1957 Jaguar XK150 – Auction Car of the Week

Everybody always bangs on about the XK120 and XK140, both of which (rather unfairly in our humble opinion) sometimes overshadow the much more modern and usable Jaguar XK150. They are both incredible cars, don’t get us wrong, and they helped pave the way for Jaguar’s subsequent successes but the XK150 shouldn’t be overlooked. That would be criminal. The lineage between the three models is clear but the XK150, unveiled in 1957, was completely revised over several years of development.

With bags of style and impressive performance, even by modern standards, the XK150 represents the pinnacle of post-war British sports car manufacturing. Not only that but the XK150 was practical to boot, providing a much larger cabin than its predecessor. Yes, it was larger and heavier and perhaps lacked some of the allure and attraction of those earlier models but it stayed true to the characteristics that made those cars so successful and remains a fast, comfortable and well-mannered sports tourer.

And stay true it did, going as far as using essentially the same 3.4 litre straight-six engine from the XK140 but with a new cylinder head that helped to increase power. A year into production an SE, or “Special Equipment” version of the engine was offered that further upped the output to 210bhp and a final, triple SU-carb variant, dubbed the S, provided around 250bhp. The powerplant was then uprated to 3.8-litres in 1960 – the same engine that was fitted to the Mark IX saloon but tuned to produce 265bhp. The XK150 was available in Roadster, Fixed Head and Drophead Coupé form and featured disc brakes all round.

So, dear reader, what if we said you could be the proud owner of a brand new Jaguar XK150? Well with this fully restored, award-winning Fixed Head Coupé model, you most certainly can be, depending on the size of your bid of course, because it practically is a new car. Manufactured on the 9th of September 1957 and registered in 1958 it’s a matching numbers example that has covered less than 200 miles. That is since its recent full restoration we hasten to add. But still, that’s quite something and puts this particular car very much in brand spanker territory as far as we’re concerned.

Don’t just take our word for it though. This very Jaguar XK150 took home the title of Best Restored Car at this year’s prestigious Valletta Concours D’Elegance as well as second place in the overall sports car class. And deservedly so. Just look at it. The praise this car receives is testament to the quality of the painstaking nut and bolt restoration that has been carried out and we doubt there is a better example out there. It may not be the (arguably) more desirable 3.8-litre version but the condition the car is in more than makes up for any perceived performance shortcomings. Besides, the larger-engined cars are more expensive, not only to buy but also to live with. With almost 200bhp on tap and a 0-60 dash of just over 8 seconds the 3442cc cars still pack quite the punch.

If your appetite is suitably whetted, and it really should be, then head over to the auction listing and have a read in detail about the stunning condition of this car and pore over all of the beautifully shot photographs. After it has cast its spell over you you’ll be hard pressed not to make a bid.

Yes, the car is in Malta but importing a car into the UK is a doddle nowadays and imagine the life-affirming adventure of buying this Jaguar XK150, flying into Malta International, spending a few days eating, drinking and being incredibly merry on the Mediterranean island and then driving the thing back through Italy, the Swiss Alps and France. Road trip perfection. And yes, we have just planned the imaginary route we would take if it were us.