By branding the Mk2 2.4 and subsequent 240 ‘the best Jaguar bargain of all time’, the firm could have been accused of throwing its entry-level model to the hounds of snobbery, and in some respects it did.
But the huge popularity of the larger-engined Mk2s – some of which now command prices of £40k-plus – has played into the hands of the 2.4-litre, which is visually almost identical to the range-topping cars.
It’s not the same, of course, and most 240s make do with Ambla vinyl seats (many of which don’t recline), but there’s still plenty of wood to elevate it above less prestigiously badged classics.
It’s the engine that proved the biggest sticking point for some potential owners at the time but, performance shortfalls notwithstanding, this can seem a trifle harsh now. They’re probably more economical, too, if not by much.
The 2.4 was derived from the 3.4-litre XK units, with the drop in capacity achieved by chopping an inch off the top of the block – rather than narrowing the cylinder bore.
The result was a shorter stroke (down from 106mm to 76.5mm), over-square engine that was lighter and more free-revving than the one it sat below in the range.
The icing on the cake was Jaguar’s decision to fit an E-type style straight-port cylinder head, twin 1¾in carburettors and a water-heated inlet manifold.
And, if its pedigree was ever in any doubt, it is worth remembering that this was the only iteration of the XK engine ever fitted into a GP car.
