1960 Jaguar Mk II 3.8 Saloon

Concours restorations can exceed six figures; if you’re very lucky, you might get half of that back when you sell

by Gary Anderson

"Grace, pace and space” was the Jaguar slogan in the 1960s, and no model epitomized this more than the mid-sized Mk II sedan, which was affordable, elegant and quick. In its ultimate form as the Mk II 3.8, it was termed the “gentleman’s express” and the car of choice for British bank robbers and the pursuing constabulary.

As Jaguar’s most popular model at the time, this sedan also marked a turning point for Jaguar Motor Cars. Previously, Jaguar’s line appealed primarily to the well-off sportsman, with two-seat sports cars and large luxury sedans. Since the introduction of this model, Jaguar has always had a mid-sized sedan in its line-up.

However, it took Jaguar a while to reach the zenith of development represented by this car. Introduced in 1955, the Jaguar 2.4 (these cars weren’t called Mk Is until the launch of the Mk II in 1960) adopted the monocoque construction first used by Jaguar in the D-type race cars.

This chassis was adapted to...