Jaguar Mark 2 3.8-Litre Saloon
The Mark 2 put sports-car pace, four doors and powerful disc brakes into one compact Jaguar saloon.
1962 Jaguar MK II 3.8 Saloon (16162061878).jpg · Sicnag · CC BY 2.0
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More than a set of wheels.
Jaguar introduced the Mark 2 in 1959 as a thorough development of its compact unit-body saloon. More glass and slimmer pillars made the cabin brighter, while a wider rear track and redesigned upper body improved the stance. The new 3.8-litre option brought the XK engine's largest road-car displacement to the compact saloon, backed by four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes. Its mix of speed, leather-and-wood comfort and practical seating made it equally visible in business, police service, touring-car competition and popular culture.
Look a little closer.
Jaguar increased the glass area by 18 percent, making the redesigned saloon much easier to see out of.
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A faster car that was also easier to see from
Jaguar's redesign above the waist was not merely cosmetic. Slimmer pillars and 18 percent more glass reduced the closed-in feel of the earlier compact saloon. The same car gained a wider rear track and preserved a relatively small footprint, so the Mark 2 combined better visibility with a more planted stance rather than becoming a much larger luxury car.
Source: Jaguar · Icons: Mark II ↗Why the 3.8 changed the saloon formula
The launch brochure couples a 220-bhp twin-cam six with servo-assisted Dunlop discs at all four wheels. A 1960 Motor Sport test described 125 mph and a standing quarter-mile a little over 16 seconds, then emphasized how easily the car covered distance. The deeper achievement was balance: acceleration, braking, seating and refinement in one production four-door, not a racing engine inserted into an otherwise unaltered family car.
Source: Motor Sport · Jaguar 3.8 Mk II road test ↗Where these facts come from
- Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust · Mark II 3.8
- Jaguar · Icons
- Jaguar · 3.4 & 3.8 Litre Mark 2 brochure scan
- Motor Sport · Jaguar 3.8 Mk II road test
- Jaguar Mark 2 press information scan
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 1, 2026.