is the recipe for success.
A sleek and chic line
A little less than 84,000 copies of the Mk2 were produced between 1959 and 1967, then another 7,200 copies until 1969 under the surnames 240 and 340, which means that his line has had time to permeate people's minds. But if its silhouette is still so recognizable today, it is above all because it is particularly successful. The front with its large straight grille inherited from the XK120 and later, surrounded by the 2 headlights at the top of the fenders and the 2 lower foglamps, gives it a face that is both plump and aggressive. This is somewhat the case with the whole line in fact, which hesitates in elegant grace and sportiness. A daring bet but a successful bet, the full profile of the pavilion quite hints at the good habitability despite the rather narrow doors for a saloon, as if they were there to remind us that we are in front of a “compact saloon”. The so British spoked wheels seem inevitable on an English car from the 60s, while the very covering rear fenders with their "spat" can suggest an aerodynamic care which is confirmed with a very thin and slender dip in the rear. Not particularly ahead of its time, the Citroën DS had already been in production for 4 years when it was presented, but rather classic and successful.
Leather, wood and cat pee
When you (finally) open the door, the view is flattered by this dark red leather, matching carpet and above all this wood everywhere. Between the 5 trees and the 4 cows needed to make the interior, another animal invites itself into the atmosphere once installed behind the big steering wheel… Oops I had to leave a window open last night and a little smell of pee cat emerges from the carpet in full sun, the little kitty of the house has marked its ground on the big cat in the garage. Rest assured Febreze special animals works miracles! Back to our sheep, yes there must also be some in this thick carpet, to contemplate the dashboard. The central panel, a true signature of Coventry in the 60's that can be found on the Type-E among others, is richly trimmed: alternator charge, fuel gauge, headlight control, oil pressure and temperature. water, but above all a magnificent alignment of rocker switches to control just about everything. Behind the big steering wheel (did I already say it was big?), rev counter and speedometer fall under the eyes. The front seats are wide and comfortable, it remains to be seen if the lateral support while driving will not be too non-existent. If you sit in the back, the comfort is just as appreciable, you feel your back is well maintained, the legroom is not huge but by sliding your feet under the front seats you can easily imagine yourself doing a few hours road in light scents of leather.
Hit the road Jag!
Go around enough of the beauty, it's time to switch on the ignition, press the “Starter” button to launch the big 6-cylinder. The famous XK starts, the idle stabilizes just above 500 rpm, we can leave the Château d'Aigle where the photo session was taken, heading to Goodwood for the Revival 2018. And yes, what better way than to make the trip towards this time travel proposed by Duke of Richmond with this Jag? Let's go, we disengage, the first pass gently and we take off ... without stalling! The accelerator pedal has a hard point that's a little misplaced when starting off again from stop on a slight slope, but we'll get used to it... The compact sedan picks up speed, I shift gear 2 gently to re-accelerate, the Lady fits well in modern traffic. Direction the highway for a small diagonal towards Orléans before leaving the paying ribbon for the quieter secondary roads.
The first kilometers to go to the toll allow you to take control of the machine, despite this hard point on the accelerator, the rest is rather pleasant and not too exotic if you remember that the Jag displays 57 years of good and loyal service. The suspension is soft and correctly filters the irregularities of the road without giving too much roll, the brakes bite well thanks to the 4 discs, let's just say that they require a little more pressure than on a modern one. The most destabilizing on the first few tens of kilometers remains the direction, rather not badly multiplied. When stationary or when maneuvering, the large steering wheel is large but very useful for gaining strength, while driving it is on the other hand a little more surprising, you have to grind to pass the pins! But once on the highway, that's where you feel the Jag at ease: it purrs quietly in 4th gear around 3,250 rpm while the GPS shows a good 135 km/h. And again, the overdrive stubbornly refuses to engage to lower the revs by a good handful of turns. The oil pressure remains stable, the water temperature is frozen below the middle graduation of 70°C despite the almost 30 outside. Everything works wonderfully, the big climbs of the A40 are swallowed up with disconcerting ease, the 3.8-liter seems to have incredible resources and truck-like torque whatever the revs. 600 km and 6 hours later, we leave the highway to bypass Orléans and join the rather calm secondary network on this hot late afternoon.
