Description
A very early Series 1 Jaguar XJ of impeccable provenance:
CHASSIS No. 19 - The 19th of 20 pre-production 'development cars', hand-built at Browns Lane in the summer of 1968 by a team of apprentices including Jonathan Heynes. Most of these vehicles were destructively tested but a handful were road-registered, the first of which was MWK 28G making it...
THE FIRST ROAD-REGISTERED JAGUAR XJ - Registered to Jaguar Cars on 1 August 1968, where it saw service as...
PRESS CAR ONE - MWK was the most heavily featured of the Press Cars and appears in road rests and launch articles throughout the '68/'69 period. It is the vehicle that was driven - in cardboard camouflage - through France and into Northern Spain by Jaguar test driver Jim Graham, a journey chronicled by photojournalist Graham Finlayson and featured as the cover article on the Telegraph Magazine on 27 September 1968. In the same article, the car was photographed on a fashion shoot featuring '60s supermodel Veruschka.
R&D TEST CAR - During the same period, until the autumn of 1969, MWK 28G also saw service as a Test Car under the stewardship of Norman Dewis. Graham Finlayson's photographs from Asturias show the car being used for climatic testing, with Jim Graham testing fluid temperatures at the Zamora Reservoir. Jaguar fitted a new engine at 20, 000 (press and test) miles, seemingly in readiness for sale into the private market: all the more remarkable given the various manufacturing differences with the later production cars.
WORLD'S OLDEST SURVIVING XJ - The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust have corresponded with Telegraph journalist Dave Selby, and former owners of this very special example of the model (and indeed the marque), and have confirmed that to their knowledge No. 19 is now the oldest surviving XJ. During the period since its sale into private ownership in the autumn of 1969 the car has had just 5 private owners, all aware of its unique provenance and all of whom have been keen to maintain originality throughout. Remaining on the road after 260, 000 miles on the engine fitted for its departure from Browns Lane - and 280, 000 miles including those run up by Jaguar - it has the dual accolade of being both the first Jaguar XJ on the road, and the oldest surviving example.
Extensive provenance, paperwork and memorabilia are available for inspection and included with the sale. They have been montaged into a video chronicling this remarkable car which is readily accessible on the internet by searching for its registration mark, MWK 28G. In 2004, the Daily Telegraph described MWK 28G thus -
"It seems to be no more than a very early XJ - and a 2. 8 litre model at that - but there is a case for it being a more important Jaguar than any Le Mans winner."
The XJ was a pivotal model in the story of Jaguar. The increasingly cluttered range of post-war saloons was both confusing for customers and inefficient to produce, jeopardising Jaguar's commercial prospects. The XJ marked Jaguar's transition into focussed, (relatively!) efficient production of world-renowned luxury saloons; sales of the XJ in no small way secured Jaguar's viability as a manufacturer throughout the next few decades.
The XJ then is a crucial piece of the Jaguar story, and there is no other example to rival the unique provenance of MWK 28G in terms of its relevance to the brand (hence the Telegraph accolade). It is no overstatement to say that ownership of this car constitutes custodianship of vital Jaguar history.
The car is matching numbers throughout, naturally - the engine number of course corresponding to that fitted by Jaguar in September 1969 in readiness for its departure from Browns Lane. All owners have taken a sympathetic approach to maintenance and upkeep with preservation, patina and originality as the talismen.
The vehicle was treated to a no-expense-spared circa. £30k bare metal re-spray in 2018, necessitated by accident damage to the roof and left C-pillar by careless transporters whilst en-route home from the NEC Motorshow. This has been widely chronicled and again extensive documentation and photographs are available. Restoration was entrusted to Keith Parrington, at that time bodywork adviser to the JEC and an acknowledged specialist. It entailed careful reproduction of the imperfect panel shut lines that characterised the original hand-built car and which are testament to its originality.
Naturally as 2. 8 litre version and mated to an automatic gearbox this is not a vehicle for an acquirer seeking anything like a sportscar experience. But for the Jaguar connoisseur seeking a unique and unrepeatable piece of Jaguar history the car represents an unrivalled opportunity.
Notwithstanding the performance disclaimers, the driving experience is a pleasure. The ride and handling are as creamy and graceful as one has come to expect from driving any of the XJ variants descended from MWK 28G, the ultimate grandfather of them all.
The car and its extensive history are available for inspection near Haywards Heath, West Sussex. Any enquiries or requests to inspect are invited.
