THE STYLE
The Mk2’s looks, including the unmistakable oval grille, swept-back sides, tapered tail and the tightly curved glass area, all derive from Jaguar’s XK racing and sports cars of the Fifties and Sixties. The Mk2 also inherits their perfect proportions. Whilst by today’s standards it may seem quite upright, the rounded sides and the perfectly placed wheels create a well-planted, powerful, four-square stance. The wonderfully curvy bonnet and front wheel arches, with the low, rounded rear, echo the proportions of the leaper on the bonnet. A cliché it may be, but this Jaguar really does look like a big cat ready to pounce.

THE DETAILING
‘Our’ car is finished an understated shade of dark navy blue, described in the Jaguar colour charts as ‘Westminster Blue’, a far more appropriate hue than the bright orangey reds that so many Mk2s seem to be (re)sprayed in. Darker shades show off the curves and the chrome highlights brilliantly.

The chrome detailing is fairly delicate, particularly compared with some of the Mk2’s contemporaries, such as the Sixties‘ Mercedes. The thin chrome strip running from the leading edge of the bonnet, around the cabin and flowing down the tail is a particularly nice touch. Considering their size, the front and rear bumpers are beautifully integrated into the body shape, and just manage to avoid seeming heavy-handed.

Compact
It’s actually a fairly compact car, with a footprint smaller than a modern BMW 5 series, for example. Sat hunched at the side of the street, it looks superb.

But it looks even better on the move. The heavy driver’s door is opened by a smooth chrome door handle, and swings open to reveal the Mk2’s best feature: its interior

INSIDE
You step up into the Mk2, rather than flopping down into the seat as you do in most modern saloons. The front seats are mounted high and have thick, bouncy, sumptuous padding. They are, of course, upholstered in leather. On this example, the leather is a deep red oxblood colour, which complements the blue coachwork wonderfully.

A wealth of walnut
Our favourite feature is the dashboard. It’s a proper dashboard made of big planks of wood, decorated with gloriously deep brown and amber walnut marquetry. The grain of the walnut is mirrored around the central line of the cabin. There are two simple dials, for speed and revs, set into the dash behind the steering wheel, and the rest of the dials are housed in the crackle-black finish centre panel, above a row of sporting toggle switches.

The cold-to-the-touch bakelite steering wheel is thin-rimmed, with a chrome horn-ring circling the snarling jaguar logo mounted in the centre. Apart from the gear lever and a few minor switches and sliders scattered about for the ventilation, that’s it for the controls; the simplicity is really refreshing.The walnut finish adorns the door tops and extends up and over the door frames. Apart from the dials, there’s absolutely no plastic in this cabin at all. The rich, sweet smell of leather, polish and oil permeates the cabin.

Definitive quality
This particular example, from our affiliates Parc Ferme Experience, has recently had a full restoration, so as the leather retrim ages, the patina and smell will only get better. The leather and wood extends to the rear cabin, which has really inviting sofa-like seats and some dainty vanity lights set in the rear pillars. It all looks rather louche, in a good-taste way. We're told that there’s not actually much room back there, but who cares – this is a driver’s car.

FIRING UP
Perched in the driver’s seat, to start up it’s a case of leaning over to turn the key in its slot in the centre of the dash, and then thumbing the starter button once you hear the whir-click of the fuel pumps. The engine bursts into life with a loud guttural cough. The big straight six clears its throat and then you’re free to give the throttle a prod. There’s a surprisingly loud, deep roar, and the car rocks from side to side as the six cylinders fire.

GETTING GOING
This feeling, of a car totally dominated by its engine, is a rare experience today, save in the ultra-powerful saloons such as the BMW M5 and the Maserati Quattroporte.

As we’ll find out later, the Mk2’s similarity with these cars doesn’t end there. Heading off, the Jag feels like a bigger car than it actually is. The lazy engine needs plenty of revs to haul it from rest. The engine is quite noisy, particularly in the lower gears, although it’s not an unpleasant sound. Like most straight six engines, the Jaguar’s is very smooth, with a slightly menacing woofle from the exhaust. There’s a bit of transmission whine coupled with the engine’s roar.

It all combines to create a very mechanical sensation. You can hear the petrol and oil sloshing about, being forced through the engine’s pipes, chambers and valves. More of a powerplant than an engine, really. As speed increases, the torque (or pulling power) of the engine becomes apparent. The gearbox in this example has been modified and is easy to use. Once warmed up, it’s a pleasure to stir the gears and keep the engine within optimum power band. The original Moss gearboxes used by Jaguar were quite obstructive; the gear slots being so close together it was very easy to miss a gear and end up pulling away in the wrong one.

You can hear the petrol and oil sloshing about, being forced through the engine’s pipes, chambers and valves. More of a powerplant than an engine, really. As speed increases, the torque (or pulling power) of the engine becomes apparent. The gearbox in this example has been modified and is easy to use. Once warmed up, it’s a pleasure to stir the gears and keep the engine within optimum power band. The original Moss gearboxes used by Jaguar were quite obstructive; the gear slots being so close together it was very easy to miss a gear and end up pulling away in the wrong one.

THE EXPERIENCE

Whist at first driving the Mk2 felt a bit like piloting a small ship, having had a chance to get used to the engine and knowing how it works best with the gear ratios, it’s really amusingly quick. Other road users just don’t expect the old girl to pick up her skirts and fly down a twisty A-road quite as well as this old Jag. Powering away from roundabouts and tight corners, feeling the rear end hunker down as you push on the loud pedal, you feel the old tyres bite and the prow rises as the traffic is left behind. With a bit of momentum behind it, the Mk2 can still show a clean pair of heels to the majority of cars on the road. There’s not as much roly-poly action in the bends as you’d expect, either. In fact, it’s probably the squishy seats, made for comfort rather than support, that limit vigorous cornering activity, rather than the suspension set up. Whilst the Jag does lean in the corners, it is very well damped and you can feel the springs firming up as you enter the bend.

You feel a lot more secure than you expect and it makes the car feel really chuckable. It’s this ‘chuckability’ that really appeals. That, combined with the characterful, powerful engine, the woofly exhaust and the understated looks, create a sports car that just happens to be tailored in a saloon car’s suit. The fact that the interior is as sumptuous and well appointed as anything this side of a Rolls Royce makes this car unique; that's why it deserves true icon status. However, notwithstanding icon status, this car remains underrated. Whilst it can waft and cosset with the best of the sixties saloons, there is no other car that couples that comfort with real poise and performance. It’s also very understated, which is why I think that it bears more comparison with today’s M5 and, naturally, the R-series sports Jaguars, than it does to the other saloons of the Sixties.

THE JAGUAR MAGNIFICENCE
Rather than being thought of as the ‘Morse Jag’, the Mk2 deserves to be revered more in the light of those sixties mob bosses, burbling round the streets of the East End. Or, even more appropriately, those caddish GP drivers, racing each other cross-country from circuit to circuit or wafting their latest young filly into town for the night… In short, it’s that classy swagger that makes the Jaguar Mk2 an extremely cool car.

© 2005 Radiocafé Definitive Motors

RADIOCAFE APPROVED
Radiocafé would like to thank Parc Ferme Experience for the use of its immaculate Jaguar Mk2 3.4 to produce this feature. Radiocafé is committed to bringing you those vehicles which not only reflect the true spirit of an era but which meet our strict quality standards. To experience the Jaguar for yourself, together with a stable of other true thoroughbred classic cars, ask for more information on joining Parc Ferme by contacting Philip and Sharon Moir on 01784 470002.