1964 Jaguar Mk2 3.8

The Jaguar Mark II 3.8, the four-door that made bank managers late for work and villains very difficult to catch.

Introduced in 1959 by Jaguar Cars, the Mark II took the already handsome Mk I and turned the dial all the way up. Slimmer pillars, bigger glass, wider track, and most importantly, the glorious 3.8-litre XK straight six, the same basic engine architecture that powered the legendary Jaguar E-Type. It was the gentleman’s express or "wolf in sheep's clothing", in the 1960s, if you needed to transport four people very quickly while looking like you owned a country estate, this was your weapon of choice.

Finished in quintessential British Racing Green (because of course it is), this Mark 2 3.8 pairs its rich timber and leather interior with something far more exciting than a polite automatic: a proper manual transmission, now upgraded with a later synchromesh gearbox. Losing the crunch and allowing proper down and upshifts without hesitation.

Under the bonnet sits the mighty 3.8 straight six, breathing through larger SU carburettors and out via an upgraded exhaust manifold resulting in a deeper soundtrack when the cam kicks in and the intakes roar, think less "Afternoon Tea" but more "Goodwood at dawn". 

Restored in the early 1990s, it presents beautifully. This isn’t a fragile concours ornament, it’s a car you can drive, enjoy, and arrive preferably slightly sideways on a damp roundabout...

The Mark 2 has long been the thinking enthusiast’s classic, elegant enough for a wedding, fast enough to surprise modern traffic and charismatic enough that strangers will tell you stories at fuel stations. 

If you’ve ever wanted to channel a 1960s racing driver/a sharp-suited detective/bank robber, buy this Jaaaag... but make sure when you are at the next Car's and Coffee just try not to start speaking with a slight British accent after a week of ownership. It happens.