Jaguar Mark IX

Jaguar Mark IX
3.8 litre first registered April 1960
Overview
Manufacturer	Jaguar Cars
Production	1959–1961 10,009 produced
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car (F)
Powertrain
Engine	3781 cc, 220 hp (164 kW) I-6
Dimensions
Wheelbase	120 in (3,048 mm)
Length	196.5 in (4,990 mm)
Width	75 in (1,900 mm)
Height	63 in (1,600 mm)
Kerb weight	4,000 lb (1,800 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor	Jaguar Mark VIII
Successor	Jaguar Mark X

The Jaguar Mark IX (pronounced mark nine) is a large luxury saloon car produced by Jaguar Cars between 1959 and 1961. It replaced the previous Mark VIII. The early versions were identical in exterior appearance to the Mark VIII except for the addition of a chrome "Mk IX" badge to the boot lid. Later versions had a larger tail-lamp assembly with the addition of an amber section for traffic indication, visually similar to the tail-lights of the smaller Jaguar Mark 2. It was replaced by the lower and more contemporary-styled Mark X in 1961.

The Mark IX was popular as a ceremonial car for state dignitaries. When Charles de Gaulle paid a state visit to Canada in 1960, the official cars for the motorcade were Mark IX Jaguars, rather than Cadillacs or Lincolns. The English Queen Mother had a Jaguar Mark VII which was progressively upgraded to be externally identical to the later Mark IX. The Nigerian government bought forty Mark IXs, painted in the Nigerian state colours of green and white. The large Jaguars of the 1950s were sufficiently popular in western Africa that "Jagwah" survives as a colloquialism for "smart man-about-town".

In the luxury car market, the Jaguar Mk IX was very competitively priced, selling for ₤1995 with manual gearbox, ₤2063 with overdrive, and ₤2163 with automatic transmission, which was less than half the price of similar competitors.

Standard transmission was a four-speed manual system: options included overdrive, but most cars were built with a Borg Warner three-speed automatic box.

Internally, an enlarged-bore 3.8 L (231 in³), 220 bhp (164.1 kW) DOHC straight-6 replaced the previous 3.4 L (210 in³) 190 bhp (141.7 kW) unit. The B-type head of the Mark VIII was retained, but with a chamfer at the bottom of the combustion chamber to accommodate the enlarged bore. Twin HD6 1.75" SU carburettors were fitted. A smaller electromagnetically controlled auxiliary carburettor was placed between the main pair of carburettors to act as a choke. It often proved troublesome in operation and many were converted to manual switching . Standard compression ratio was 8:1, but a higher performance 9:1 compression ratio was also available, as was a 7:1 compression ratio for export markets, such as Africa, where quality of petrol was sometimes a problem.