This week's arrival of McClellan's Automotive Chronicles newsletter gives me an opportunity to feature Jaguar, one of my all-time favorite makes, and Robert McClellan's, too, apparently. The combination of curving lines, twin-overhead-cam 6-cylinder engine and sporting demeanor has always attracted me and very few, including the sedans, ever disappointed. Amusingly my first ride in a Jag XK was with an off-duty police officer who drove us through the countryside at ferocious speeds, totally ignoring the shaking fists of angry farmers. As a young man I was also enormously impressed with Jaguar's racing accomplishments at LeMans after it won in 1951, 1953, then three years in a row starting in 1955. Even now a D-Type is a stunning vehicle, arguably the most beautiful race car ever created.

I've owned three jaguars, the first being a 1961 MK 2 with right-hand-drive, already a classic by the time I got it. The second was a 1985 XJ V-12 that a grateful advertising client gave me (sight unseen!) although "foisted on" might be more apt insofar as it needed far more work than he'd admitted. My third Jag was also an XJ, 1986 this time and with the more economical six. Though it had been semi-restored when I bought it, I became concerned about future expenses and sold the car back back to the dealer last summer. None of these cars actually cost me much to maintain but in truth, my dreams were bigger than my wallet. The car in the photo is Jaguar number two. Though not yet a "pure" classic it demonstrates how beautiful even the big sedans could be.