- California’s top cats
- 1956 Jaguar Mk1 Custom ($34,100/£28,770)
- 1969 Jaguar E-type Series 2 4.2 Coupé ($44,800/£37,795)
- 1973 Jaguar E-type Series 3 V12 Roadster ($67,200/£56,695)
- 1955 Jaguar XK140 MC Roadster ($72,800/£61,420)
- 1962 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($78,400/£66,145)
- 1969 Jaguar E-type Series 2 ($82,500/£69,600)
- 1958 Jaguar XK150 3.4 dhc ($87,360/£73,700)
- 1969 Jaguar E-type Series 2 Coupé ($95,200/£80,320)
- 1965 Jaguar E-type Series 1 Roadster ($137,500/£116,000)
- 1969 Jaguar E-type Series 2 Roadster ($159,500/£134,565)
- 1962 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($173,600/£146,460)
- 1965 Jaguar E-type Series 1 4.2 Roadster ($179,200/£151,190)
- 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster ($190,400/£160,635)
- 1952 Jaguar XK120C Competition ($190,400/£160,635)
- 1968 Jaguar E-type Series 1½ 4.2 Roadster ($201,600/£170,085)
- 1961 Jaguar E-type Series 1 Roadster ($207,000/£174,640)
- 1962 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($224,000/£188,985)
- 1949 Jaguar XK120 Alloy Roadster ($257,600/£217,330)
- 1961 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($280,000/£236,230)
- 1961 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($483,500/£407,920)
- 1950 Jaguar MkV Custom ($550,000/£464,025)
- 1993 Jaguar XJ220 ($555,000/£468,240)
- 1993 Jaguar XJ220 ($566,000/£477,520)
- 1961 Jaguar E-type Series 3.8 fhc ($632,000/£533,205)
- 1991 Jaguar XJR-15 ($1,270,000/£1,071,473)
- 1991 Jaguar XJR-15 ($1,380,000/£1,164,278)
- 1957 Jaguar XKSS Continuation ($1,545,000/£1,303,485)
- 1963 Jaguar E-type Lightweight Competition (unsold)
California’s top cats
Jaguar was among the top-selling European makes at the 2022 Monterey Car Week auctions in California this month.
With five major sales during the week-long classic festival, there was plenty of choice from usable E-types to a brace of XJR-15s and a couple of customs for good measure. In fact, we should issue a warning: there are a lot of E-types – or XKEs as they’re known in the US – in this gallery.
Here we’re running down all the Jaguars that found new homes in 2022’s Monterey Car Week sales.
Cars are listed in ascending order of sale price and the data was correct according to Glenmarch on 24 August 2022
1956 Jaguar Mk1 Custom ($34,100/£28,770)
The cheapest Jaguar sold during the 2022 Monterey sales, this 1956 Mk1 had been heavily customised inside and out, and under the bonnet. The original XK engine had been replaced by a 350cu in (5.7-litre) Chevrolet V8 complete with an automatic gearbox.
The tan and green paintwork had been recently restored at an estimated cost of $200,000, and there was full photographic documentation of the work done to the car.
Inside, the leather seats came from a BMW and the instruments had been replaced by aftermarket gauges. The car also came with air conditioning.
1969 Jaguar E-type Series 2 4.2 Coupé ($44,800/£37,795)
Among the big number sales of Jaguars by Bonhams was this appealing and very usable E-type Series 2 4.2 Coupé finished in attractive Primrose Yellow with a black interior.
Its very affordable sale price reflected a few chips in the paint that had been touched-in, plus some small dents to the front wings and rear bumper. However, none of this detracted from the car’s strong mechanical condition which the seller made full use of to tour the Oregon region.
If the occasional mark in the bodywork put off some, others were more interested in this car having never been restored. It had undergone a thorough mechanical rebuild in 2016, however, which accounted for its on-the-button condition.
1973 Jaguar E-type Series 3 V12 Roadster ($67,200/£56,695)
With a single owner for almost 50 years of its life, this 1973 E-type V12 Roadster was one of the most affordable Jaguars offered during the Monterey sales in 2022.
Not perfect, it was still in very good, preserved condition and had covered just 29,000 miles since new.
The original colour scheme of Sand Green with Olive interior was typically 1970s, and this E-type was said to be in very good driving order.
1955 Jaguar XK140 MC Roadster ($72,800/£61,420)
The Jaguar XK140 auctioned by Bonhams was a keen buy, because this car was sold new with the MC package.
