2011-09-12 21:48:19 | Lofty writes:

Car is mentioned in the 9/11 edition of the XK Gazette and also said to be described in the book "The Forerunners of Jaguar". It survives today.

2013-06-25 20:49:00 | pauls writes:

Car was at auction 6/13
www.artcurial.com/en/asp/fullCatalogue.asp

Auction description:
Lot 217
1935 SS ONE TOURER
Collection André Lecoq - no reserve
French title (collectors)
Chassis n° 248687
Engine n° 248687

- No reserve
- Particularly rare in France
- Top-level restoration
- Sporty, elegant, appealing
- Forerunner of the Jaguar

It is common knowledge that William Lyons' motorcars carried the name SS before this was changed to Jaguar. However, the precise meaning of the two letters remains a controversial topic. It was " Super Swallow " for some, " Swallow Sidecars " for others, or perhaps " Standard Swallow ". These names remind us of the manufacturer's origins, as "Swallow Sidecars & Coachbuilding Co", producing elegant sidecars crafted in aluminium, and the fact that Lyons was an avid motorcyclist. He eventually turned his attention to motorcars, fitting a pretty, curvaceous body onto the Austin Seven, before taking the plunge and building his own car. At the London Motor Show in 1931 he unveiled the SS One and SS Two, the second paradoxically being a smaller version of the first. The latter, with its long bonnet and slender shape showed promise, but its six-cylinder 2-litre Standard engine impressed more for its robustness than its performance. William Lyons soon put that right and in 1933 offered a 2.5-litre side-valve version with aluminium cylinder head, later 2.6-litres. The SS One finally had the engine it deserved. Developments continued with the SS90 and then the SS100 with overhead valves, carrying a name corresponding to its top speed of 100 mph. The name Jaguar appeared for the first time in 1935, with the first cars already showing a certain sporting and aesthetic originality that would become a characteristic of the manufacturer.
It was during a visit to Rétromobile in 2003 that André Lecoq came across this SS One on a dealer's stand. He was immediately attracted to its sporty sophistication and typically British style, and also impressed by the quality of the Dutch restoration (3,000 hours of work). It displayed a high standard of chrome and paintwork and upholstery finishing, and the mechanical elements had been attended to in finest detail. His own workshop couldn't have done better.
Although he didn't use the car a great deal, he claimed to enjoy it enormously when he did. It is hard to resist its Anglo-Saxon charm, a mixture of chic and sportiness, with low-cut doors, dashboard with two symmetrical curves, large chrome-spoked steering wheel, fold-down windscreen, elegant instruments, comfortable red leather upholstery and a high level of finishing. The car can carry four passengers comfortably, evoking a time gone by. It shows 89,742 miles on the odometer and the six-cylinder engine with SU twin-carburettors is powerful enough to make driving in modern traffic feasible, particularly with the addition of an extra electric fan in case of possible congestion.
The exterior, with the slightly streamlined radiator grille extending the long bonnet, " Bi-Flex " headlights, fog lamps, two horns and wire wheels the same colour as the body, this car has a sporting character that is not short on style. It is clear that William Lyons was already preoccupied with the aesthetics of his creations, and as such, the SS One carries the germ of all future Jaguars. The SS One is rare, especially in France, making this an opportunity that rarely arises.

2013-06-25 20:52:51 | pauls writes:

Estimation 80 000 - 120 000 €
Sold for 186,515 €

2013-06-30 04:02:31 | terry mcgrath writes:

this car was old new in NZ and the history of the car is noted on page 303 of my book "The Forerunners of Jaguar" pub 2004 a limited edition book of only 500 numbered copies which will never be reprinted.
I also have additional info/history and photos of this car.
For further details on the book "The Forerunners of JAGUAR in Australasia and S.E. Asia" visit www.paulskilleterbooks.co.uk/product_info.php
terry