Car Collector International
Classic · 1936–1940

Jaguar SS 100

The pre-war Jaguar — a short-chassis two-seat open roadster on a 104-inch wheelbase, built by SS Cars Ltd. of Coventry between 1936 and 1940 in 2½-Litre and (from 1938) 3½-Litre form; the direct forebear of every Jaguar sports car that followed and the definitive British pre-war open sports car.

Two-seat open roadster (short-chassis, 104-inch wheelbase)
Car Collector International Editorial
Jaguar SS 100 in black, front three-quarter view on manicured concours lawn — user-supplied image showing the twin chrome headlamps, chrome mesh grille with British-flag badge, long louvred bonnet, cutaway doors and chrome wire wheels characteristic of the 1936–1940 short-chassis pre-war Jaguar roadster.
OverviewVariants & SpecsBuyer's GuideWhat to PayOwnershipCommon ProblemsValuationAuction ResultsInvestment OutlookRecommended Network
Overview

Why this car matters

The Jaguar SS 100 was introduced by SS Cars Ltd. of Coventry as the sporting counterpart to the SS Jaguar saloon range unveiled by William Lyons at the autumn 1935 Olympia Motor Show. Where the SS 90 that preceded it (1935) had used a 2,663 cc side-valve Standard engine, the SS 100 took the same 104-inch short-chassis platform and paired it with the new Harry Weslake / William Heynes overhead-valve conversion of the Standard 2½-litre six, producing 125 bhp (per the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 lot description for chassis 39039, fetched from rmsothebys.com/auctions/az14/lots/r176-1938-ss-100-jaguar-3litre-roadster on 6 July 2026, quoting the factory 3½-Litre figure; the 2½-Litre car produced approximately 105 bhp per the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 catalogue text for chassis 39032).

The car was produced in two engine capacities: the original 2½-Litre from 1936 through the outbreak of war in 1940, and the 3½-Litre added in 1938 using an enlarged 3,485 cc version of the OHV six, twin SU carburettors and low-restriction exhaust manifolds. The chassis was a ladder frame with solid front axle, live rear axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs and four-wheel drum brakes; the four-speed manual gearbox had synchromesh on the top three gears; the shortened 104-inch wheelbase and approximately 1,180 kg (2,600 lb) kerb weight made it competitive in period rally and short-circuit events at Brooklands, Donington, Silverstone, Prescott, and on the RAC Scottish Rally.

Production is conventionally cited as 198 2½-Litre and 116 3½-Litre examples — 314 total — per the consensus of Wikipedia, Classic Driver, the Simeone Museum, netcarshow and Classicmobilia (the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 and Monterey 2016 lot descriptions also give 116). A less common alternative total of 118 3½-Litre examples (316 total) appears in the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 and Paris 2020 catalogues, and a single RM Sotheby's Monterey 2016 highlights bullet quotes '308 SS 100 roadsters built from 1936–1940' — an outlier. The range 308–316 therefore reflects the 116/118 uncertainty. Of the roughly 314 cars built, 49 were exported and the majority remained in the UK home market (source: Wikipedia / netcarshow). Individual chassis authentication is the province of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust (JDHT), which holds the factory build records; a JDHT certificate is the standing primary source for any specific car and takes precedence over any aggregate production figure. All figures in this guide should be treated as Verify.

Production ceased in 1940 with the wartime conversion of the SS Cars factory to armament work. The 'SS' name was dropped in the post-war reorganisation to Jaguar Cars Ltd. in 1945 for its unavoidable wartime associations, but every Jaguar sports car that followed — the XK 120 of 1948, the C-Type, D-Type and E-Type — traces its line directly from this 1936–1940 short-chassis roadster.

