by cass3958 » Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:39 am
Whilst on another Jaguar Forum a question was asked about the Mark numbers of the Jaguar Saloon models and why there was no Mk3 or Mk6. I had read a lot about this and so answered. I have expanded on my answer here as I thought there might be some who might be interested on this forum.
The Mark numbers were originally written in Roman numerals but I have used numbers to make it easier to read.
Jaguar started with the Mk4 as there were three versions of the SS Jaguar prior to the Mk4 none were named with Mark number. They were known as the 1 ½, 2 ½, and 3 ½ litre SS Jaguars but in 1945, after the war, Jaguar dropped the name SS which originally stood for Swallow Sidecars as it had a bad meaning with the German SS during the war. The Mk4 still came in three versions the 1 ½, 2 ½, and 3 ½ litre which were identical almost to the pre War cars but just renamed collectively as the Mk4.
Between 1948 and 1951 there was the Jaguar Mk5.
There was no Mk6 Jaguar as this clashed with the Bentley Mk6 which was produced between 1946 and 1952 so Sir William Lyons jumped the 6 in 1950 and went to the Mk7 so as not to get in to an argument with Bentley. The Mk7 was produced between 1950 and 1956.
The rare Jaguar Mk8 was built for two years between 1956 and 1958 before the Mk9 came along between 1959 and 1961.
Between 1955 and 1959 Jaguar also produced the 2.4 and 3.4 Jaguar saloon which later became known as the Mk1 but not until the second version on this saloon was made in 1959 which was called the Mk2 and the previous version was then known as the Mk1. The Mk2 was made until 1967 when British Leyland took over Jaguar and the Mk2 was renamed the 240 and 340. The bigger 3.8 engine was dropped from the line up. Production of the 240 and 340 stopped in 1969.
In America the Mk2 was known as the Jaguar 3.8 Sedan and was never exported to the USA with the 3.4 engine.
The big Mk10 Jaguar was introduced in 1961 and was made until 1970. It ran the 3.8 XK engine up until 1964 when it then went to the 4.2 and was called the Mk10 420 and in 1966 changed its name to the 420G and the 3.8 engine was dropped.
In between these Mark numbered saloons there were two others. Our “S” (note no “Type”) was produced between 1963 and 1968 and the Jaguar 420 was made between 1966 and 1969. After this the XJ6 came in to production and the Mark numbers disappeared.
Jaguar also ran the “Type” distinction for some of its sports cars. The first was the “C” Type which was the racing version of the XK120 from 1951 to 1953. Also known as the Jaguar XK120C the “C” stood for competition.
Between 1954 and 1957 the Jaguar “D” Type was made again for competition to race at Le Mans but 16 road going cars were made known as the Jaguar XKSS. The “D” was just an Alphabetical follow on from the “C”.
In 1961 until 1975 the Jaguar “E” Type was made, again an alphabetical follow on from the “D” Type.
So back to our “S” produced between 1963 and 1968 during the reign of the ”E” Type. If you look on all the sales literature of the time, all the service manuals and documentation that came with the car, the “S” was known as the “S” Model not “S” Type. I have an original sales specification sheet from 1963 about the Jaguar "S" models. I also have a Motor traders Data sheet which is dated 4th of March 1964 which then refers to the "S" Type and I also have two original sales brochures dated 1967 and 1968 from Jaguar which both refer to the "S" Type.
I have read many books on the history of the “S” model and there is no mention of why the car was given the “S” or what it actually stands for. Speculation has been made that it stands for “Superb”, “Superior”, “Saloon” “Sedan” or even “Sport” but no one has given a definitive reason for the “S” or when it changed from the “S” Model to being called the “S” Type.
With the Jaguar Mk2 being known as the 3.8 Sedan in America my guess is it stands also for “Sedan” or “Saloon”. Wiki defines “Sedan” as A sedan /sɪˈdæn/ (American, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand English) or saloon (British, Irish and Indian English) is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with A, B, & C-pillars and principal volumes articulated in separate compartments for engine, passenger and cargo.
During production and design the now Mk1 Jaguar was code named the Utah1, the Mk2 was called the Utah2 and the “S” Model was called the Utah3. The “S” Model also had the extra code name of the XJ3. So the “S” Model could have been called the Mk3 after all it was ¾ Mk2 Jaguar and resembled the Mk2 from the front but instead was given the “S”. As far as I have read it has never been referred to as the Mk2 “S” Type but many a time at shows I have had to describe it as this to the unknowing.
In 1960 BSA sold Daimler cars to Sir William Lyons the founder of Jaguar cars. Sir William wanted more factory space to build his Jaguar Mk2 and Daimler were building their cars in a factory alongside Jaguar in Browns Lane Coventry. Sir William was under pressure from the executives in Daimler to produce a new Saloon car so allowed Daimler to use the Mk2 bodies but to install the Daimler V8 engine under the bonnet. So the Mk2 had a Daimler version called the V8 250 and later the 250 V8 but the “S” Model never had a Daimler version made. The successor of the “S” the 420 had a Daimler version called the Sovereign.
If anyone can help to fill in any gaps please do and if you know what the “S” stands for and the history behind it please let us know.
