The Mystery of the Inspector Morse Jaguar
All you need to know about the iconic Inspector Morse Jaguar
As part of ITV’s eagerly awaited Morse prequel, Endeavour, fans get to discover how Morse’s most enduring love affair started.
It’s not a woman, of course, it’s the iconic burgundy Inspector Morse Jaguar Mark 2 that he drove throughout his career.
Viewers will get to see a young Morse being brought back to Oxford as part of a hunt for a missing schoolgirl, a case which profoundly changes his life.
The origins of Morse’s trademark passions, including classic cars, will be unravelled too.
The drama was commissioned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first Morse episode, broadcasted in 1987. Shaun Evans has the somewhat daunting task of living up to John Thaw’s much-loved portrayal of Colin Dexter’s detective.
Bringing Morse and his Jaguar together
[vc_column_inner width=”2/3″]Set in the mid-sixties, Endeavour sees Morse securing the car that will be his faithful companion until death.
Lucky Wargrave service and MOT centre in Berkshire was chosen as the setting and was transformed into a retro garage, complete with bunting, petrol pumps and a collection of mouth-watering classic cars.
Like others, Manager Tim Englefield was delighted to get a glimpse of Morse’s beloved Jaguar Mark 2 during filming.
So far all that’s been revealed is that the youthful Endeavor Morse finds his dream car on sale for £1,227 – an asking price perhaps beyond the budget of a young police officer, especially one fighting to maintain his career.[vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”92059″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”]
Icon of British motoring history
The Inspector Morse Jaguar was a Jaguar Mark 2 which was released in 1959 in the UK and carried on until its reign of production ended in 1967. It was designed accordingly to embody the ideals of grace, pace and space. The top speed was registered at 119.9 mph and it could get to 62 mph from standing in 11.9 seconds.
Becoming a signature of the incredibly popular detective show was a matter of chance though. On taking the role of Morse, John Thaw insisted that the Lancia Morse drove in the books was changed to a Jaguar Mark 2.
Following a career of near-misses that often had the hearts of classic car lovers in their mouths, the Inspector Morse Jaguar mark 2 used in the series was sold in November 2005 for over £100,000. It was later reported in 2009 that the man who bought the Inspector Morse Jaguar, John Potts, 60, was the director of a buy-to-let company who conned his investors out of £80 million to fund his extravagant lifestyle! He went to prison, serving a 5-year jail term. Ironically enough, it should have been a case for Morse himself.
The one-off Endeavour episode will air next spring.Keep yourself updated with the latest motoring news online by liking us on facebook, following us on twitter or connecting with us on LinkedIn.If you’re interested in buying or leasing a new vehicle contact our sales team. Alternatively, visit our website where you will find new Jaguars available for sale or on finance.
Leave your comments below. What do you think of the Inspector Morse Jaguar?
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16 Comments
Marie, wholeheartedly agree with you and have always delighted in seeing the MkII on screen and in real life. Frank
That car has always been my favorite of all times!!
Jaguar mark II will always be one on the best car ever created I cannot think of another one more beautiful front back interior
She is on top of the line in terms of beauty
The only car I ever fell in love with was a 1962 Jaguar Mark II sedan, owned by the father of a high school classmate in Texas. I vowed to have one someday, and in 1975 my husband (whose own affair was restoring a 1936 Packard) surprised me with a 1962 Mark II sedan – body and motor in decent shape, but the paint and interior were rough – the wood was intact but lost its finish, and the leather was shot. It had like-new wire wheels and a 3.8 liter standard with overdrive. I had it painted pale silver and it was a beauty, and a dream on the open road. Later divorced, I drove it as a hobby car for 10 years, but never had the funds to restore the interior. It required mechanical tweaking, but the mechanic also was under its spell. Needing tuition for grad school, I had to sell it, through an ad in Hemmings. It was not yet a classic, so had to price it just as an older car. As the buyer trailered it down the street (to be restored as a surprise for his wife), I stood in my driveway in tears. I have a die-cast model on a living room shelf, watch every Inspector Morse episode, pine over his Jag, and wish another was affordable. Lost dreams…
In the Morse series, the car is/was equipped with modern seatbelts. I’m not aware if this was OEM to the vehicle at the time of production, Can anyone elaborate?
Hi Tony,
They would have been retrofitted and likely because of insurance reasons (as well as wanting to be a good example as it was based during present times – or at least present as far as the series went).