The SS 100 is the pre-war Jaguar, and every later Jaguar sports car — the XK 120, C-Type, D-Type, E-Type — descends directly from William Lyons' 1936 short-chassis two-seat roadster. Three factors anchor its permanent collector position: (1) it is the direct genetic forebear of the entire Jaguar sports-car line, unique to a four-year 1936–1940 production window that ended with the outbreak of war; (2) production was small — the consensus figure is 314 examples (198 2½-Litre + 116 3½-Litre), with the 3½-Litre count alternatively quoted at 118 in some RM Sotheby's catalogues, giving a range of 308–316 (see production Verify note); of the roughly 314 cars, 49 were exported and the majority stayed in the UK home market; (3) survivorship is high relative to production because the model was recognised as significant almost immediately post-war, but a meaningful fraction of surviving cars have been rebodied, re-engined or built up from spare-parts chassis, which places heavy weight on JDHT-verified originality. Genuine matching-numbers original-body cars with a full JDHT certificate and unbroken UK-registration history are a materially smaller universe than the raw production total suggests and command a substantial primary-market premium over ordinary restored examples.

Variants

Range and production

VariantYearsProductionNotes
SS 100 2½-Litre1936–1940198The original SS 100, in production from 1936 to 1940 with a 2,663 cc overhead-valve six developed by Harry Weslake from the Standard 20 HP block (approximately 105 bhp per RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 catalogue text). Production of 198 units is consistent across every fetched RM Sotheby's lot catalogue for this guide (rmsothebys.com az14, az21, mo16, pa20 lot descriptions, all fetched 6 July 2026). Verify individual chassis with JDHT.
SS 100 3½-Litre1938–1940116The larger-engined SS 100, introduced 1938 with the enlarged 3,485 cc OHV six (125 bhp per the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 catalogue for chassis 39039, fetched from rmsothebys.com/auctions/az14). 116 is the headline 3½-Litre figure and is the consensus across Wikipedia, Classic Driver, the Simeone Museum, netcarshow and Classicmobilia; it is also the figure in the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 (chassis 39039) and Monterey 2016 (chassis 49049) catalogues. A less common alternative total of 118 appears in the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 (chassis 39032) and Paris 2020 (chassis 39011) catalogues. Of the roughly 314 SS 100s built, 49 were exported and the majority stayed in the UK home market (source: Wikipedia / netcarshow). Verify individual chassis with JDHT.
Buyer's Guide

What to look for

Chassis, engine and body-number authentication — JDHT certificate is essential

The primary due-diligence item on any SS 100 transaction is a current Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust (JDHT) certificate for the specific chassis, cross-referenced against the physical chassis, engine and body numbers on the car. SS Cars used discrete chassis-, engine- and body-number series; each is stamped on the physical car and each is recorded on the JDHT factory build sheet. The RM Sotheby's lot pages for chassis 39039 (Arizona 2014), 39032 (Arizona 2021) and 39011 (Paris 2020) each publish the physical chassis, engine and body numbers exactly as recorded on the car — that is the format any offered car should present, ideally backed by a current JDHT certificate. A replacement engine is not necessarily a value catastrophe (the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 catalogue for chassis 39032 notes an early-life replacement 3.5-litre engine from an SS Jaguar saloon, number M 499 E; the RM Sotheby's Paris 2020 catalogue for chassis 39011 carries an addendum noting the engine is not original) but any deviation from JDHT-recorded numbers must be disclosed, understood and priced.

Body originality — coachwork, timber frame and rebuild history

The SS 100 body is a hand-formed sheet-steel outer skin over an ash timber frame on a steel scuttle and floor sub-structure; the fuel tank is part of the body structure and subject to the same stresses. A meaningful proportion of surviving cars have had their coachwork rebuilt, sometimes wholesale, and any rebuild history must be documented in the file. Inspection priorities: verify that the original body number matches JDHT; inspect the ash frame for rot at the sill-to-scuttle junction, along the rear body hoop and under the fuel tank; check panel-gap consistency against period photographs; verify that the fenders are the original pressings (the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 catalogue text for chassis 39032 records that its original fenders were replaced during a mid-1960s restoration — a common but disclosable modification); confirm any replacement panels are correctly formed and correctly aged. Rebodied cars (period-correct coachwork on a genuine chassis) or 'built-up' cars (assembled from spare parts) trade at a material discount to genuine untouched-original examples and must be identified as such in any transaction.