Whilst on another Jaguar Forum a question was asked about the Mark numbers of the Jaguar Saloon models and why there was no Mk3 or Mk6. I had read a lot about this and so answered. I have expanded on my answer here as I thought there might be some who might be interested on this forum.
The Mark numbers were originally written in Roman numerals but I have used numbers to make it easier to read.
Jaguar started with the Mk4 as there were three versions of the SS Jaguar prior to the Mk4 none were named with Mark number. They were known as the 1 ½, 2 ½, and 3 ½ litre SS Jaguars but in 1945, after the war, Jaguar dropped the name SS which originally stood for Swallow Sidecars as it had a bad meaning with the German SS during the war. The Mk4 still came in three versions the 1 ½, 2 ½, and 3 ½ litre which were identical almost to the pre War cars but just renamed collectively as the Mk4.
Between 1948 and 1951 there was the Jaguar Mk5.
There was no Mk6 Jaguar as this clashed with the Bentley Mk6 which was produced between 1946 and 1952 so Sir William Lyons jumped the 6 in 1950 and went to the Mk7 so as not to get in to an argument with Bentley. The Mk7 was produced between 1950 and 1956.
The rare Jaguar Mk8 was built for two years between 1956 and 1958 before the Mk9 came along between 1959 and 1961.
Between 1955 and 1959 Jaguar also produced the 2.4 and 3.4 Jaguar saloon which later became known as the Mk1 but not until the second version on this saloon was made in 1959 which was called the Mk2 and the previous version was then known as the Mk1. The Mk2 was made until 1967 when British Leyland took over Jaguar and the Mk2 was renamed the 240 and 340. The bigger 3.8 engine was dropped from the line up. Production of the 240 and 340 stopped in 1969.
In America the Mk2 was known as the Jaguar 3.8 Sedan and was never exported to the USA with the 3.4 engine.
The big Mk10 Jaguar was introduced in 1961 and was made until 1970. It ran the 3.8 XK engine up until 1964 when it then went to the 4.2 and was called the Mk10 420 and in 1966 changed its name to the 420G and the 3.8 engine was dropped.
In between these Mark numbered saloons there were two others. Our “S” (note no “Type”) was produced between 1963 and 1968 and the Jaguar 420 was made between 1966 and 1969. After this the XJ6 came in to production and the Mark numbers disappeared.
Jaguar also ran the “Type” distinction for some of its sports cars. The first was the “C” Type which was the racing version of the XK120 from 1951 to 1953. Also known as the Jaguar XK120C the “C” stood for competition.
Between 1954 and 1957 the Jaguar “D” Type was made again for competition to race at Le Mans but 16 road going cars were made known as the Jaguar XKSS. The “D” was just an Alphabetical follow on from the “C”.
In 1961 until 1975 the Jaguar “E” Type was made, again an alphabetical follow on from the “D” Type.
So back to our “S” produced between 1963 and 1968 during the reign of the ”E” Type. If you look on all the sales literature of the time, all the service manuals and documentation that came with the car, the “S” was known as the [b]“S” Model[/b] not [b]“S” Type[/b]. I have an original sales specification sheet from 1963 about the Jaguar "S" models. I also have a Motor traders Data sheet which is dated 4th of March 1964 which then refers to the "S" Type and I also have two original sales brochures dated 1967 and 1968 from Jaguar which both refer to the "S" Type.
I have read many books on the history of the “S” model and there is no mention of why the car was given the “S” or what it actually stands for. Speculation has been made that it stands for “Superb”, “Superior”, “Saloon” “Sedan” or even “Sport” but no one has given a definitive reason for the “S” or when it changed from the “S” Model to being called the “S” Type.
With the Jaguar Mk2 being known as the 3.8 Sedan in America my guess is it stands also for “Sedan” or “Saloon”. Wiki defines “Sedan” as [i][b]A sedan /sɪˈdæn/ (American, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand English) or saloon (British, Irish and Indian English) is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with A, B, & C-pillars and principal volumes articulated in separate compartments for engine, passenger and cargo.[/b][/i]
During production and design the now Mk1 Jaguar was code named the Utah1, the Mk2 was called the Utah2 and the “S” Model was called the Utah3. The “S” Model also had the extra code name of the XJ3. So the “S” Model could have been called the Mk3 after all it was ¾ Mk2 Jaguar and resembled the Mk2 from the front but instead was given the “S”. As far as I have read it has never been referred to as the Mk2 “S” Type but many a time at shows I have had to describe it as this to the unknowing.
In 1960 BSA sold Daimler cars to Sir William Lyons the founder of Jaguar cars. Sir William wanted more factory space to build his Jaguar Mk2 and Daimler were building their cars in a factory alongside Jaguar in Browns Lane Coventry. Sir William was under pressure from the executives in Daimler to produce a new Saloon car so allowed Daimler to use the Mk2 bodies but to install the Daimler V8 engine under the bonnet. So the Mk2 had a Daimler version called the V8 250 and later the 250 V8 but the “S” Model never had a Daimler version made. The successor of the “S” the 420 had a Daimler version called the Sovereign.
If anyone can help to fill in any gaps please do and if you know what the “S” stands for and the history behind it please let us know.