1 of 1 Jaguar MkVII Cabriolet Prototype by Beutler

Selling Exclusively at bring a Trailer Auction: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1953-jaguar-mk-vii-cabriolet-prototype-by-beutler

1953 Jaguar MkVII Cabriolet Beutler Prototype
Alloy Coachwork by Beutler

Chassis Plate / Registration No. 737908BW (assigned since new)
Jaguar Chassis Stamping: 734957
Engine Block No. 81723-8
Engine Head No. A5893-8

One-off prototype exhibited on the stand of the Swiss coachbuilder Beutler, at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show
• Awarded a prize in Category III (special bodies, convertibles) at the international beauty contest in Geneva during the Geneva Rose Week at the end of June 1953
• Beutler built the bodies of some of the first Porsche sports cars

After the Motor Show, it is thought to have spent time in the Jaguar factory before being sold into private ownership

Formally owned by Roland Urban, a well-known Jaguar specialist and author
• Featured on the cover of “Les Métamorphoses du JAGUAR” (original accompanies)

Featured in the 1953 Automobil Revue (original accompanies)

Acquired by the Ronald Lauder Collection (Estée Lauder) on July 5, 2014 at Artcurial's Le Mans Classics Auction

Spring 2025 Inspection and Scheduled Service

1 of 1 Coach built vehicle, eligible for the world's major Concours d'Elégances

Note* The chassis number on the title/identification plate 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 chassis stamping is 734957.

“Open pontoon elegance from Thun - Jaguar Mark VII Beutler Cabriolet”

When Ernst and Fritz Beutler founded their own bodywork company in Thun, Switzerland shortly after the war in 1946, they took a considerable risk, as hardly anyone had the money to have a car built to their own specifications at that time. But the two coachbuilders forged ahead and, among other things, built the bodies of some of the first Porsche sports cars ever.
Fritz Beutler was an exceptionally talented sheet metal artist, while Ernst showed a good feeling for forms and designed the bodies.

Pontoon Shape on Jaguar Chassis

At the 1953 Geneva Motor Show, this car was shown on the Beutler stand.

The Automobil Revue described the then dark red-painted car in its salon report:

"The Beutler brothers limited their stand to a Jaguar Mark VII convertible, which combines the dimensions of the large car with the elegance and light lines of many smaller, top-of-the-line creations. Through small, subtle touches, the impressive car is stripped of any heaviness."

The design was obviously well received. The Beutler Jaguar Cabriolet was awarded a prize in Category III (special bodies, convertibles) at the international beauty contest in Geneva during the Geneva Rose Week at the end of June 1953, along with a Fiat that had been dressed by Ghia.

Powerful Base

The Jaguar MK VII was introduced at the London Motor Show in 1950 and, as the successor to the Mark V, was not called the Mark VI because a Bentley already had that name. Equipped with a 3.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine from the XK 120 with two overhead camshafts, the Jaguar was one of the fastest sedans of the time and competed directly with cars from America.
The Automobil Revue reached 166 km/h with the air filter removed and running on Italian premium gasoline. The five-seat sedan, weighing over 1.7 tons, completed the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 15.6 seconds, another impressive result for a time when most cars couldn't even reach 100 km/h.

"The short gearshift lever, located between the two seats and allowing unobstructed entry and exit from both sides, takes some getting used to. The three upper gears are synchronized, but do not have a locking synchromesh, so shifting is not recommended too quickly. When downshifting into second gear, double-declutching is recommended..." wrote the AR editors after their drive in the Jaguar.

The Mark VII's chassis featured box-shaped longitudinal members and X-beams. The front wheels were individually suspended by trapezoidal wishbones and longitudinal torsion bars, while a solid rear axle with semi-elliptic springs provided wheel control.

With a wheelbase of 3.05 meters, a length of 4.97 meters and a width of 1.87 meters, the Jaguar Mark VII was one of the largest vehicles of its time, and with a base price of 20,500 Swiss francs (including heating), it was also one of the most expensive.

Lighter and Flatter
With the sturdy chassis and powerful engine, the Beutler brothers had the ideal conditions for a special body. Ernst (also called "Aschi") Beutler designed an elegant pontoon body, brought to life with aluminum sheeting. The open version was likely both lighter and lower—the sedan was 1.59 meters high—and thus offered (even) better performance than the closed production version.

For its presentation at the Geneva Motor Show, the convertible was painted garnet red and fitted with a beige leather interior. The instrumentation was carried over from the sedan, but unlike the sedan, the dashboard was covered in leather instead of wood.

Almost the blueprint for series production?
After its presentation at the Geneva Motor Show, the Beutler MK VII reportedly spent some time at the Jaguar factory in Coventry. It's quite possible that Jaguar considered putting the graceful convertible into series production. However, this never happened.

The car was eventually sold and passed through several hands. One of the owners was Roland Urban, who described the car in detail in his book on Jaguar derivatives (“Les Métamorphoses du JAGUAR / Roland Urban,” 1993).
- Bruno von Rotz

Chassis No. 737908 BW

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-aluminum 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.

Urban's book states that the car still had its original 3.4-litre engine. 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.

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. 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.

Offered as discovered, the prototype starts, runs, and stops but additional service is needed before road use, specifically we recommend a general tune-up and service to the braking system. The engine compression is healthy and photos are available. Sections of the original paint have been found on the car.

A stunning and important motorcar ideal for continued preservation to show club events or ideal example to restore, show and contend at the world's finest concours events like Pebble Beach, Villa d'Este, Hampton Court amongst others.

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