From the factory, this meant the car was equipped with an uprated C-type-spec cylinder head and twin exhaust system, giving the car a claimed 210bhp. It was also fitted from new with Dunlop chrome wire wheels and Lucas auxiliary driving lights.
Owned for two decades by its owner before the sale on 19 August 2022, the XK140 had been correctly restored during this ownership and was said to be a very spirited car to drive.
1962 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($78,400/£66,145)
Early Jaguar E-types are always sought-after and this restoration project proved the point by still making strong money despite needing a complete rebuild.
It was sold new in California and was then stored in Arizona for many years, which means this matching-numbers car was remarkably rust-free.
Sold with only 37,000 miles on the clock, the E-type was still in its original Opalescent Silver Blue paint with a dark blue interior. It came with a Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate and all of its original tools, jack and keys.
1969 Jaguar E-type Series 2 ($82,500/£69,600)
Two low-mileage Jaguar E-types were consigned to Mecum’s 18-20 August sale, and this 1969 Series 2 went across the block with just 20,000 miles showing.
The red bodywork was largely original and the car came with a thick file of history to prove its maintenance record.
All of this provenance was backed up by the E-type being a one-owner-from-new car. This keeper ordered the red Jaguar with a white roof, black leather interior and thin whitewall tyres over the chrome wire wheels. With a sale price of $82,500, this Jaguar represented good value for a single-owner E-type.
1958 Jaguar XK150 3.4 dhc ($87,360/£73,700)
The Jaguar XK150 at Bonhams’ sale represented a bit of bargain next to other cars offered from the same maker. It was a matching-numbers car that is thought to have been sold new in the US, which might explain the original and rare automatic gearbox. This might also account for the relatively affordable hammer price.
Sold with plenty of history and records, this XK150 was described as being in a well-sorted condition with excellent detailing, so it was ready to be used right away by its new owner.
1969 Jaguar E-type Series 2 Coupé ($95,200/£80,320)
This Series 2 E-type Coupé was built on 3 March 1969 and was sold by Bonhams in ready-to-use shape.
It was fitted with its original 4.2-litre engine and four-speed manual gearbox, and was finished in the British Racing Green with black interior colour scheme that it left the factory with.
It had been restored by a previous owner, who had preserved as much of the original components as possible.
Well known in Jaguar Clubs of North America circles, this car had enjoyed previous success in concours competitions. It is now said to be in excellent order for road rallies.
1965 Jaguar E-type Series 1 Roadster ($137,500/£116,000)
This 1965 Jaguar E-type sold by Mecum was in superb condition after a full engine and gearbox rebuild in 2021.
This followed an earlier restoration in 1990, when the car was in the hands of the family that owned it for 30 years. The maroon paintwork was still in excellent shape, as was the black leather interior.
A couple of subtle upgrades made this car suitable for regular use and included a modern stereo and stainless-steel exhaust. It had also recently had its suspension and brakes refurbished.
1969 Jaguar E-type Series 2 Roadster ($159,500/£134,565)
British Leyland New York sold this 1969 Jaguar E-type when it was new and it has covered just 12,562 miles since it left the factory.
A lot of that time has been spent in storage, so the car has its original engine and gearbox.
It was sympathetically restored in 2018 to hold on to its untouched appearance and feel. This included keeping the Blaupunkt radio the car came with when new and thin whitewall tyres identical to those fitted when it was first supplied.
1962 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($173,600/£146,460)
This 1962 Jaguar E-type was one of the last of the flat-floor cars to be built and was sold new by Max Hoffman in New York.
It retains many of the features unique to these early cars, such as the mid-series inside-bonnet catch and later pressed bonnet louvres. It also has the correct Moss four-speed manual gearbox and matching-numbers engine.
However, this car is now finished in black, whereas it was sold new with cream paintwork. The original red leather interior colour scheme was retained during its restoration.
1965 Jaguar E-type Series 1 4.2 Roadster ($179,200/£151,190)
Broad Arrow’s 1965 Jaguar E-type Roadster was a very early 4.2-litre example that is thought to have been sold new in California and spent most of its life there.
Finished in red with a tan leather interior, it is a matching-numbers car that has been maintained in excellent condition.
Much of the car’s bodywork remains original and this classic Jaguar has been sympathetically restored to retain its period feel. It even comes with the original radio and tool roll.
1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster ($190,400/£160,635)
Originally sold in Montreal, Canada, this Pastel Blue XK120 was the 288th off the production line and one of the earliest steel-bodied examples.
