Jaguar Mark 2 3.8
"Grace, space, pace." The original sports saloon.
The story
With the 3.8-litre engine the Mark 2 was the fastest saloon car you could buy. It dominated saloon car racing, and both bank robbers and the police who chased them chose it for the same reason.
Inside
A full walnut dashboard, leather seats, picnic tables in the backs of the front seats and a row of toggle switches.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
Inspector Morse drove a burgundy one on television.
On screen
Inspector Morse TV, 1987
Morse's burgundy Mark 2 is as much a part of Oxford as the spires.
Meanwhile, in 1959
The first stretch of the M1 motorway opened, and Cliff Richard's Living Doll topped the charts.
Best-selling single of 1959: Living Doll by Cliff Richard
Before you buy a 1950s car
- Check the sills, floorpans, wheel arches and the bottom of the doors for rust.
- Ask for any old MOT certificates, service records and bills.
- Parts for popular cars are often available from specialists, but trim and body panels can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.