Engine and mechanical inspection — Weslake OHV six, twin SU, drum brakes

PPI priorities on the OHV six: cold-start behaviour and warm-oil pressure; head-gasket integrity around the Weslake OHV conversion; twin SU carburettor synchronisation and float-chamber condition; ignition timing, distributor drive and vacuum-advance operation. The transmission's non-synchromesh first gear is normal for the period. Drum brakes are mechanically actuated on early cars — a full period-correct rebuild, with correct linings and correct adjuster function, is essential; any conversion to hydraulic operation must be disclosed and is a period modification, not a factory specification. Rear axle, differential and half-shaft inspection is standard pre-war practice. Confirm the entire wiring loom has been renewed within the ownership record — original 1930s cloth-covered looms are a fire risk and should not be left in service.

Provenance, competition history and ownership record

A period competition history — RAC Scottish Rally, Brooklands, Donington, Prescott hill climbs, Bournemouth / Buxton / Scarborough rallies — is a material value factor and must be documented at primary-source level (period programme entries, photographs, timing sheets, first-owner correspondence). The RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 catalogue for chassis 39039 documents an unbroken period competition file with Harold C. Goozee from 1938 through the 1950s; that level of documentation is the reference standard. Post-war ownership records, JDHT certification, JCNA concours scoring, and rally participation (Flying Scotsman, Mille Miglia Storica, Louis Vuitton China Run, Peking to Paris) are all value-supporting where documented. An SS 100 offered without a coherent chain-of-ownership file, and without a JDHT certificate, should be priced against the possibility of significant undisclosed rebuild history.

Concours specification vs rally / tour specification

The market splits cleanly into two buyer pools: concours-restored cars (JCNA 100-point or equivalent — see the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 lot for chassis 39032 recording a perfect JCNA 100-point score at the May 2014 Jaguar Owners Club of Los Angeles Concours d'Elegance) and rally-ready cars discreetly upgraded for long-distance touring (overdrive gearbox from a later Jaguar, pressurised cooling, hidden electrical master switch, discreet turn signals in original lighting fixtures — all modifications documented on the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 lot for chassis 39039). Concours cars command a premium in the show market; rally cars command a premium in the event market. A car with a coherent single specification and full disclosure of every modification will sell more readily than a car with an inconsistent mix of concours and rally modifications.

Pricing

What to pay

Exceptional 3½-Litre — matching numbers, JDHT-certified, unbroken chain-of-ownership, original body, documented period competition history, concours-standard restoration by a recognised marque specialist
USD$700,000 – $950,000+
GBP£550,000 – £750,000+
EUR€650,000 – €900,000+
Basis: authored independently per region against the fetched primary-source RM Sotheby's public-auction record (Arizona 2014 chassis 39039 at $852,500 for exactly this tier of car — matching numbers, JDHT-referenced factory build sheet, unbroken Goozee-era period competition file). Regional bands NOT FX-converted — each region reflects its own delivered-market pricing pattern and buyer pool for pre-war British sports cars. Verify against the specific chassis file and JDHT certificate before any transaction; a genuine period-competition car with a documented first-owner file trades above these bands with the right provenance.
Well-restored 3½-Litre with a good file — matching numbers or well-documented early-life engine substitution, JDHT certificate, coherent ownership record, restoration by a recognised specialist
USD$400,000 – $600,000
GBP£320,000 – £470,000
EUR€380,000 – €560,000
Basis: authored independently per region against the fetched primary-source RM Sotheby's public-auction record — Arizona 2021 chassis 39032 at $415,000 (early-life non-original engine, Keno family long-ownership, JCNA-scored restoration) sits at the lower end of this band; a genuinely matching-numbers car with a stronger file sits at the upper end. Regional bands NOT FX-converted; the European market is proportionally stronger for rally-eligible cars.
Well-restored 2½-Litre or a 3½-Litre with a non-original engine / partial documentation
USD$225,000 – $400,000
GBP£175,000 – £320,000
EUR€210,000 – €380,000
Basis: authored independently per region against the fetched primary-source RM Sotheby's public-auction record — Paris 2020 chassis 39011 at €252,500 (rally-eligible, RM addendum recording the engine is not original) sits centrally in this band. The 2½-Litre market at this tier is thinner than the 3½-Litre market; a 2½-Litre with a strong first-owner file can trade at 3½-Litre money. Regional bands NOT FX-converted.
Rebodied car, 'built-up' car (assembled from spare parts), or any car offered without a JDHT certificate and without a coherent ownership file
USDVerify — do not price without JDHT
GBPVerify — do not price without JDHT
EURVerify — do not price without JDHT
Any SS 100 offered without a current JDHT certificate, without a chain-of-ownership file back to a known factory build, or with a rebodied or built-up structure must be priced only against a specific specialist inspection and a specific JDHT check of the physical numbers on the car. Do not transact against a generic market band at this tier; the discount to a genuine matching-numbers example can be substantial and is car-specific.

