Description
This is lot number 523 in the Bonhams Beaulieu Sale on September 14th, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
First owned by Air Chief Marshal Sir Leslie Hollinghurst, GBE, KCB, DFC
Present ownership for over 50 years
Used sparingly each year
Understood to be outstandingly original
Like the majority of Britain's motor manufacturers, Jaguar Cars, as William Lyons' SS concern had been renamed in 1945, commenced post-war production with a range of pre-war designs. Essentially stopgap models pending the arrival of an entirely new generation of Jaguars, these comprised the compact 1½-Litre and 2½/ 3½-Litre models, retrospectively known as the 'MkIV'. A separate chassis was retained, while the stylish all-steel coachwork was available only in saloon form and featured the kind of luxurious and well-appointed interior that would become a Jaguar hallmark.
This MkIV was bought new in 1947 by Air Chief Marshal Sir Leslie Hollinghurst GBE, KCB, DFC, a WWI flying 'ace', senior commander in the RAF during WW2, and Inspector-General of the Royal Air Force 1948-1949. The car sat in a hangar for many years before being bought by an American, a Mr Wilkinson, who kept it for a year and drove 10, 000 miles. The car was then bought by our titled vendor from Camden Motors, which had acquired it in January 1970, and was registered in May 1970 by Park Garage, Watford, of which our vendor was part owner. The Jaguar has never been laid up but has done a few miles every year and is in totally original condition, benefiting from the same ownership for over 50 years. The current odometer reading is 27, 700 miles. This remarkable MkIV is offered with an old-style continuation logbook, a workshop manual, V5C document, and a full complement of tools (in the boot).
