Jaguar Mk V

Manufacturer	Jaguar Cars
Production	1948–1951 10,466
Predecessor	Jaguar 2½ Litre & 3½ Litre saloons
Successor	Jaguar Mark VII
Body style	saloon, drophead coupé
Engine	2664 cc or 3485 cc straight-6 pushrod ohv
Transmission	four-speed manual
Wheelbase	120 in (3,048 mm)
Length	187.5 in (4,763 mm)
Width	69.5 in (1,765 mm)
Height	62.5 in (1,588 mm)

Jaguar MkV drophead coupé

1950 Mk V four-door landaulet

The Jaguar Mark V (pronounced mark five) was a saloon car built by Jaguar Cars Ltd. The origin of the name is rather odd since, back in 1948 there had been no Mk I to IV Jaguars: the MK IV designation was only given to the predecessor after the launch of the Mk V. It was perhaps a nod to Bentley who built 11 advanced Mark V saloons in 1939, resumed with the Mark VI in 1946-52 and dropped the "Mark" naming thereafter while Jaguars continued with the Mark VII to IX.

The car was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show at the same time as the XK120, with which it shared a stand. However, the Mark V vastly outsold the XK120 by roughly 5,000 cars per year as compared to 2,000 cars per year for the XK120. While the XK120 had a new overhead-camshaft XK engine, the Mark V retained the 1936 driveline including the "Jaguar" overhead-valve pushrod straight-6 2-1/2L and 3-1/2L units for which the company was renamed after the war. No 1-1/2L version was offered. Claimed power output in this application was 104 bhp (78 kW) for the 2664 cc Mark V and 126 bhp (94 kW) for its more popular 3486 cc sibling. The chassis was new with independent front suspension by double wishbones and torsion bar, an arrangement that would be used by Jaguar for many future vehicles. It also had hydraulic brakes, which Jaguar had been slow to adopt compared to other manufacturers, and an all pressed steel body.

The styling of the car followed prewar SS-Jaguar lines with upright chrome grille and the leaping Jaguar radiator cap mascot became available as an option. There is a distinct hint of the recently modernised Bentley look in the style of the front grill.

The wheels were 16-inch (410 mm) steel-disc type, significantly smaller than the 18-inch (460 mm) ones on the MK IV. From the side, a distinctive styling touch was a "tuck in" curve at the base of the rear window following the curved profile of the side glass. Rear-wheel spats (fender skirts) were standard. There was also a drophead coupé version which is now highly sought after.

A 3.5 litre car tested by The Motor magazine in 1949 had a top speed of 90.7 mph (146.0 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 20.4 seconds. Jaguar's inimitable test engineer Norman Dewis used a Mark V regularly. Recently asked about the top speed he saw in his car, he commented that he verified 90 mph once, but the thrill of the moment did not encourage repeating the feat. A fuel consumption of 18.2 miles per imperial gallon (15.5 L/100 km; 15.2 mpg_-US) was recorded. The test car cost £1263 including taxes.

Production figures were:

• 2.5 litre saloon 1647
• 2.5 litre coupé 28
• 3.5 litre saloon 7814
• 3.5 litre coupé 977

In 1951 the Mark V was replaced by the Jaguar Mark VII. The Mark VII had the same 10-foot (3.0 m)wheelbase as the Mark V, but a longer and more streamlined-looking body, which continued in production with little outward change through the Jaguars Mark VIII and Mark IX until 1961.

• Jaguar Buyer's Guide Michael L Cook. Motorbooks International, USA. 1996. ISBN 0-76030-169-7