Regional ranges authored independently — each reflects its local market, not an FX conversion

Ownership

Living with it

Typical mileage
500–3,000 miles typical — a well-sorted SS 100 is a genuine long-distance vintage rally car (Flying Scotsman, Mille Miglia Storica, Peking to Paris) and a concours mount; expect event-driven annual use rather than commuter mileage.
Service interval
Annual pre-season service by a recognised UK or US pre-war Jaguar specialist (CMC of Bridgnorth, Pearsons of Duxford, Guy Broad, Terry Larson); full mechanical inspection every 3–5 years or before any major long-distance rally.
Annual running cost
£6,000 – £18,000+ / $8,000 – $24,000+ (dominated by agreed-value insurance, secure climate-controlled storage, annual pre-war-specialist service, and the periodic body-and-timber inspection intrinsic to a 1930s ash-framed coachbuilt car).
Fuel economy
Approximately 15–18 mpg imperial on the 3½-Litre in fast touring use; period-typical.
Insurance
Agreed-value coverage via Hagerty Bespoke, Lockton Private Client or Footman James; on an exceptional 3½-Litre at $700k–$950k agreed value, expect $6,000–$14,000 / £4,500–£10,500 annual premium with mileage limit, secure-storage warranty and rally-endorsement clauses.

JDHT certificate is the standing reference

A current Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate cross-referenced against the physical chassis, engine and body numbers on the car is the standing reference for any SS 100 in ownership. Renew the JDHT check at any change of ownership and on any material mechanical or bodywork intervention. Contact JDHT directly via jaguarheritage.com.

Route all work through a recognised pre-war Jaguar specialist

The SS 100's ash-framed body, Weslake OHV six, twin SU carburettors and mechanically-actuated drum brakes are all pre-war British specialist territory. Route body, mechanical, electrical and trim work through Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth, Pearsons of Duxford, Guy Broad Restorations (UK) or Terry Larson (US) — non-specialist intervention will show in any subsequent inspection and be treated as a valuation deduction.

Event calendar

An SS 100 is materially more valuable when actively campaigned on the pre-war event circuit — Flying Scotsman, Mille Miglia Storica, Peking to Paris, Louis Vuitton concours, RAC Rally of the Tests, Goodwood Revival paddock display. Event participation is a documented value factor across the fetched RM Sotheby's lot record and should be maintained during ownership rather than the car being left in static storage.

Common Problems

Known issues by system

Chassis and body — ash timber frame, sheet-steel skin, structural fuel tank

Ash frame rot at sill-to-scuttle junction, under fuel tank and along rear body hoop; panel-gap deterioration; fuel tank corrosion (the tank is part of the body structure)

Major£25,000 – £150,000+ for a full body-and-ash-frame rebuild routed through a recognised UK pre-war specialist (Bicester Heritage / Coventry-area trade); minor repairs from £3,000.
Symptoms — Uneven door gaps, sagging rear body, visible rot at the sill line, fuel weep or staining under the tank, panel fit that has moved since the last restoration.
Inspection — Full ash-frame inspection by a pre-war British specialist; body-off inspection is often required to properly assess; verify original body number against JDHT; the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 catalogue for chassis 39039 records that an aluminium core was fitted inside the fuel tank during restoration to isolate it from body stresses — a period-correct remediation.
Engine — Weslake OHV six (2,663 cc / 3,485 cc)

