The first impression you get of this car is that it is huge. It is bursting out of its own skin with these bulging sides, making it over six feet in width. It is nearly seventeen feet long, more than a foot longer than a Volvo V70 Estate. Although it is a full four feet six inches high, it still looks low. The first of its line, the Jaguar Mark X, was launched in 1961, the same year as the famous E-type, and the 420G designation was attached in 1967, though it continued to be called the "Mark Ten" by the general public, and 420Gs were manufactured into 1970. Nerds can distinguish the 420G from the earlier Mark X by the heavier central vertical in the radiator grille, a different hub cap design, and direction indicator repeaters on the sides. There was also a Jaguar 420 (no G), but that was a descendant of another series of sportier Jaguar saloons. The Mark X / 420G was considered to be a luxury saloon, rather than a sports saloon, though under the skin it's a huge sports car.

The prestige conferred by owning a Mark Ten in its day was extremely high. It was nearly as sexy as a Ferrari of its day at half the price, or less, and infinitely more respectable, reliable and British. Yet it came from the same stable as the exciting E-type, with which it shared its rear suspension design, which was also used on the XJ6, the luxury saloon which replaced the 420G.

Of the 25000 Mark Xs and 420Gs built, about a quarter were 420Gs. You don't see many around these days. In common with nearly all cars of the sixties, they suffered from terminal rust, and many mechanically viable machines expired when their superstructures collapsed. Yet there are a few still around, like this one, a majestic car, with a hand-built appearance, which it is hard to believe was mass-produced. While I usually like to drive the cars I review, I didn't dare get this one dirty by taking it outside, so I just sat in the driving seat and remembered driving my old Mark X from Newcastle to Edinburgh in a blizzard, in perfect comfort and safety.... and with the windows open because the heater was jammed at "barbecue".