Jaguar Mark X
The Jaguar Mark X (Mark Ten), later renamed the Jaguar 420G, was British manufacturer Jaguar's top-of-the-range saloon car for a decade, from 1961 to 1970. The large, luxurious Mark X not only succeeded the Mark IX as the company's top saloon model, but radically broke with both its predecessor's styling and technology.
| Jaguar Mark X & 420G | |
|---|---|
Jaguar Mark X | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Jaguar Cars |
| Production | 1961–1970
|
| Assembly | Coventry, England |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size luxury car (F) |
| Body style | 4-door saloon |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Related | Daimler DS420 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 3,781 cc (230.7 cu in) XK I6 until 1965 4,235 cc (258.4 cu in) XK I6 from 1964 |
| Transmission |
|
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 120 in (3,048 mm) |
| Length | 202 in (5,131 mm) |
| Width | 76.3 in (1,938 mm) |
| Height | 54.5 in (1,384 mm) |
| Kerb weight | 4,200 lb (1,900 kg) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Jaguar Mark IX |
| Successor | Jaguar XJ6 (smaller) |
From an industrial design viewpoint, the slab-sided but also somewhat fuselage shaped, Mark Ten was a hallmark car for Jaguar by introducing the upright, often slightly forward leaning front fascia and grille, flanked by prominent quad round headlights. When Jaguar replaced its entire saloon range with a single new model in the late 1960s – the resulting XJ6 of 1968 used the Mark Ten as a template – albeit with a reduced size.
Similar front grille and quad round headlight facias defined most of Jaguar's saloons for nearly half a century, until 2009 – the final year of both the 3rd generation XJ series, and of the Jaguar X-Type. Also, Jaguar did not build another car as large as the Mark Ten & 420G for the rest of the century, until the LWB version of the 2003 XJ Jaguars.
Introduced within a year of Jaguar's iconic E-Type sportscar, the Mark X impressed by copying much of the E-Type's technology, innovations and specification. Contrary to its predecessors, the car was modernised with integrated, unitary bodywork – the largest in the UK at the time – as well as with four-wheel disc brakes and Jaguar's independent rear suspension, unheard of for early 1960s British luxury cars. Combined with the 3.8-litre, triple carburettor engine as fitted to the E-type, it gave Jaguar's flagship a top speed of 120 mph (193 km/h) and capable handling at less than half the price of the contemporary Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.
Despite press acclaim from both sides of the Atlantic and Jaguar's hopes to appeal to heads of state, diplomats, and film stars, primarily aimed at the large, affluent U.S. market, the Mark X never achieved its sales targets. The rarest now is the Mark X with the 4.2 Ltr engine as only 5,137 were built and few are known to survive.