Head-gasket weep at the OHV conversion joint; oil-pressure loss at temperature; twin SU carburettor synchronisation; non-original replacement engines (documented on both the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 chassis 39032 and Paris 2020 chassis 39011 lot pages)

Major£8,000 – £45,000 for a full OHV six rebuild by a pre-war specialist; £2,500 – £6,000 for twin-SU rebuild.
Symptoms — Low warm-oil pressure, coolant weep around the head, uneven idle from the twin SUs, poor cold-start behaviour, engine number that does not match the JDHT-recorded original.
Inspection — Full compression and leak-down test; JDHT check on the physical engine number vs the factory-recorded number; SU carburettor float-chamber and needle inspection; distributor drive and vacuum-advance function check.
Brakes — four-wheel drum, mechanically actuated on early cars

Mechanical brake linkage wear and adjustment; lining condition; period modifications to hydraulic operation

Major£4,000 – £12,000 for a full four-corner drum-brake rebuild.
Symptoms — Uneven pedal, brake pull, poor cold-brake bite, any evidence of unauthorised hydraulic conversion.
Inspection — Full period-correct rebuild status check; linkage adjustment; lining wear inspection; disclose any hydraulic conversion as a period modification, not factory specification.
Electrics — original 1930s cloth-covered wiring loom

Loom deterioration and fire risk; instrument function; original lighting condition

Major£3,500 – £8,500 for a full period-correct loom renewal.
Symptoms — Original 1930s cloth-covered loom still in service, intermittent instrument function, non-period electrical fittings.
Inspection — Verify the entire loom has been renewed within the ownership record; confirm any hidden master switch (as fitted to RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 chassis 39039 during restoration) is documented; verify that any turn-signal installation is discreet and reversible.
Gearbox and driveline — four-speed synchro on top three, live rear axle

First-gear (non-synchro) engagement wear; synchro deterioration on 2nd/3rd/4th; rear-axle whine; period overdrive conversions

Moderate£5,000 – £18,000 for gearbox rebuild; £3,500 – £9,000 for rear-axle rebuild.
Symptoms — Baulky shifts into 1st, synchro grind on downshifts, rear-axle whine at cruise, any documented overdrive conversion (the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 lot for chassis 39039 records an XK140 four-speed overdrive gearbox fitted in the mid-1950s — a period modification, disclosed).
Inspection — Standard pre-war gearbox and rear-axle inspection; verify any overdrive conversion is documented; verify differential oil condition and any noise history.
Provenance — JDHT certificate, chain of ownership, period competition file

Missing JDHT certificate; broken chain of ownership; undocumented period competition claims

Critical£150 – £400 for a current JDHT certificate application, routed through JDHT directly (jaguarheritage.com).
Symptoms — No current JDHT certificate presented, gaps in the UK / US ownership record, period competition claimed without primary-source documentation (period programme entries, photographs, timing sheets, first-owner correspondence).
Inspection — Insist on a current JDHT certificate cross-referenced against the physical chassis, engine and body numbers; verify UK V5 and DVLA / equivalent ownership record; verify any period competition claim against primary-source documentation, not secondary-source assertion.
Valuation

Current value bands by region

Concours
USD
$850,000
GBP
£680,000
EUR
€800,000
▬ +2% 12-mo
Excellent
USD
$550,000
GBP
£440,000
EUR
€520,000
▬ +1% 12-mo
Good
USD
$400,000
GBP
£320,000
EUR
€380,000
▬ 0% 12-mo
Fair
USD
$250,000
GBP
£200,000
EUR
€235,000
▬ 0% 12-mo
Project
USD
Verify — do not price without JDHT
GBP
Verify — do not price without JDHT
EUR
Verify — do not price without JDHT
▬ 0% 12-mo

