2014-06-24 21:26:49 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 7/14
issuu.com/artcurialbpt/docs/2535

Auction house:
www.artcurial.com/en/asp/searchresults.asp

Lot 210
Jaguar Mark VII Cabriolet Beutler

2014-06-28 15:26:25 | pauls writes:

Text from above auction:
French title
Chassis n° 737908 BW

- Unique example !
- Coachbuilder's car
- Superb presentation
- Belonged to Roland Urban, well known Jaguar specialist
- Geneva Motor Show prototype

This exceptional car was a one-off prototype exhibited on the stand of the Swiss coachbuilder Beutler, at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show. Created using the base of a Jaguar MK VII, it featured an all-aluminium body, painted garnet red with light beige leather interior, as described in the fascinating book by Roland Urban "Les métamorphoses du Jaguar". The same book explains that this creation, displaying a modern " ponton " styling, was hailed at the time as being " the convertible most similar to what the factory would have built with the same model and chassis ."
After the Motor Show, this car is thought to have spent some time in the Jaguar factory before being sold to a private individual, who subsequently sold it to M. Tilleman-Pruncul, a surveyor from Oise. It was registered by Tilleman-Pruncul on 8 September 1964, as recorded on the copy of the registration document. The car then passed into the hands of Roland Urban, the great marque expert, who sold it on to the current owner. Urban's book states that the car still had its original 3.4-litre engine. In 1996 the engine was overhauled by British Motors (re-boring, pistons replaced, moving parts re-aligned etc).
In 2000, it was entrusted to the Jaguar specialists SPR, who carried out the following work : re-grinding of the cams, replacing bearings, converting valve seats and valves to unleaded fuel, and refurbishing the clutch.
In the engine bay, we note that the Jaguar manufacturer's plaque is missing from the front bulkhead. Also, the series number on the title corresponds to an example that left the factory on 2 June 1954, and is likely to be the number attributed to it after the Motor Show, when the prototype was sold.
The dashboard, covered with the original leather, was renovated by British Motors in 1996, at the same time as the dark green leather upholstery and the hood. This hood, despite its size, is very easy to use, which is useful in the case of a sudden downpour ! A test-drive allowed us to determine that the engine and four-speed gearbox run properly. Once accustomed to its generous size, the car is enjoyable to drive, with the advantage of allowing four people to take pleasure in the open-top experience.
This car is being sold without technical inspection (MOT) and, as it has not been driven much in recent years, a service is advised.

Estimation 60 000 - 80 000 €

2025-10-08 15:00:18 | pauls writes:

Car now on BaT

bringatrailer.com/listing/1953-jaguar-mk-vii-cabriolet-prototype-by-beutler/

Auction description:

Seller: DSFM2005

Location: Houston, Texas

Chassis: 737908BW

One-Off Prototype Bodywork by Beutler

Displayed at 1953 Geneva Motor Show

16k Kilometers (~10k Miles) Shown, TMU

3.4-Liter DOHC Inline-Six

Twin SU Carburetors

Four-Speed Manual Transmission

White Paint

Green Leather Upholstery

Dark Green Convertible Top

16" Body-Color Disc Wheels

Servo-Assisted Hydraulic Drum Brakes

Push-Button Radio

Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate

Private Party or Dealer: Dealer

Additional charges from this dealer: $0

Lot #215019

This 1953 Jaguar Mark VII was fitted with one-off alloy drophead coupe coachwork by Swiss coachbuilder Beutler, who subsequently displayed the car on their stand at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show. The car reportedly won an award in Geneva in June 1953 and is believed to have subsequently returned to the Jaguar factory before being sold to a surveyor from Oise, France, who first registered it in September 1964. It was later purchased by marque specialist Roland Urban, who highlighted it in his 1993 book Métamorphoses du Jaguar. A 1996 refresh is said to have included a re-trim of the interior in green leather and an overhaul of the 3.4-liter DOHC inline-six, the latter of which was again rebuilt in 2000. The car later joined the Ronald Lauder Collection in 2014 before being purchased by the selling dealer in 2025. Finished in white, the car also features twin SU carburetors, a four-speed manual transmission, servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes, independent front suspension, 16” body-color disc wheels, a dark green convertible top, and a push-button radio. This Beutler-bodied Mark VII is now offered in Houston, Texas, with copies of literature mentioning the car, a Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate, a jack, and transferable New York registration.

Founded by brothers Ernst and Fritz Buetler in Thun, Switzerland, in 1943, Gebr. Beutler & Cie gained traction after designing a convertible variant of the Porsche 356 and went on to produce sporting bodies for a variety of European cars. In 1953, the firm designed a single prototype of a two-door, open-roofed variant of the Jaguar Mk VII, which had been launched in 1950 and was built by the factory in saloon form only.

The car’s ponton-style alloy bodywork was originally finished in dark red and underwent a color change to its current shade of white at some point prior to the 1990s. Various imperfections in the finish are shown up close in the photo gallery below, which also includes a composite image showing remnants of dark red paint on areas of the body. Features include chrome bumpers with guards, fog lamps integrated into the bodywork, rectangular front turn signals, dual portholes at the rear of each front fender, a fender-mounted antenna, dual side mirrors, a split windshield, dual lockable fuel-filler doors, and a dark green convertible top.

Body-color steel wheels wear 6.00-16 Coker Classic wide-whitewall tires, and a matching spare is housed in the trunk. Stopping is handled by servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes all around, and the selling dealer notes that the car is coming out of long-term storage, and therefore, the brakes should be inspected and serviced prior to use.

The cabin was re-trimmed in the 1990s with green leather in lieu of the original beige shade, which was retained when re-upholstering the leather-covered dashboard fascia at the same time. Features include brown carpeting, Keiper front seat recliners, roll-up windows, a fold-down rear armrest, a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror, a lockable glovebox, and a radio.

The four-spoke steering wheel sits to the left of Smiths instrumentation including a 200-km/h speedometer, a reverse-sweep tachometer with an inset clock, and gauges monitoring coolant temperature, oil pressure, amperage, and fuel level. The five-digit odometer shows 16k kilometers (~10k miles), approximately five of which have been added under current ownership.

The 3.4-liter DOHC inline-six breathes through twin SU carburetors and is said to have been overhauled in the 1990s, with further work in 2000 including grinding of the camshafts, replacement of the connecting rod bearings, and the installation of valves and valve seats suitable for the use of unleaded fuel. Results of a compression test performed under current ownership can be viewed in the gallery. The block is stamped with number B1723-8, while the cylinder head is stamped with number A5893-8.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a floor-shifted four-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on its top three gears. The clutch was reportedly rebuilt in 2000. Suspension incorporates a torsion-bar double-wishbone front setup with telescopic shock absorbers and an anti-roll bar, while the leaf-sprung solid axle rear utilizes hydraulic lever-arm shock absorbers.

Included in the sale are a jack, a copy of Ronald Urban’s Métamorphoses du Jaguar, a 1953 copy of Illustrierte Automobil Revue, and a Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate for chassis number 737908BW. A chassis plate stamped with the same number was fitted to the car after its 2014 sale and reportedly corresponds with the number on the car’s 1964 registration certificate and current New York registration. Number 737908BW was reportedly assigned to the car when it was sold new. The car’s frame is stamped with chassis number 734957.