The choice of colour for a car is not like the size of a bolt, nobody is right or wrong. It is a matter of personal choice and that’s why, with the exception of the Ford model T. manufacturers have always offered a choice of color, and it is probably one of the matters most difficult to discuss because it involves emotions. In my case, I don’t really dislike Suede Green, but as a professional upholsterer since 1987, I think I have seen and worked on too many cars in that colour. Also, the lack of contrast between the body and the interior (all suede green) on my car probably turned me off. To me, picking a colour for your car if you have a choice should bring joy and some excitement. In any case the colour scheme I have selected (gunmetal with red interior and red wheels) appeals to me a lot more, but I do understand that it wouldn’t be everybody’s choice and I respect that. Some people might find my choice boring too…
Gunmetal is a great colour, too. I particularly like it on an E-Type (with red leather). I think I’m swayed by various past experiences. The most perfect XK120 OTS I’d ever seen was in a showroom in Christchurch, NZ, in 1969 and it was Suede Green. I also had e a very good friend who was President of the Auckland Jaguar Drivers’ Club in Auckland in the '70s, and he had a beautiful S1 E-Type fhc in Gunmetal. Nostalgia counts for a lot…!
I think it’s no accident that 2 of the 3 E-types unveiled at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show were painted Gunmetal. Maybe it’s also only what they had available, since originally, there was to be only one car, driven straight from Coventry to Geneva, but that very car was Gunmetal. I also like the colour of your car. Is bronze also the colour of the Monthlery car (LWK 707)? I was lucky enough to see that car in real life at Le Mans Classic in 2006 and I loved the colour, which I believe is quite rare
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Indeed color choice is a hard one andsubjrct to msny considerations.
On my1960 Healey I stuck with the original Healey Blue but added English White coves as I always liked that combo. On my 1961 XK150 DHC I did not like the original English White with black interior as it wad bland and uninspired. I decided on a custom color I call “sage grey pearl” and biscuit interior with similar sage grey moquette inserts in door panels etc. Not original but it works for me and most who see it.
No regrets!
Yes, Bernard, the Monthlery record breaking fhc was also Bronze. It was actually quite a common colour on the early XK120 from 1948-52. According to Clausager 271 OTS were Bronze and 76 fhc, either with a Biscuit/Tan or Tan interior. Actually Bronze was almost as common as British Racing Green! Only 302 OTS plus 182 fhc were painted BRG.
To be honest, is there a boring colour for an XK? They all look pretty good to me.
Hi,
That may also be be sure BRG was not available at all before 1952, the metallics were only available with the old cellulose based paint system in 1949-1952, XK120 had ”Silver”, ”Bronze”, ”Pastel Blue” and ”Pastel Green” as well as the very short lived ”Twilight Blue” but not ”Gunmetal”. That old Gunmetal was only available for the MKV at the time (and Silver and Bronze only available for the XK, and not for the MKV.)
The 1961 metallics were reintriduced with the launch of the E-type, so of course many of the launch cars (also in NYC, Monaco, etc.) and press cars were metallic.
Cheers!
While it is true that Gunmetal was not listed as a standard offering for XK120 Super Sports on the Colour Schemes page of the 1949 XK120/MarkV sales brochure,
Clausager in his XK120 In Detail book says that 72 OTS and 45 FHC cars were produced in Gunmetal, including 7 alloys.
My own Mark V saloon was originally Gunmetal with Red interior (as were about 6% of them). In the 1970s I repainted it Black, but after a few years I decided I didn’t like that, so now I have gone back to Gunmetal.
It’s funny how we have different tastes in colors. Almost every car in my town is either white or black or silver/gray. I don’t like white cars (please don’t throw things at me 
). I once saw a Mark V in refrigerator white and I couldn’t find a word to compliment the owner, it looked to me like Moby Dick.
My 120 FHC was originally Pastel Green Metallic, but some PO probably in the late 50’s must have really hated it, because he went to a lot of effort to repaint it everywhere in Red, but he missed the inboard side of the wheels and inside the rims, so I was able to see the green. Another PO in the 60’s repainted it a different red but poorly, and by the time it came to me in 1980 it needed painting again. I like red so I repainted it a 3rd shade of red. Since then I have seen an example of a restored 120 in PGM. I loved it and have decided someday I will restore mine that color. The wheels will be a good sample source.
These incredible machines painted wonderful colours must have made such an extraordinary impact arriving after years of austerity and particularly in Uk which still had rationing of many products.
In the 1990’s I faced the same problem: XK-140 OTS original in arbor green with biscuit interior. I chose the original color and I still don’t regret it. If it was pink, I probably would have decided against it 
Hi Markus,
No worries, ALL original Jaguar colours and colour combinations were tasteful and elegant. 
The closest Jaguar ever came (in the classic era) to pink was in the funky 1970’s when they offerered a paint called ”Heather”. (Like the plant/flower.) That in combination with a Cerise interior is quite daring, so to say. I have seen it both on a V12 OTS E-type and an XJ6. Another one which might not be to everyone is Greensand with an Olive interior! I’ve seen that one also on an XJ6C and an early XJ-S.
The Heather V12 OTS was on offer at Dönni (GB Classic Cars in Roggliswil) a few years ago.
Cheers!
Very happy with my choice of Mist Grey with Navy Blue hood, trim and wheels.
I know it’s not original (Carmen Red with Black/Black), but given that the steering wheel’s now on the other side anyway, I don’t care.
It looks much lighter in the daylight…
Antony, really a lovely color combination. Is the top (hood) fabric biscuit as well? Also are the tires you have on it the Coker Classic 600R16 bias look radials? If so what is your opinion of them? Dimensionally @ 28.36” (720mm) OD they are the same as the 600/16’s these cars originally had.
I’m waiting for the color scheme on the XK120 James Love Edition.
Thank you. Yes the top is biscuit and yes the tires are the classic Coker you mention. I like them mainly because to me they look right and they are radial. I do not push the car so I cannot speak to their relative performance.