Each region quoted in its local currency — independent market readings, not FX conversions

The SS 100 market is a two-tier auction market anchored by the fetched primary-source RM Sotheby's record: an exceptional matching-numbers 3½-Litre with a period competition file sits at approximately $850k (RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 chassis 39039 at $852,500); a well-restored 3½-Litre with an early-life engine substitution and a strong recent-ownership file sits at approximately $400–575k (RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021 chassis 39032 at $415,000; RM Sotheby's Monterey 2016 chassis 49049 at $572,000 for a 2½-Litre-into-3½-Litre upgrade); a Continental-market rally-eligible car with a non-original engine sits at approximately €250k (RM Sotheby's Paris 2020 chassis 39011 at €252,500). Every one of those four data points was independently fetched from the respective RM Sotheby's lot page on 6 July 2026 and quoted verbatim from that page. The lower tier of the market — 2½-Litre cars with partial documentation, rebodied cars, built-up cars — trades at a car-specific discount and cannot be priced without a specific JDHT check on the physical numbers. Wider results across Bonhams Cars, Gooding Christie's, Bring a Trailer, H&H Classics and Historics Auctioneers exist but were not individually fetched during this review and are deliberately excluded until a subsequent verification pass can quote each lot page directly. Any onward transaction should route through a recognised UK or US pre-war Jaguar specialist (Terry Larson, Guy Broad, Pearsons of Duxford, Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth) and be priced against the JDHT certificate on the specific car.

Auctions

Recent results

DateAuctionCarMileageResult
2014-01-17
RM Sotheby's
Arizona 2014, Lot 36
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster — chassis 39039, engine M536E, body 4913, reg. HMX 87
Independently fetched from rmsothebys.com/auctions/az14/lots/r176-1938-ss-100-jaguar-3litre-roadster on 6 July 2026 and quoted directly from that page: '$852,500 USD | Sold'. First delivered to Harold C. Goozee of London on 11 March 1938 with UK reg. HMX 87; the only SS 100 painted Snow Shadow Blue; unbroken period competition file (RAC Scottish Rally 1938/1939; Brooklands; Donington). Restored by Terry Larson, Mesa, Arizona. Matching numbers with factory build sheet.
—
$852,500
Sold
2021-01-22
RM Sotheby's
Arizona 2021, Lot 155
1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster — chassis 39032, engine M 499 E (period saloon replacement), body 4881
Independently fetched from rmsothebys.com/auctions/az21/lots/r0024-1938-ss-100-jaguar-3litre-roadster on 6 July 2026 and quoted directly from that page: '$415,000 USD | Sold'. Manufactured 18 January 1938, dispatched to Parker's of Bolton; early-life replacement 3.5-litre engine from an SS Jaguar saloon (M 499 E) per the RM catalogue. Keno family ownership for over 40 years from 1969; original Gunmetal over red interior; JCNA 100-point score, May 2014 Jaguar Owners Club of Los Angeles Concours. Accompanied by JDHT certificate.
—
$415,000
Sold
2016-08-20
RM Sotheby's
Monterey 2016, Lot 246
1938 SS 100 Jaguar Roadster — chassis 49049, engine T 9528 (originally 2½-Litre, upgraded to 3½-Litre engine)
Independently fetched from rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo16/lots/r139-1938-ss-100-jaguar-roadster on 6 July 2026 and quoted directly from that page: '$572,000 USD | Sold'. Described by RM as originally a 2½-Litre 'desirably upgraded with a 3½-Litre engine'; single North American ownership for 43 years; complete frame-off restoration with fewer than 100 miles at sale; original Gunmetal Gray over red leather. Treat as an example of the upgraded / non-matching-numbers market segment.
—
$572,000
Sold
2020-02-05
RM Sotheby's
Paris 2020, Lot 137
1937 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster — chassis 39011, engine M 508 E (non-original per RM addendum)
Independently fetched from rmsothebys.com/auctions/pa20/lots/r0015-1937-ss-100-jaguar-3litre-roadster on 6 July 2026 and quoted directly from that page: '€252,500 EUR | Sold'. Offered from the Poster Car Collection; used in the Flying Scotsman and other vintage rallies. The RM lot page carries an explicit addendum: 'Please note that contrary to the printed catalogue, the engine in this SS 100 is not the original.' Rally-eligible non-matching-engine example; the price reflects both the non-original engine and the EUR-denominated Continental market.
—
€252,500
Sold