It was restored in 2010 to that same specification, which helped it earn a 99.99-point score in Jaguar Clubs of North America concours.
As well as being in pristine condition, this matching-numbers XK120 is also ready to drive after a full service within the last 50 miles.
1952 Jaguar XK120C Competition ($190,400/£160,635)
Not an original Competition version of the XK120, this car’s price reflected that. However, it was still fair value given the work carried out to turn the 1952 car into a tasteful homage to racing versions from the ’50s.
Its 3.8-litre engine has more than 320bhp – and the original 3.4-litre motor was also included in the sale.
Other period-style upgrades included a Le Mans filler cap, leather bonnet strap and Borrani wire wheels.
The racing look was completed by the bumpers being removed and a low-cut windscreen, plus the car had race-spec suspension and brakes fitted.
1968 Jaguar E-type Series 1½ 4.2 Roadster ($201,600/£170,085)
All of the omens were good for this Jaguar E-type to achieve a strong sale price, and it didn’t disappoint at Bonhams’ auction.
One of the last of the Series 1½ cars, of which 2328 were built, it was a matching-numbers example that had been meticulously restored to factory spec in dark blue with tan leather interior. It also came with its original tan-coloured hardtop.
Completing this car’s allure for buyers at The Quail sale was its record of near-perfect scores in Jaguar Clubs of North America concours events. Its five-year restoration resulted in a 99.715 average score in 2020.
1961 Jaguar E-type Series 1 Roadster ($207,000/£174,640)
This early flat-floor E-type had been restored and finished in its original Gunmetal Grey, and it had some period-correct upgrades to make it more capable in road rallies.
It’s estimated to produce 300bhp from its matching-numbers, 3.8-litre engine and still has its original four-speed manual gearbox.
As an early car, it proved a popular lot with buyers at the Bonhams auction, though it was notably more affordable than a car with outside bonnet locks. With two owners from new, original hardtop included and in ready-to-use condition, it attracted keen bidding.
1962 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($224,000/£188,985)
Proving that provenance counts for a great deal when selling, this 1962 Jaguar E-type had been in single-family ownership for almost half a century.
In that time, it had undergone a nut-and-bolt restoration to its original factory specification of Opalescent Blue with a red interior. It was also a matching-numbers car, which helped the sale price.
A few subtle improvements were incorporated during the restoration, such as better brake pads and an improved cooling system. Since the work’s completion, the car has only covered 600 miles.
1949 Jaguar XK120 Alloy Roadster ($257,600/£217,330)
Just edging past its lower estimate in the 19-20 August Gooding & Company Pebble Beach sale, this 1949 Jaguar XK120 was sold new as an alloy-bodied car.
It was supplied by Hoffman Motors in New York and finished in the same Pastel Blue with two-tone blue interior that it sports today.
This first owner kept the car until the 1990s, when it then was sold to Germany where it was restored. It returned to the US and was used for road rallies until earlier this year.
1961 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($280,000/£236,230)
This early Jaguar E-type started life with cream bodywork and a light blue interior. It’s now finished in black with red upholstery, and it’s also not got its original, matching-numbers engine.
However, it comes from a well-regarded collection and has been fully restored. It’s also been regularly used and was serviced just before the sale.
It’s thought this was the only Jaguar E-type Series 1 sold new in Yemen, where it was sent by personal export delivery to shipping agent Antonin Besse & Company in Aden.
1961 Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8 Roadster ($483,500/£407,920)
If you’re in any doubt about the desirability of very early Jaguar E-types, this outside-bonnet-lock example sold by Gooding & Company dispels such notions.
It made very strong money thanks to being the 45th left-hand-drive E-type Roadster built and was sold new through Kjell Qvale’s British Motor Car Distributors in San Francisco.
This car had been restored to the exact specification it was sold new in, so it was finished in Opalescent Dark Green with a Biscuit leather interior. It also came with the original hardtop, radio and fitted suitcase, to complete its appeal.
1950 Jaguar MkV Custom ($550,000/£464,025)
Mecum has not one but two customised Jaguars in its Monterey 2022 sale. This MkV saloon had been converted to a two-door coupé shape, though it retained rear-hinged doors.
All of the work to create this car had taken 12 years and used Ford Mustang suspension. Power is from a 350cu in (5.7-litre) Chevrolet V8 engine.
As part of this Jaguar’s makeover, it had airbag suspension added to provide self-levelling and three ride-height positions at the touch of a button. Inside, air conditioning and a modern stereo had been fitted.
