Jaguar Mk VII–IX
1950–1961 · separate chassis · and the Mark IX gets discs and power steering together
Two pieces of windscreen means Mark VII. One curved piece means Mark VIII or IX. That is the fastest way in.
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About the Jaguar Mk VII–IX
All four cars share a separate chassis, torsion-bar independent front suspension and a live rear axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs — the rear inherited from the 1949 Mark V. The Mark VII of 1950 runs the 3,442cc XK six at 160bhp with servo-assisted drum brakes and a two-piece split windscreen. The Mark VIIM of October 1954 lifts it to 190bhp with new high-lift cams, and brings a constant-mesh gearbox with closer ratios, larger torsion bars, and flashing indicators in place of semaphore arms, along with a redesigned grille, bumpers and tail lamps and outboard fog lamps on the bumper. Laycock overdrive joined the options list.
October 1956 changes the glass and October 1958 changes the brakes. The Mark VIII replaced the divided screen with a new curved one-piece windscreen — the most obvious external change on the whole line and a major glazing breakpoint — along with a B-type cylinder head with bigger valves, a revised grille with a leaping cat, a curved chrome waist strip and rear spats cut back to show more wheel. Then the Mark IX of October 1958, which is the important one mechanically: 3,781cc and 220bhp, the first Jaguar saloon with standard four-wheel Dunlop discs, and power steering standard at the same moment — geared to 3.5 turns lock to lock against 4.5 on the Mark VII and VIII. From the outside it is a Mark VIII apart from the boot badge, so the badge and the brakes are your identification.
Jaguar Mk VII–IX — specification & changes within the model
- Brakes
- Drums, servo-assisted, to the end of the Mark VIII. Mark IX, October 1958: the first Jaguar saloon with standard four-wheel Dunlop discs — and power steering standard in the same moment.
- The windscreen tells you the mark
- Two-piece split screen = Mark VII or VIIM. One curved piece = Mark VIII or Mark IX. The change came in October 1956 with the Mark VIII and it is the defining glazing breakpoint on this line.
- Mark VIII or Mark IX?
- Externally identical apart from the boot badge, plus a later larger tail-lamp assembly with an amber section on the Mark IX. The real difference is underneath: discs and power steering.
- Engines by mark
- Mark VII 3,442cc, 160bhp at 5,200 · Mark VIIM 190bhp via high-lift cams · Mark VIII 190bhp with a B-type head and bigger valves · Mark IX 3,781cc, 220bhp, twin HD6 1.75in SU with an auxiliary electromagnetic choke.
- Suspension
- Separate chassis. Torsion-bar independent front. Live rear axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs, inherited from the 1949 Mark V. Unchanged across all four cars.
- Mark VIIM identification
- Redesigned grille, bumpers and tail lamps · flashing indicators replacing semaphore arms · Le Mans headlamp diffusers · outboard fog lamps on the bumper with horn grilles replacing the inset fog lamps · larger torsion bars · constant-mesh gearbox.
- Not claimed
- Brake make and drum size for the Mark VII, VIIM and VIII. The only figure any source gives is relative — the Mark VI had “40 per cent more lining area than the Mark V”. Nothing states manufacturer or diameter for these cars. Also earth polarity and voltage, and production totals differ between sources.