H&H Classics will soon offer Madonna’s Jaguar

Art lovers are familiar with The Madonna of the Cat (Madonna del gatto), a painting created by the Italian painter Baroccio in the 16th century. But today, we are talking about Madonna’s Jaguar, specifically the one owned by the famous singer. This elegant Jaguar Mk X, which belongs to Madonna, will be featured in an auction presented by H&H Classics in England in October.

It was in 2021 that the pop queen bought this car for her son Rocco Ritchie. Since then, Madonna and Rocco have been regularly seen driving it in London and its surroundings.

Even though it is a sedan, this Jaguar is a relatively rare model from the brand as it is a 1967 Mark X 4.2. The Mark X (X for 10) was the luxury sedan from the British manufacturer in the 1960s, primarily aimed at the North American market. Jaguar executives hoped it would appeal to heads of state, diplomats, and especially Hollywood stars. And it did appeal to at least one: Yvonne de Carlo, better known as Lily Munster from the sitcom The Munsters.

Launched the same year as the iconic Jaguar E-Type, the Mk X introduced some innovative features. At the time, it was the largest monocoque chassis car built in the UK. It also had independent rear suspension, which was unprecedented on British luxury cars in the early 1960s.

Initially, it shared the 3.8-liter inline six-cylinder engine with triple carburetors from the E-Type. With 265 hp, it allowed Jaguar’s flagship to reach 193 km/h with a princely comfort and luxury, for half the price of a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.

Then, in October 1964, at the London Motor Show, Jaguar introduced a new 4.2-liter inline-six engine. Equally powerful as its predecessor, this engine delivered more torque: 283 lb-ft instead of 260. It also increased the top speed by 3 km/h.

However, the Mk X 4.2 had a short lifespan. At the London Motor Show in October 1966, the manufacturer announced that the sedan would be renamed, becoming the 420G. The last Mark X models were manufactured in 1967, making the 4.2L version the rarest Mark X with only 5,137 units produced.

The story of Madonna’s Mk X dates back to 1967. Her sedan was registered as “RLO 378E” by University Motors in Richmond, a London suburb, on May 17, 1967, and was later sold to a company in Kingston-on-Thames on December 22. In 1995, it underwent a restoration and was acquired by Birks MotorWorks, a company specializing in vintage and modern Jaguars, five years later. Madonna purchased it from the owner to whom Birks had sold it.

Since then, it has undergone new improvements to enhance its appearance and bring it up to date. It received a new opalescent brown paint job, and a small console was added to the bottom of the dashboard, between the two bucket seats, to accommodate the touchscreen of a Pioneer infotainment system.

Earlier this year, Madonna participated in a photoshoot with this feline-powered car. Shortly after, these images, which first appeared on her Instagram account, circulated in the British press. This exercise was likely aimed at preparing for the sale of this Jaguar to maximize its value, as its worth may not be as high as one might imagine. Experts from the American company Hargerty estimate the value of the 1967 Mk X 4.2 to range from around $18,000 to just under $65,000.

The connection to this popular artist and the fact that it is offered without reserve will undoubtedly contribute to increasing the buyers’ enthusiasm for this Mark X when it is presented by H&H Classics at the auction at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, on October 9.

Photos: H&H Classics and Madonna/Instagram