Before the XJ6, Jaguar had the 420 and the 420G. Despite the similarities in the names, the two cars were notably different in size. The 420G was the company’s largest sedan, a renamed Mark X that measured 202 inches in total length while riding on an a 120-inch wheelbase. The 420, on the other hand, was notably smaller, with an overall length of just 188 inches and a wheelbase of just 107. With a listed curb weight of just under 3,472 pounds, the 420 tipped the scales a full quarter ton less than its larger stablemate.
Produced from 1967 to 1969 and powered by a version of Jaguar’s famed XK twin-cam engine—as found in the E-type sports cars—the 420 could certainly be considered one of the first luxury sport sedans, years before the Germans made hay of such things. In fact, Jaguar actually called the 420 a “Sports Sedan” in its sales literature. While most 420 sedans had their XK engines matched with a Borg Warner three-speed automatic, this 1967 Jaguar 420 sedan now listed on Hemmings Auctions was equipped with a four-speed manual with overdrive from the factory, adding another level to its sporting intent.
The seller believes that this 420 might be just one of 100 such cars in left-hand drive equipped with the manual transmission. Given that the 420 was only sold in the U.S. for 1967 (with some sold in 1968 as leftovers) and that the vast majority of sedan buyers choose automatic transmissions, the number certainly seems credible.
Produced in various displacements from 2.4 to 4.2 liters and noted for its smooth power delivery, Jaguar’s DOHC inline-six endured from its introduction in 1949 all the way into the 1990s. Jaguar rated the 420’s twin-carb 4.2-liter XK engine at 245 horsepower in 1967. When matched with the four-speed manual, power reached the rear wheels via limited-slip differential with a 3.54:1 final-drive ratio.
Matching the sophisticated overhead-cam engine was a four-wheel independent suspension with control arms, coil springs and an anti-roll bar up front and a rear setup that included trailing links, lateral arms, and dual coil springs on each side, all very much like the E-type. “Varamatic” variable-ratio power steering was also standard. Power-assisted Girling disc brakes at all four corners (inboard at the rear) helped slow down this quick sedan which was capable of 120 mph on the top end.
Befitting the luxury component of this luxury sports sedan, leather upholstery was standard kit on the 420, as were polished walnut accents throughout the cabin, including the dashboard itself. In terms of passenger comfort, the 420 was well equipped with the likes of a folding armrest for the rear passengers, thick carpeting and map and courtesy lights.
The evolution from the original Jag S-Type compact sedan to the 420 and later the XJ is evident in the sheet metal and greenhouse of this car. The refurbishment of this 420 included a respray some years ago in what the seller believes is the original Opalescent Silver Blue hue. The refinish appears to be holding up well and the underside of the car shows almost no corrosion to speak of beyond some superficial rust on some fasteners and suspension components.
Road & Track magazine, in its December 1967 review of the 420, noted that the car was “quiet, smooth, nimble—an unmitigated pleasure to drive.” That praise rings as high endorsement from the buff book that was once the arbiter of sporting cars from Europe and beyond. The seller is quoted in the listing as saying, “This car has always been cherished, and it runs and drives very well.”
For many years, Jaguar occupied the marketplace for luxury sporting sedans all on its own, combining the British coachbuilding traditions where wool and wood ruled the roost with the athletic prowess of a drivetrain that had beat the world at Le Mans several times. Head on over to Hemmings Auctions to take a look at the car the defined that market 56 years ago in this 1967 Jaguar 420 Sports Sedan.
