The Distinct Jaguar Mark 1

William Jason
SubmitYOURArticle.com
March 26, 2011

William Jason http://musclecarmonster.com

If you are in search of classic cars that were produced in the 1950s, one such car model that you wouldn't want to miss is the Jaguar Mark 1. Just one look at it and you will probably agree that it is indeed a classic car and in fact exemplifies the very definition of the term. Although classic cars are not always as rare as they first seem to be, the Jaguar Mark 1 is definitely not something you would consider being a dime-a-dozen. It is a saloon car that was produced by Jaguar between 1955 and 1959 and can easily take the cake as one of the best looking classic cars of all time. If you want to learn more about it, its history, and its status nowadays, just read on.

Here's a bit of history about the famous Jaguar Mark 1. Back in 1951, Jaguar had to move to their Browns Lane plant which offered not only sufficient production capacity for their existing range but also let them move into the middle weight executive sedan market segment. Back then, this segment was occupied by cars such as the Humbers, Standard Vanguard, and Rover P4 in the UK. The Jaguar 2.4-liter and Jaguar 3.4-liter introduced a modern style and a new level of performance to the well-respected company. The Mark 1 has been likened by some to the much larger Mark VII, but in reality it has many key differences. One notable difference was the Mark 1 was the first Jaguar with a unitary construction of chassis and body.

When it comes to performance, the Mark 1 doesn't disappoint. A Jaguar 2.4-liter saloon with overdrive was tested by the British magazine The Motor back in 1956 and found it to have a top speed of 101.5 mph or about 163.3 km/h. It could accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 14.4 seconds and had a fuel consumption of 18.25 miles per imperial gallon. The price of this car, which was tested back then, was 1,532 or about $2,482 USD. A 3.4-liter automatic saloon was tested in 1957 and was found to have a top speed of 119.8 mph. Its acceleration from 0-60 took a total of 11.2 seconds and its fuel consumption was 21.1 miles per imperial gallon.

The 3.4-liter saloon has competed successfully in numerous rallies and races and been a champion. Clearly, the Jaguar Mark 1 truly is a classic car not just on the outside, but also on the inside.

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Wiliam Jason is a muscle car fanatic and has been collecting and restoring them for the last 15 years, You can visit his website at http://musclecarmonster.com/