1955
Jaguar Two-point-four Mk 1
Out
of 21 responses only 15 were correct.
The
following people got the answer correct:
COLIN
FRANKLIN (Auckland, New Zealand),
Dr. RAMPRADEEP.M.D, SRIDHAR CHIGULURI,
RITWIK KAKATI (GUWAHATI, INDIA),
ABOO, S.JAYENDRIN(COIMBATORE, INDIA),
ABHI MAG, MANDAR SHERBET, SUNIL DEO,
NITTUR VIJAY (SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA),
ALTAF (CHENNAI), PRAMOD SONI,
JAYESH (MUMBAI, INDIA), AMAR PARIKH,
RAJ.
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The
information about the 1955 Jaguar 2.4 Mk
1 car was provided by Mr.B.J.Ram Rao who is an avid auto
enthusiast and has participated and won almost all the Spot Car
Contests that we have run.
You
can contact Mr.B.J.Ram Rao at -
ramrao@bajirao.com
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1955
Jaguar Two-point-four
Mk 1
The
1955 Jaguar Two-point-four was the first incarnation of Jaguar's
"Small" saloon aimed at the developing executive market.
It was launched at the 1955 Motor show, designed to fill the
product gap between Jaguar's swift and stately luxury saloon:
the Mark Seven and the lithe aerodynamic XK140 (fixed and drophead)
coupe/roadster range. Both the luxury and sports segments were
highly vulnerable to recession and depended less on the domestic
British market than on foreign markets (which could be closed
overnight at the whim of a foreign government).
Never intended to be a maintream family car, the 2.4 was a car
for the typical motorist to aspire to: a segment remarkably
competition-less in the mid 1950s.
Jaguar
buffs today call it the Mk 1 (because it came before the Mk
2), though Jaguar never referred to it as such. A 3.4 liter
engine was added in 1957 to suit the USA market, who view 2.4
liters as underpowered!
Jaguar's
first monocoque saloon, the Two Point Four was conservatively
overdesigned with small windows and heavy door window
surrounds and pillars. The rear wheel spats were cut away in
1957 to accomodate wire wheels and improve brake drum cooling.
Interior
appointments featured generous use of hand-rubbed walnut panelling,
and Connolly Vaumol glove leather over Dunlopillo upholstery.
Jaguars'
potent performance and fun open road cruising breed from the
sternest demands of European road racing. The 2.4 was powered
by the famous DOHC Jaguar XK engine, winner of many a
world title and victory. The 2483 cc XK engine breathed
through two Solex downdraught carburetors. It had a chrome-iron
cylinder block, high-tensile aluminum alloy head with hemispherical
combustion chambers and aluminum alloy pistons. The twin overhead
camshafts were driven by a two-stage roller chain.
Power
delivery was via a Borg & Beck hydraulic clutch to a four-speed
gearbox with optional overdrive. Borg-Warner Automatic Transmission
was also an available option.
From a standstill it could touch 97 km/h in 14 seconds and nudge
160 km/h with 112 bhp@5750 rpm. Fuel consumption was 8.5 km/litre.
A total of 19,992 cars were produced before the Mark 1 was replaced
by the Mark 2.
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