Jaguar Mark 2

Infobox Automobile |sp=uk


name=Jaguar Mark 2
aka=Jaguar 240 & Jaguar 340 (from 1967)
manufacturer=Jaguar Cars
production=1959–1967
83,976 produced (Mark 2) 1967–1969
7,234 produced (240 & 340)
class=Sports saloon
body_style=Saloon
engine=2483 cc XK I6 3442 cc XK I6 3781 cc XK I6 (until 1966)
transmission =
length = Auto in|181|0
width = Auto in|67|0
height = Auto in|58|0
weight = Auto lb|3174|0 2.4 manual without overdrive
wheelbase = Auto in|107|0
track = Auto in|55|0 (front)
predecessor=Jaguar Mark 1
successor=Jaguar XJ6
related=Daimler 250
Jaguar S-Type
Jaguar 420The Jaguar Mark 2 (also known as Mk2, Mk 2 or MkII) is a medium sized saloon car built during the 1950s and 1960s by the Jaguar company in Coventry, England.

Adhering to William Lyons' maxim of "grace, pace and space", the Mark 2 was a beautiful, fast and capable saloon car. It came with either a 2.4 L, 3.4 L or 3.8 L Jaguar XK6 engine. The 3.8 is similar to the unit used in the 3.8 E-Type (XKE), having a different inlet manifold and carburation (two SUs versus three on the E-Type in Europe) and therefore 30 bhp less. The head of the six cylinder engine in the E-Type was also different with its "straight port" layout as opposed to the slightly curved ports of the Mark 2. The 2.4 was fitted with twin Solexes, of which three were used in US spec 3.4s and 3.8s in order to meet SMOG emissions legislation. This reduced power output over the equivalent SU carburetted examples. The Daimler 2.5 litre engine was fitted to the Daimler 250 derivative of the Mark 2 (In European markets known as the Daimler 2.5-V8 then Daimler V8-250), having first been used in the Daimler SP250. (Note: The SP250 was originally known as the Daimler Dart but "Dart" was a trademark of Dodge and had to be dropped by Daimler under threat of legal action). The aluminium alloy Daimler engine was lighter than the cast iron block Jaguar sixes, improving the handling of the Daimler over the Jaguar by reducing understeer.

1966 saw the leather seat covering replaced by 'high grade synthetic upholstery', and for the UK market the car lost its standard fog lamps. The sales price was reduced cite book |last=Cardew|first=Basil |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Daily Express Review of the 1966 Motor Show|year=1966 |publisher=Beaverbrook Newspapers Ltd |location=London |id=] , as the sector became more closely contested with the introduction of the Rover 2000 TC. The Jaguar Mark 2 was by now nearing the end of its production life.

In 1967, the Mark 2 became the 240 and 340, whilst the 3.8 litre engine was dropped; the later cars are identified by slim front and rear bumpers.

The Mark 2 was raced successfully in the European Touring Car Championship, until the Ford Falcon convincingly outperformed it.

In popular culture

The Mark 2 is well known as the car driven by fictional TV detective "Inspector Morse" played by John Thaw, although Morse's car was the least desirable version (with its 2.4 L engine, steel wheels and everflex roof). It was often pushed into scenes with engine noises dubbed onto the soundtrack in post-production. In November 2005, the car used in the television series sold for more than GBP 100,000 once it had been restored from its rather scruffy condition (in which state it had made GBP 53,000, some GBP 45,000 more than an equivalent without the history would be worth). [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4485816.stm Morse Jaguar makes over £100,000] at BBC] In the original novels by Colin Dexter, Morse had driven a Lancia.

The Mark 2 transcended borders of class and breeding in the 1960s, being owned by city bankers and bank robbers. The 3.8 specifically gained a reputation as a capable car (especially for bank raids), being fast (over 200 bhp (149 kW) and 125 mph (200 km/h), with room enough for five adults.

The British police were often to be found chasing them, as depicted in TV cop shows. Paradoxically they were used as police patrol cars, especially on UK motorways which in the 1960s had no speed limit. It is sometimes incorrectly rumoured that the police upgraded the 3.8 with the XKE inlet manifolds and triple SU carburettors. However the E type manifold will not fit the MK2 cylinder head and there was no other manifold available to enable the triple carburettors to be fitted.

Production

Before the 1967 name change 83,976 Mark IIs were built, split as follows: :2.4 - 25,173 :3.4 - 28,663:3.8 - 30,140

During final period there were a further 7,246 as follows::240 - 4,446:340 - 2,788:380 - 12

Jaguar replaced the Mark 2 with the XJ6.

ources

Schrader, Halwart: Typenkompass Jaguar – Personenwagen seit 1931, Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart (2001), ISBN 3-613-02106-4

Stertkamp, Heiner: Jaguar – die komplette Chronik von 1922 bis heute, 2. Auflage, Heel-Verlag, (2006) ISBN 3-89880-337-6

*De|Jaguar Mark II

External links

* [http://www.saloondata.com www.saloondata.com] Volunteer register with records and photos of the Mk. II
* [http://www.ijag.co.uk/jaguar-mkii/ UK Jaguar MKII Fans]

References