1977 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 Manual - 9,395 mls

This spectacular 9,395 mile virtually factory-gate condition Daimler Sovereign is owned by Chris Wilson of Armagh in Northern Ireland. It’s a local vehicle that was originally purchased new in 1977 by (believe it or not) a Mr John Smith, who ran the local Austin Rover dealership. 

It’s safe to say that John was quite the car enthusiast. Besides being into his motorsport (as a driver), he also built up a big collection. For various reasons, John moved on, leaving more than twenty fine cars in the family garage. John’s daughter has been gradually disposing of the fleet ever since. The Daimler was the last to be sold, as it was the closest one to her heart. That sale, to Chris, happened around four months ago.

Now Chris needs to move the car on to finance some essential building work. The recommissioning work he has had done on it includes an engine service, brake overhaul, full electrical check and replacement of suspension bushes where necessary.

The vast majority of XJ6s, and Sovereigns in particular, came with three-speed automatic gearboxes. Very unusually, the car that is being auctioned here has a Borg-Warner 4-speed manual transmission with overdrive on 3rd and top. In period, Jaguar and Daimler test cars sent out to car journalists were almost always automatics as it was felt that this was a better fit with the nature of the car. The manual box was a beefy affair that was as far from ‘snicky’ as it’s possible to get, but today that he-man character plus its rarity only add interest to what, in terms of specification and condition, may well be a unique vehicle.

How many used car ads have you seen telling you that such and such a colour is ‘the best’ colour for that particular car. Colour appeal is subjective, so there can’t really be a ‘best’ one, but it must be said that Regency Red is incredibly well suited to the dynamic lines of the Series II. In this case it’s complemented by a gold coachline, a period touch from an earlier period really, but one that’s sufficiently understated to avoid tackiness.

This car is one of the extended wheelbase models that came in with the Series II range. Fortunately that is the case, because it does address the only real issue with the early XJ6/Sov cars, which was a slight shortage of legroom for back-seat passengers.

We haven’t talked much about the car’s condition so far, because quite frankly there’s not much you can say apart from ‘wow’. The word that regularly comes up in any conversation with owner Chris about the originality or otherwise of any of the parts on this car is ‘untouched’. We’d add ‘exceptional’. It’s pretty much exactly as it came out of the factory.

The paint is rich and lustrous and all the chrome looks immaculate. The shutlines are as tight as any Browns Lane production line worker would ever remember. The door latches and striker plates look new, and the traditionally manky A-, B- and C-post areas behind the doors are as shiny and clean as the bits that are on public display.

The pillowy leather seats are a testament to ultra-low usage and preventative measures. How often do you see 42-year-old factory seat protectors? Not very. The fact that we’ve still got them in place here is not only remarkable, it’s also an excellent indication of the first owner’s determination to keep the car as clean as possible.

Lift the high-quality carpets and you’ll see factory-fresh floors. Make sure you’ve got plenty of denture fixative on hand before you try saying that last bit. The door cards are perfect. As mentioned earlier, the Sovereign didn't come off the line with the XJ6’s wooden door cappings, so although the choice of material may seem slightly strange, the car is correct as it stands.

As you’d expect, the glove compartment still has its pivoting vanity mirror. The ‘D’ logoed Daimler clutch and brake pedal rubbers are sharp and all the carpets including the driver’s and one in the boot are in showroom condition.

There’s not a lot we can say really other than maybe to advise you to check out some period literature on this car, because the imagery you see there will look pretty much identical to what you see in these pictures.

A sticker in the rear window tells us that the Daimler was fully rustproofed by Ziebart from new, clearly a very wise precaution because more than four decades later there are still no visible traces of corrosion anywhere on the car.

The boot floor looks as fresh as the rest of the metalwork. Even the engine spec label on the underside of the bonnet, traditionally the dirtiest zone in any car, is literally spotless.

If we’re being hyper-critical, the engine itself falls a little below the otherwise incredible presentation standard of the rest of the car, but that’s all relative. It’s still a solid nine out of ten. You can imagine spending a few happy hours under there with a box of detailing products.

Originally on a private plate (JJS 12), the Daimler now carries a Northern Irish registration number. There isn’t much paperwork, and nothing in the way of a service history, unsurprising given its low mileage, but given the backstory and the evidence of your own eyes it’s a fair guess that this car has always received top-notch care.

What we do have along with the regular owner’s manuals is a charming factory Routine Maintenance sheet, a tagged Leyland Cars Supercover handbook, and a beautiful Sales & Service Facilities booklet dated October 1973, the first year of the Series IIs. Presumably Jaguar printed off a job lot at launch. If you’re a ‘bottle half full’ type you might prefer to describe it as a first edition.

Owning any classic car with an unfeasibly low mileage comes with certain limitations. There’s always a strong temptation to keep the mileage low in order to maintain its value. But that means not driving it – a ridiculous contradiction, especially for high-performance cars that were designed to be used.

Despite its limousine reputation (and its limo-like ride quality) the Series II XJ6/Sov is very much a driver’s car. That’s particularly true of this very rare overdrive manual gearbox 4.2 model, which is surely the next best thing to a brand new 1977 Sovereign.

Just how rare is it? Our research indicates that there are fewer than twenty 4.2 manual Sovereigns remaining on British roads - in long-wheelbase guise you’re looking at single figures. It’s difficult to imagine any of those that are left being in better condition than this one. It’s practically a museum piece, but what a shame it would be to let it moulder away behind a rope. Would you keep a greyhound locked in a cage, or a thoroughbred horse in a stable? Of course not.

Fortunately, the mileage of this Daimler is so low that you’re saved from having to make the awful decision about keeping it under wraps. You could easily put quite a few more miles on it over the next few years without hurting its resale value. If you did 4000 miles a year over five years, you’d be looking at well under 40,000 miles by 2024 – still a very low number for a Series II, especially a 47-year-old one. And the chances are that you’ll have enjoyed every single one of those miles. As it stands, this Sovereign is just a spot of engine detailing away from concours, after which some showgoing would very much be on the menu for the next owner. This is a rare, interesting and best of all usable car, and an opportunity that’s unlikely to come around again.

We always encourage viewings. This Daimler is located in Armagh, Northern Ireland. Just click the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to arrange an appointment. Ahead of that, or at any time during the process, you’re more than welcome to ask any questions or jot down observations in the comments section below. You won’t be shocked to hear that our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section will answer general questions that are frequently asked about how The Market works. 

Also please note that we have a network of trusted suppliers with whom we work regularly and successfully: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.