Jaguar 420 and Daimler Sovereign (1966–69)

Jaguar 420 and Daimler Sovereign (1966–69)
1968 Jaguar 420 (left) and 1967 Daimler Sovereign (right)
Overview
Manufacturer	Jaguar Cars
Production	1966–68 Jaguar 420: 10,236 1966–69 Daimler Sovereign: 5,824
Body and chassis
Class	Sports saloon
Body style	4-door notchback saloon
Layout	FR layout
Related	Jaguar Mark 2 Jaguar Mark X
Powertrain
Engine	4.2 L XK I6
Transmission	4-speed manual (Jag only); 4-speed manual/overdrive; or 3-speed automatic options available
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,727 mm (107 in)
Length	4,762 mm (187 in)
Width	1,702 mm (67 in)
Height	1,429 mm (56 in)
Curb weight	1,676 kg (3,695 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Jaguar S-Type
Successor	Jaguar XJ6

The Jaguar 420 (pronounced "four-twenty") and its Daimler Sovereign equivalent were introduced at the October 1966 London Motor Show and produced for two years as the ultimate expression of a series of "compact sporting saloons" offered by Jaguar throughout that decade, all of which shared the same wheelbase. Developed from the Jaguar S-Type, the 420 cost around £200 more than that model and effectively ended buyer interest in it, although the S-Type continued to be sold alongside the 420/Sovereign until both were supplanted by the Jaguar XJ6 late in 1968.

The 420/Sovereign traces its origins back to the Jaguar Mark 2, which was introduced in 1959 and sold through most of the 1960s. The Mark 2 had a live rear axle and was powered by the XK six-cylinder engine first used in the Jaguar XK120 of 1948. The Mark 2 was available in 2.4, 3.4 and 3.8-litre engine capacities.

In 1961 Jaguar launched two new models with the triple SU carburettor version of the 3.8-litre XK engine: the Mark X (pronounced "mark ten") saloon and the E-Type sports car. Both cars used versions of Jaguar's new independent rear suspension, the Mark X having a 58-inch (1,500 mm) track and the E-Type a 50-inch (1,300 mm) track. In 1965 the Mark X and E-Type were updated with a new 4.2-litre version of the XK engine, still using triple carburettors.

Meanwhile, in 1963 Jaguar had introduced the Jaguar S-Type as a development of the Mark 2. It used a new intermediate-width, 54-inch (1,400 mm) version of the independent rear suspension in place of the live rear axle of the Mark 2. Other differences from the Mark 2 were extended rear bodywork to provide for a larger boot, a changed roofline for more rear seat passenger headroom, a slightly plusher interior and detail differences around the nose. The S-Type was available with either 3.4 or 3.8-litre XK engines (only 3.8-litre in USA) but in twin-carburettor form because the triple-carburettor setup would not readily fit into what was essentially still the Mark 2 engine bay.