Collectors\' Motor Cars and Automobilia

MOTOR CARS | 55

Work on Jaguars advanced new saloon had been interrupted by the
war, and in 194 elements of the proposed newcomer made their first
appearance in other models: the twin-overhead-camshaft engine in the
XK120 sports car, and the chassis design in the interim Mark V saloon.
It was not until 1950 that the two were combined in the Mark VII, which
would be the first of a family of high-performance luxury saloons that
would culminate with Mark IX.

A considerable improvement on what had gone before, the Mark
VII's cruciform-braced chassis featured torsion-bar independent front
suspension and all-round hydraulic brakes. The 3.4-litre 'six' had already
demonstrated its prowess in the XK120 and proved capable of propelling
the Mark VII's not inconsiderable bulk past 100mph. Priced at a mere
40 of its Bentley Mark V0 rival, but available at first only for export, the
Mark VII was a big hit in the USA, that market's demands prompting the
introduction of an automatic transmission option in 1953. Two years later
the model was revised as the Mark VIIM, with maximum power increased
from 160 to 190bhp.

One of slightly more than 10,000 Mark VII saloons produced, this

example has its original old log book showing that it was initially

registered to M Lipton Ltd, London. The first change appears to be when

Mr Max Lipton bought the car out of the company and registered in his

personal name. Mr Lipton then passed the car on in 1966 to Achille

Attard-Montal, who it is thought was Mr Liptons chauffeur. Mr Attard-

Montal was to keep the car for many years, subsequently being acquired

by the current owner in 2007.

The Jaguar has covered a believed genuine ,00 miles from new and,

although there is no documentary evidence to support this, the condition

and originality of the car, and the MoTs lend credence to this belief. The

oldest of the 15 MoTs on file, issued in 197, records the mileage at that

time as ,957, while the most recent (2007) records it as ,441. The car

also comes with a V5 registration document and the aforementioned old

log book.

The present owner is a noted collector who has a particular passion for

the Jaguar marque, with respected Jaguar specialists CKL Developments

looking after his équippe, including this wonderful Mark VII.

£45,000 - 55,000

€53,000 - 64,000