Mk2 Jaguar

The Mk2 Jaguar is probably one of the most instantly recognisable classic saloons. We meet a dedicated owner who turned an impressive collection of model Jaguars into the real thing.

How a detailed restoration returned a shabby 3.8 to its former glory.

Although regular exposure on the TV as the car of choice for Detective Inspector Morse has no doubt boosted the current profile of the Mk2 Jaguar, this sporting saloon was always regarded as a giant killer in its day and truly deserves its current status as an iconic classic. Although the Mk2 may not be quite as electrifying as a well sorted 4.2-litre E-Type, this practical sporting Jaguar saloon can carry four adults in comfort and timeless elegance for a fraction of the cost of an XK-powered two-seater.

Someone who can confirm this fact is retired Derbyshire businessman Ray Phillips whose ambition is to own an example of every car he once owned, as well as a few favourites he missed along the way. A glance around the impressive unit where Ray stores his collection shows he's made a good start as it revealed an Old English White XK150 and a similar coloured E-Type parked at the end of a row of dozens of immaculate classics. “I’ve even managed to track down a 1930s Singer 1500 similar to the one I learned to drive in,” said Ray as he explained how he started collecting scale models of all the cars he’d once owned but couldn’t quite fill all the gaps.

“The easiest way was to concentrate on just one marque and that ended up being Jaguar. However, once I’d collected around 40 scale models, including some of the more exotic racers, I decided to move on to the real thing,” smiled Ray who over the years has owned several XJ6 saloons. As he always fancied an old Jaguar, the first one he bought was a kit-built SS replica but he didn’t like the way it drove. The replica SS was sold and an XK150 in need of a considerable amount of TLC