More Than Just a Stop Gap

              No car would ever want to be known as a stop gap model, filling the space until a highly anticipated new car was introduced. But such was the fate of the Jaguar 240 and 340 models of 1967.

            But while the names on these cars were only around for one year in anticipation of the XJ6, a very successful car indeed, they really weren’t simply one off models. In fact, the 240 and 340 were really the exact same thing as the car that was being replaced, the Mark 2.

            Between 1959 and 1966, Jaguar had a very popular saloon dubbed the Mark 2. Chanting a mantra of “grace, pace and space,” these cars nearly 84,000 of these cars were sold in three trims. The trims were identified by three engine offerings: a 2483 cubic centimeter inline six, a 3442 cc inline six and a 3781 cc inline six. The sizes were rounded to the 2.5L, the 3.4L and the 3.8L models.

            The engines used in these popular saloons were the famed Jaguar XK style of inline six cylinder power plant. In particular the 3.8 was very similar, if somewhat smaller and less powerful, to the engine that would debut in 1962 powering the legendary E-Type (or XKE). These dual overhead cam engines had hemispherical cross-flow cylinder heads with valves angled 45 degrees from vertical. This was one of the most efficient and long lasting engine designs.

            While Jaguar had always had a reputation, dating back to its earliest years, of turning out successful racers, much of their past was also rooted in luxury as is denoted by the Mark 2. The cars are spacious with fine touches and offer up a smooth and comfortable ride which, to anyone who follows Jaguar today can easily understand. But by 1967 Jaguar was more known for its roaring sports car, the E Type, than for a luxury vehicle.

            Throughout the 1960s though, there were still plenty of people who made the association between Jaguar and luxury through the Mark 2. So why, all of a sudden, change the name of a popular and successful car?

            Perhaps the reasoning lies in what was going on at the corporate level at the time. In 1966 Jaguar merged with the British Motor Corporation to form British Motor Holdings. The companies, including Austin-Healy, would all keep their own identities but, as BMC had been doing, would have the financial stability to move forward as well as the ability to share engineering with each other.

            The Jaguar marque would not be tainted by this merger. Since they had already announced the development of a replacement to the XJ6 that was slowed a bit by the merger, the decision was made to drop the 3.8L Mark 2 and to rename the others the 240 and the 340 as a marketing ploy. In fact, with limited production nearly 2000 were sold.