Even more than on the motorway, on those county roads that alternate between endless straight lines and fast winding sequences, the hatchback excels and shows its full potential. The chassis is rigid enough not to get lost in the changes of support, the brakes respond present and this XK is really addictive as it is voluntary and truly powerful. We understand better the successes in long-distance rallies or even on circuits. The 275 km to end the day and arrive in Dieppe are a real treat, the comfort doing the rest to arrive at the hotel rather cool, finally warm but in good shape. First day of riding, not in the most peaceful way, but at least we validate the choice of mount. Thursday morning, after a good night's sleep, a lick of oil in the XK and a start without hesitation despite the night spent in the local humidity, here we are in downtown Dieppe for a nice discovery of the city. But we are not here for tourism, direction the port. Good news we are not the only old ones to go to England: the Facel Vega club is present with about fifteen cars, a few Jaguars, an Alpine A110 Berlinetta, an Austin Healey and even an English Caterham coming home. The 4 hours of boat pass quite quickly and here we are on the other side of the Channel and the other side of the road. A few traffic jams to get out of Newhaven, another trip on the coastal road and to cross Brighton in the middle of the rush hour, nothing seems to disturb the Jag which does not heat up. My left calf does not suffer, the clutch is not too stiff, my right calf masters (almost) the hard point of the accelerator. It's time to head north through the countryside, we come across a microscopic Austin Seven, an AC Cobra, then an E-Type no doubt, we're getting closer to the grail!
A good night's sleep helps us digest the Pims of the day before, here we are Friday morning 1st day of Revival 2018. Arrived at the Revival visitor parking lot, we linger a bit looking at the many Mk2s present, playing the game of 7 errors, spotting some details or original options that differ from ours. Finally, white inside red is almost the most widespread, just ahead of grey, red then dark blue, BRG are much rarer, burgundy too. After a long first day walking the aisles of the Goodwood circuit and hanging out in the paddocks, we are quite happy to find ourselves in the calm and comfort quietly installed on board the English. Surprise Saturday morning when opening the garage door, the left rear wheel is flat! Phew the spare wheel, the jack, the spiner saver and Thor's hammer are part of the trip and 10 minutes later we are on our way to the circuit. Saturday then Sunday, the days go by, the retina and the ears in overdose, we revel in the spectacle, but already the alarm clock rings the hour of departure to return to Newhaven: it is Monday morning the Revival is over.
The GPS not having really anticipated the traffic during office hours, the peaceful journey turns into a sprint to arrive just in time at the port. Phew we climb into the boat in the middle of the last motorhomes… before finding ourselves next to the same group of Facel as on the way out! Monday marathon, direction Orléans, then the highway towards the house. Night falls, the temperature with it, we roll up the windows to take advantage of the heat given off by the engine compartment… and the air noises a little less bearable with fatigue. Despite everything, the interior atmosphere is delicious with all these illuminated counters, the softness of the mechanics and this comfort which is always appreciable even after nearly 10 hours spent in the car, there is still a long way to go. Each break on the motorway to refuel is an opportunity to discuss the Jag with other black ribbon night owls, drivers, holidaymakers, tourists, it leaves no one indifferent. Since we are talking about refueling, it is true that we often stop at the pump despite a 55-litre tank: the XK is not necessarily the frugal type. Maybe the 2 SU carbs aren't fine-tuned, yes the overdrive doesn't engage, yes it was very hot all the way, but 271 liters for 1961 km of ride, it stings a little anyway… A Subaru WRX would almost pass for a camel next door!
Riding a Mk2 today?
That's a good idea. Rather versatile and quite usable on a daily basis, the parts are easily found in the UK and old-timer specialists are quite familiar with this architecture. Sufficiently well maintained, it will be mechanically reliable, but beware of corrosion. In good old English, she is particularly sensitive to it and in the event of a bad surprise, the bill climbs very quickly. On the price side precisely, you can find Mk2 2.4 for less than 20,000 €, but it seems that the 120 hp are a bit tight to walk the 1400 kg of the machine on all the reliefs. It is better to direct your search towards a 3.4 liter (210 hp) or a 3.8 liter (220 hp and even a little more torque) by adding ten thousand Euros to the budget, it all depends on the intended use of course. . Otherwise remains the English option, crossing the Channel you can find a beautiful 3.8 RHD at the price of a 2.4 LHD, in addition the steering wheel on the wrong side adds charm it seems! More seriously, the other option is that of the cousin Daimler Saloon 2.5 with its V8, which takes up the body of the Mk2, with a few details near interior and exterior finishes, the most visible being the slightly more massive grille. The more compact and lighter V8 offers 140 hp and the flexibility of its architecture, an interesting alternative. Be that as it may, before taking the plunge, do not hesitate to document yourself abundantly on the subject, on the net of course, in English or in French via the very rich forum jaguar-mk2.fr, or on paper with the many books dedicated to the Mk2 and vintage magazines that regularly cover this model. Good research !
Photo credit @ Ambroise Brosselin