Jaguar XK150 (1957 – 1961) Review

Jaguar XK150 (1957 – 1961) At A Glance

4/5

+Comfortable, fast, excellent road manners, and styling that continues to age well. As with all Jaguars, great specialist and club back-up.

-Not as focused a drive as the XK120 or even XK140. Beware aftermarket upgrades, and poorly executed restorations.

The final iteration of the (original) XK was a bit of an enigma. As before, the XK150 was sold in Roadster, Drophead Coupe and Coupe forms. XK120 fans may decry it for being a dilution of their beloved sports car, but in the real world, on real roads, it probably makes more sense. And definitely so, if you take values into consideration. But which ever way you cut it, at over 1300kg, it was a far cry from the wonderful original that stole so many hearts at the 1948 Earls Court motor show. Jaguar was well aware the XK was gaining girth, and tried to negate it with the fitment of certain aluminium panels, but it was not nearly enough

But despite all that, there was so much going for the XK. It was the first production Jaguar available with all-round disc brakes, and in 1958, when the XK150S was launched, it ended up packing first 250, and then 265bhp, when its 3.4-litre XK twin cam engine was uprated to 3.8-litres. A limited-slip differential was needed to handle the extra power, and it made all the difference.

The XK150 Roadster was upgraded from previous such open-topped XKs by having wind-up windows, even if the hood was still quite basic compared with the Drophead Coupe’s. There’s also a significant difference between these and other XK150s: the deletion of rear seats allowed the cockpit to be moved back four inches, so the
Roadster has a correspondingly longer bonnet, and appreciably more room for the driver. Most came with 3.4-litre engines, but the 265bhp 3.8 is the one that they all want today - with classic buyers paying upwards of 30 per cent premium for the larger engine.

Ask Honest John

What is the best way to sell my Jaguar restoration project?

"I have a Jaguar XK150 restoration project which I want to sell. The car is quite sound - the engine turns OK, while the engine, gearbox and chassis all have matching numbers. I've also got many nice spares, but it does need a lot of work. What would be the best way to sell it?"
A specialist classic car auction would be a sensible way to achieve a fair price. We'd recommend Anglia Car Auctions, Silverstone Auctions or online alternatives like The Market or Collecting Cars.
Answered by Andrew Brady

What's the best way to sell my 1959 Jaguar XK150?

"I have a Jaguar XK150 which has been in the family since 1968. It's still in original condition, but not mint. How would you suggest I sell it?"
There are a few options open to you. To maximise your sale price, you should sell it privately via a classified advert - these can be placed in a variety of classic car magazines and newspapers. Some are free and some will charge, and you'll be at the mercy of print schedules as to when the advert appears. You can also list your car for sale online, which will get the selling process started straight away. If you do choose to sell privately, make sure you place the car in specialist Jaguar titles too. If you can't face the hassle of answering phone calls and emails, then the alternative is to either place it with a dealer or sell it via auction. Both will take a cut - either as a percentage of the final sale price or a fee.
Answered by Keith Moody
More Questions

What does a Jaguar XK150 (1957 – 1961) cost?