A 1961 Jaguar Mk X owned by company founder Sir William Lyons is set to go under the hammer.
Manufactured in December 1961 at the Coventry factory, the car was delivered to Sir William in January 1962 and registered to his Wappenbury Hall address in Warwickshire. This Mk X was one of the very first "Zenith" cars produced and made specifically for Lyons and finished to his very personal and exact specification.
Synonymous with his reputation, Lyons naturally demanded only the very best and the top of the range car houses a 3.8 litre, 6-cylinder engine, which could have whisked him along Warwickshire’s roads at speeds of up to 120 mph. As Jaguar’s latest model, it featured the ‘new look’ four headlamps set above distinctive chrome bumpers and vaned grill.
Inside, the interior is trimmed out in beige leather, with carpeted foot wells and walnut woodwork throughout. Extra features added on Lyons’ request include walnut rear picnic tables, complete with angled mirrors allegedly installed to allow female passengers to adjust their makeup. Sir Lyons also requested electric rear windows, which was not the norm at the time, allowing him to enjoy a cigarette when riding in the back seat, which his wife did not approve of.
Sir William Lyons, also known as “Mr Jaguar”, used the car for three and half years before it was sold to the Cheltenham Motor Jaguar dealership. It was then purchased by a local gentleman in 1968 who owned the car until he died in 2012, after which it was acquired by its fourth owner.
The current owner purchased the car in 2014 and then decided to subject it to a long term, comprehensive restoration to near original standard, carried out by Jaguar specialists under his supervision. The car was then transferred to the Jaguar Heritage facility in Coventry, returning to its production site after 50 years, for final checks and sourcing of minor parts.The odometer shows just over 71,300 miles, covered over the last 55 years between five owners.
Now back to its original and exceptional glory, it will be sold at Silverstone Auctions’ Salon Privé Sale, held at Blenheim Palace on 2nd and 3rd September, with an estimate of between £75,000 and £100,000.