Jaguar Mark 1

Infobox Automobile


name = Jaguar Mark 1
manufacturer = Jaguar Cars
production = 1955–1959
37,397 producedcite book |last=Robson |first=Graham |title=A-Z British Cars 1945-1980|year=2006 |publisher=Herridge & Sons |location=Devon, UK|id=ISBN 0-9541063-9-3 ]
body_style = Saloon
engine = 2483 cc XK I6 3442 cc XK I6
transmission = 4-speed manual 4-speed manual + overdrive 3-speed automatic
predecessor = Jaguar 1½ Litre saloon
successor = Jaguar Mark 2
length = Auto in|181|0
width = Auto in|66.75|0
wheelbase = Auto in|107.5|0
height = Auto in|57.25|0The Jaguar Mark 1 was a saloon car produced by Jaguar between 1955 and 1959. Referred to in contemporary company documentation as the Jaguar 2.4-litre and Jaguar 3.4-litre, the word "Saloon" was often added. The designation "Mark 1" was included retrospectively on its replacement by the Mark 2. The 2.4-litre was the company's first "small" saloon since the demise of its 1½ Litre cars in 1949 and were an immediate success, easily outselling the larger Jaguar saloons.__TOC__Although having a family resemblance to the larger Mark VII, it differed in many ways. Most importantly, it was the first Jaguar with unitary construction of body and chassis. The car had independent front suspension using coil springs. The live rear axle was positively located by quarter elliptic leaf springs, trailing arms and a Panhard rod in a manner reminiscent of the Jaguar D-type, being a significant improvement over the other saloons and XK sports cars. The rear wheel track was some Auto in|4.5|0 narrower than the front track and looked peculiar from behind, a feature that was blamed (probably incorrectly) for excessive understeer at low speed. It was reported to be better balanced at higher speeds.

The interior was of similar design to the contemporary Jaguar saloons and sports cars, with most of the dials and switches being located on the central dashboard between the driver and passenger. This arrangement reduced the differences between LHD and RHD versions.

Its side profile was very different from that of previous Jaguars. The small rear quarter-light windows of this and the Mark 2 became a trademark of Jaguars of the 1950s and 1960s, and can still be seen as a design cue in the 'retro' styled S-Type and X-Type saloons of the recent range.

At launch the car had Auto in|11.125|0 drum brakes but from the end of 1957 got the innovative (at the time) option of disc brakes on all four wheels.

Initially, the Mark 1 was offered with a 2.4 litre, 112 bhp, short-stroke version of the XK120's twin-cam six-cylinder engine, but from 1957 the larger 3.4 litre, 210 bhp, unit already used in the larger Jaguars also became available, largely in response to pressure from US Jaguar dealers. Wire wheels became available. The 3.4 had a larger front grille, a stronger rear axle, and rear wheel covers (spats) were cut away to accommodate the wire wheels' spinners. In Autumn 1957 a three speed Borg-Warner automatic transmission became available with either engine. From 1957 the 2.4 also got the larger grille. The car was available in Standard or Special Equipment versions with the former lacking rev counter, heater (available as an option), windscreen washers, fog lights and cigarette lighter. Both versions did however have leather upholstery and polished walnut trim. 19,992 of the 2.4 and 17,405 of the 3.4 litre versions were made.

Racing

3.4-litre saloons competed successfully in many rallies, touring car, and saloon car races, notable drivers including Stirling Moss, Mike Hawthorne, Tommy Sopwith, and Roy Salvadori. [ Skilleter, Paul & Whyte, Andrew: Jaguar Saloon Cars. Haynes (1980), ISBN 0-85429-263-2 ]

Performance

A 2.4-litre saloon with overdrive was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1956. It was found to have a top speed of convert|101.5|mph|km/h|abbr=on and could accelerate from 0-convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on in 14.4 seconds. A fuel consumption of convert|18.25|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus was recorded. The test car cost £1532 including taxes. cite journal | authorlink = Unsigned |title = The Jaguar 2.4 litre| journal =The Motor| volume = | pages = | date = July 25 1956]

They went on to test a 3.4-litre automatic saloon in 1957. This car had a top speed of convert|119.8|mph|km/h|abbr=on, acceleration from 0-convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on in 11.2 seconds and a fuel consumption of convert|21.1|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus was recorded. The test car cost £1864 including taxes of £622. cite journal | authorlink = Unsigned |title = The Jaguar 3.4-litre| journal =The Motor| volume = | pages = | date = April 10 1957]

A manual overdrive version of the 3.4-litre was tested by Autocar in June 1958. Its 0-convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on time was 9.1 seconds, and 0-convert|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on in 26 seconds, little more than 1 second behind the XK150 with the same engine. [ Skilleter, Paul & Whyte, Andrew: Jaguar Saloon Cars. Haynes (1980), ISBN 0-85429-263-2, page 234 ]

Mark 1 and 2 differences

Both technically and in appearance, Mark 1s differ in numerous respects from their more familiar successor, the Mark 2.

The most obvious visual details are in the grille: the Mark 2's being split vertically by a thicker single chrome bar, set higher than the Mark 1's, and being wider at the top than the bottom in a 'shield' like shape. The Mark 1's is thinner and more elliptical in shape.Mark 1's had fewer chrome bars running vertically in the grille, mirroring the grille of the contemporary XK150 sports car.

The Mark 2 had foglamps either side of the radiator grille, where the Mark 1 had only grilles.

The Mark 2's window area is larger, where the Mark 1 has thicker A, B and C pillars.

All Mark 2s were fitted with Dunlop disc brakes on all wheels as standard. Quick change brake pads were incorporated. A small round badge depicting a triangle shape in red with the word 'Dunlop' across the middle appeared in the centre of the rear bumper on all Mark 2s, originally added to warn drivers following the cars of their greater stopping power. The notoriously ineffective handbrake of the disk braked Mark 1 was upgraded with a self-adjusting mechanism.

The Mark 2's rear suspension track was increased so that the rear wheels fitted the wheel arches more closely, improving the cars' appearance significantly.

The Mark 2's front suspension was revised in detail, changing its geometry, reducing understeer, and improving maintainability.

The Mark 2 was also available with the recently enlarged 3.8 Litre XK engine in twin carburettor form.

The Mark 2's dashboard and steering wheel were completely redesigned, the main instruments being placed in front of the driver where previously there had been an open compartment.

References

Other sources

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

Skilleter, Paul & Whyte, Andrew: Jaguar Saloon Cars. Haynes (1980), ISBN 0-85429-263-2

External links

* [http://www.saloondata.com/ saloondata.com] volunteer maintained online registry where users can register and upload pictures. Companion site to XKEdata.com and XKdata.com
* [http://www.motorbase.com/vehicle/by-id/919/ 2.4 litre Mark 1]
* [http://www.motorbase.com/vehicle/by-id/919/ 3.4 litre Mark 1]