The cat’s whiskers
Why a Jaguar-themed auction makes purr-fect sense
TIM GASCOIGNE AUCTION MANAGER, BARONS ‘XK8s are brilliant value for money’
What is it that’s so appealing about Jaguars?
Jaguar’s old ‘grace, space, pace’ marketing phrase is still true today. Most classic Jags offer a genuine mix of beauty, usability and performance, and this is what really appeals to the classic enthusiast.
How many, roughly, do you think Barons has sold over the years?
Now, there is a question! Barons has always been owned by genuine Jaguar enthusiasts. Barons’ previous owner and current owners all raced classic Jaguars back in the ’80s and ’90s and have in-depth knowledge of most models. And I think that this attracts Jaguar owners to us. I’d say that we sell on average around 30-40 Jaguars a year, so in 19 years that works out at roughly 650 in total.
Which models would you say are most in demand currently?
It’s no secret that E-types are very popular at present. By my count there have been over 100 sold at auction in the UK so far this year. Not many offered for sale at auction remain unsold, and those that do sell have been achieving very healthy sums. The Mk2, particularly the 3.8, seems to be making a comeback while the XJS is widely tipped to be ‘the next E-type’ with popularity ever-increasing, while the Series 1 XJ is starting to gain a bigger following.
Is there one particular stand-out Jaguar you have sold?
That would have to be 1628 VC – the only works Jaguar Mk2 racer. Driven by Roy Salvadori in the early 1960s and subsequently raced by privateer John Sparrow in the British and European Saloon Car Championships, it was in a sad state when my father, Peter, found it in 1996, having been used for drag racing with a 7-litre engine. Peter and fellow Barons director, Tony Cavell, restored the car just in time for Tiff Needell to drive it at the first Goodwood Revival in 1998. It went under the hammer at Barons’ first-ever auction just a week later.
Are there still affordable ways into Jaguar ownership?
XK8s are brilliant value for money at the moment: I’ve seen them change hands for as little as £2000. Even XKRs aren’t much more – we sold one in June for just under £7000, which is a great buy. Daimler versions of any Jaguar also offer good value in general as they just don’t fetch the same prices as the Jaguars – but they can be essentially the same car.