Jaguar 2.5 Saloon - 1948
— One of the most elegant four-door Jaguar cars, born in the pre-war era —- Model A saloon car produced in 1948 on the basis of a pre-war model.
- History Numerous photos of the 1994 restoration.
- Production One of the first left-hand drive Jaguars designed for export.
- Design An extremely elegant Jaguar.
- Condition A black car with a red interior and a superb patina, which would be at home in the “preservation class” of concourse. Its 2.8 engine needs to be restarted though.
The 1948 Jaguar 2.5 Saloon from the ANNA LISA Art On Wheels collection is a transition model produced after the war on the basis of a car launched in the pre-war era. It is incredibly elegant.
A car born in the pre-war era.
Sir William Lyons founded the Swallow Sidecar Company on 4 September 1922. The company launched the first Austin Swallow in 1927, before unveiling what was to become the splendid and legendary SS, a two-seater convertible, at the London Motor Show, with various variations such as the SS90 and SS100.
Sir William Lyons, the creator of Swallow, which later became Jaguar Cars, was the key person behind the venture. The name Jaguar only appeared in 1935 and was always associated with the generic SS until 1945, when it was abandoned forever for understandable reasons. The Jaguar name alone therefore dates back to the post-war period with the creation of Jaguar Cars in 1945.
The ‘Mark IV’ and then Mark V models played an important role for the brand in maintaining Jaguar’s reputation in four-seat saloons when the world only had an eye for the sublime XK 120, the two-seater sports car launched at the 1948 Birmingham Motor Show with considerable success.
Jaguar saloons were the last of the company’s saloons to be fitted with the tumbled engine inherited from the 1930s. Indeed, like most car manufacturers in war-torn countries, Jaguar resumed production in 1945 with models launched before the war.
The Saloon was in fact the first car to be assembled after the war. These models were hardly modified at the time due to a severe lack of materials. But for the first time, thinking of export and making it a priority, Jaguar made left-hand drive models, like the ANNA LISA Art On Wheels collection car produced in 1948.
With a steel body, the post-war ‘Mark IVs’ were hardly equipped with the side-wheel guard of the old Jaguars. Powered by the in-house 2.5 litre, 102 bhp 6-cylinder engine, the Saloon was claimed to have a top speed of 140 km/h.
It is interesting to note that cars produced between 1945 and 1948 are often referred to as Mark IVs, a name that was never officially given.
©Aguttes
The Jaguar 2.5 Saloon from the ANNA LISA collection
The Jaguar 2.5 Saloon from the ANNA LISA Art On Wheels collection is so elegant that you’ll be hooked as soon as you see it, with its patina, its stature and its old-fashioned but classy look.
If old photos show it as two-tone with alternating black and cream colours, it was repainted, most probably during its restoration in the 90s, in black, a colour that suits it perfectly.
With a beautiful red leather interior, the car is incredibly elegant. Equipped with a sunroof, a tool kit hidden in the trunk and period accessories, the car is devilishly attractive.
The 2.8 engine, not very powerful, is not blocked and is in good condition, but it has certainly suffered from the frost. For example, the grit removal tablets have blown off, which means that some work is needed to get the car back on the road.
©Aguttes