1958 – Jaguar XK 150 ‘3.8’ Coupé, Chassis No. S834656 French classic

“The unmissable, high-performance Jaguar coupé, offered at an attractive estimate” On 12 February 1957, Jaguar’s main factory, located on Browns Lane, was completely destroyed by fire. All the cars that were being assembled went up in smoke, including the XK 140s and – worse still! – the Type Ds and XK SSs that were on the production line. This tragic event prompted the venerable British firm to bring the XK 140 to a forced end and to hastily decide to develop a new model to succeed it. This was to be the XK 150. Unveiled in May 1957, this new iteration of the XK, whilst a far cry from the sleek and elegant 120, brought the series to a close in the finest possible manner, notably by introducing the new 3.8-litre engine, which would shortly afterwards herald the arrival of the Type E, another of the brand’s icons. The 150 is instantly recognisable by its wide grille (with sixteen bars, like the Mk 2) and its windscreen, which is now curved and made from a single piece. Technically speaking, the engine was initially available with a 3.4-litre displacement, in standard 190 ch or 210 ch versions, but the real innovation lay in the brakes: Dunlop calipers and discs borrowed from Jaguar racing cars. The model was initially available as a convertible and a coupé, before a roadster made its debut in March 1958, introducing the 250 ch 3.4-litre S engine. In October 1959, the 3.8-litre engine – a precursor to that of the E-Type – made its debut under the bonnet of the 150, in standard 220 ch or S 265 ch versions. In July 1961, Jaguar unveiled its new Grand Tourer, the E-Type, at the Geneva Motor Show. Production of the XK 150 ceased in July of the same year, after 9,402 units had been built. Like the vast majority of the production run, this XK 150 was exported straight from the factory to North America, where it spent its entire life, before being imported into Italy, presumably around 2010. It was there that it was restored, presumably at a garage called Classic Sport Garage in Pavia. Unsold at the 2016 Padua Motor Show auction, it eventually came into the hands of Atelier des Coteaux, which sold it for €115,000 to the current owner in March 2017. Offered as part of an estate, this beautiful 1950s roadster bears witness to a high-quality restoration carried out some time ago, despite a few bodywork imperfections. It has been regularly maintained since 2017. Please note that, since its restoration, it has been fitted with a 3.8-litre engine, the serial numbers of which are missing. It starts on the first try and runs perfectly, but it will require a routine service and – above all – a check of the brakes before setting off with confidence.

Estimate:-

View all items fromAguttesorVehicles