Launched just in time for the swinging sixties, the new car was received enthusiastically by motoring journalists and the general public alike and Sir William Lyons' beautiful design became an instant classic. Fast and luxurious as well as easy on the eye, the Jaguar Mark Two car was popular with celebrities and business types as well as becoming the getaway car of choice for bank robbers, and a highly effective police pursuit vehicle!

The Jaguar Mark Two was an improved version of Jaguar's earlier 2.4 and 3.4 models, retrospectively and collectively known as the Mark One, which had been manufactured since 1955. The medium to large Mk Is and Mk IIs were radically different from the other, truly enormous, luxury saloons of the 1950s made by Jaguar and their more expensive rivals Bentley and Rolls Royce and the models were known in the factory as compact saloons.

Summer Wine Classics' silver grey Jaguar Mk II left the Browns Lane factory in Coventry in 1964 and found a home in the village of Batsford, near Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire. In the 1980s the car was fully restored at great expense by the original owner's nephew (we have all the documentation!) and it has been looked after carefully ever since. We acquired the car in 2005.

Standard in appearance, this handsome and elegant car has its original 3.4 litre six cylinder engine which is significantly more powerful than the smaller 2.4 model and is considered by enthusiasts to be sweeter to drive than the range topping 3.8 version. The car has a flawless all-synchromesh gearbox with overdrive and its original blue leather and walnut interior makes the interior of this splendid motor car a delightful pace to be.