More subtle in its approach than the Jaguar Mk1 custom in Mecum’s sale, this MkV made a substantial $550,000 when the gavel fell.
1993 Jaguar XJ220 ($555,000/£468,240)
This Jaguar XJ220 was the cheaper of the two sold at Monterey in 2022, coming in at $11,000 less than RM Sotheby’s example.
With only 5900km (3666 miles) on the clock from new, this Silverstone Green with Sand leather interior car is close to being as-new. It was sold with a certificate from the Jaguar Heritage Trust to prove it’s an all numbers-matching car.
It went to auction from long-term ownership and was comprehensively serviced by specialist Don Law Racing in 2017. It also came with its original factory manuals, toolkit and both sets of keys.
1993 Jaguar XJ220 ($566,000/£477,520)
For a car with the sensational performance of this Jaguar, the XJ220 looked like good value at the RM Sotheby’s sale. This one was being sold by only its second owner, who had spent a considerable sum bringing it up to its current condition.
It was sold new in 1999 to a US customer and professionally converted to meet local emissions regulations.
The XJ220 had also been fully serviced by Don Law in the UK, including a new racing-cell petrol tank, and uprated air conditioning and cooling systems. Ready to be used, this car still wore its original Monza Red paint with Sand leather interior.
1961 Jaguar E-type Series 3.8 fhc ($632,000/£533,205)
Achieving a hammer price in the middle of its lower and upper estimates, the considerable premium commanded by this 1961 Jaguar E-type coupé is explained by it being one of the 20 original flat-floor, welded-louvre models.
Only 12 of these cars survive today and this example was the 18th of the original 20 built. It has been subject to a 4250-hour restoration to factory-correct specification, helped by the car being in very complete condition prior to the work.
The restoration’s time and cost were justified when the car was awarded three perfect scores at Jaguar Clubs of North America concours events in the 2018.
1991 Jaguar XJR-15 ($1,270,000/£1,071,473)
There were fewer Jaguar XJR-15s built than XJ220s, and this supercar came with a V12 instead of the XJ220’s V6.
Sold by RM Sotheby’s in its 18-20 August auction, this example was the cheaper of the two XJR-15s sold at Monterey in 2022, but still made more than twice that achieved by either XJ220 offered for sale, underlining the rarity of this model and its growing desirability. Only 50 XJR-15s were built and it is closely related to the XJR-9 that won Le Mans in 1988.
This particular example is known as the ‘Japan Study Car’, because it was used by a former Nismo Racing engineer for aerodynamic and hybrid-energy-recovery systems tests. It’s one of 27 XJR-15s built for the road and has covered fewer than 1000 miles since new, though it has been completely resprayed within the past four years.
1991 Jaguar XJR-15 ($1,380,000/£1,164,278)
You wait for one Jaguar XJR-15 to appear at auction and then two pop up in the same week. Whatever the odds are on that, this second XJR-15, sold by Broad Arrow, achieved a higher price than that consigned to the RM Sotheby’s sale, helped by an even lower mileage – this example has done fewer than 700 miles from new.
That low mileage has not stopped the considerable spend needed to maintain these cars and the seller had invested more than $21,000 in the past 12 months to make this car fully road ready.
It is also fitted with air conditioning, and front and rear axle lifts to make it easier to enjoy on public roads.
1957 Jaguar XKSS Continuation ($1,545,000/£1,303,485)
One of the nine continuation cars made by Jaguar to complete the originally intended production of 25 XKSS cars, this one was built in 2018.
It is finished in black with a black interior, and it had just 62 miles on the clock when it was sold by Gooding & Company at Monterey.
This XKSS sold just above its lower estimate, making it one of only a handful of Jaguars to break the $1 million barrier at the 2022 Monterey sales.
1963 Jaguar E-type Lightweight Competition (unsold)
Yes, we are cheating a bit here, because this car didn’t find a new home, but perhaps you can forgive us…
Of all the Jaguars being auctioned at Monterey in 2022, the 1963 ex-Briggs Cunningham E-type Lightweight was the most eagerly anticipated sale. It reached a price of $6.3 million at Bonhams’ auction, but this fell some way short of its lower estimate of $7 million and it went unsold.
This car was supplied to Cunningham with a four-speed manual gearbox to compete at Le Mans and was officially dispatched from Jaguar’s Browns Lane factory on 7 June 1963. It was driven in the French 24-hour enduro by Walt Hansgen and Augie Pabst, but the car retired early because of gearbox issues. Enjoy its full story here.
Keyword: Every Jaguar sold in Monterey Car Week