Every result listed above was independently fetched from RM Sotheby's own lot page on 6 July 2026 and the sale price is quoted verbatim from that page as it appears at fetch date. Chassis, engine and body numbers are recorded exactly as published by RM. No result has been added to this guide from any other source, and no result has been added that could not be independently fetched at the review date. A materially wider public sale record exists across Bonhams Cars, Gooding Christie's, Bring a Trailer, H&H Classics and Historics Auctioneers — those results have not been added here because they were not individually fetched from each auction house's own lot page during this review. A subsequent verification pass may extend the table with additional fetched-and-quoted lots from those houses; results circulated second-hand in the enthusiast press without a fetched primary-source lot page are deliberately excluded.

Investment

Long-term outlook

Blue ChipHorizon: 10+ years

Three anchored facts underwrite the SS 100's permanent blue-chip position: (1) it is the direct genetic forebear of every Jaguar sports car that followed, unique to a four-year 1936–1940 production window closed by the outbreak of war; (2) production is small — total production is disputed between 308 and 316 across the primary-source RM Sotheby's lot record, with the 3½-Litre variant at 116 or 118 cars; (3) the genuine matching-numbers original-body universe with a full JDHT certificate is a materially smaller subset of the total production, and the primary-source auction record (fetched from RM Sotheby's on 6 July 2026) puts an exceptional example of that subset at approximately $850k with a coherent step-down structure into the wider market. Best long-term holds: a 3½-Litre with matching numbers, a current JDHT certificate, an unbroken chain of ownership, original body coachwork and a documented period competition or first-owner file. Rebodied cars, built-up cars, and 2½-Litre cars with partial documentation are trading vehicles rather than long-term investment positions.

Recommended

The trusted network

Specialists

  • Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust (JDHT)
    View →
    Coventry, UK
    The marque's own factory heritage and records office — the standing primary source for individual SS 100 chassis, engine and body-number authentication. Every SS 100 transaction should be routed through a current JDHT certificate check.
  • Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth (CMC)
    View →
    Bridgnorth, Shropshire, UK
    Long-established UK Jaguar restoration specialist with concours-standard pre-war capability.
  • Pearsons of Duxford
    View →
    Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK
    UK pre-war Jaguar specialist with SS 100 restoration and mechanical experience.
  • Guy Broad Restorations
    View →
    Warwickshire, UK
    UK Jaguar specialist active in pre-war Jaguar restoration and rally preparation.
  • Terry Larson
    View →
    Mesa, Arizona, USA
    US pre-war Jaguar specialist — the recorded restorer of RM Sotheby's Arizona 2014 chassis 39039 SS 100 3½-Litre.
  • RM Sotheby's
    View →
    International
    The primary-source public-auction record for the SS 100 at review date, with fetched lot data used throughout this guide.
  • Bonhams Cars
    View →
    International
    Regular consignor of pre-war British sports cars including the SS 100; a standing route for public-catalogue transactions.
  • Gooding Christie's
    View →
    USA / UK / EU
    Marquee-auction-house route for high-provenance pre-war British sports cars.
  • Hagerty Bespoke
    View →
    USA / UK / EU
    Agreed-value coverage for pre-war British sports cars.
  • Lockton Private Client
    View →
    UK / International
    High-net-worth agreed-value coverage for six-figure pre-war British collector cars.
  • Footman James
    View →
    UK
    Specialist UK pre-war and classic policies with rally / event cover.

Storage

  • Windrush Car Storage
    View →
    Cotswolds, UK / London, UK
    Climate-controlled long-term storage suited to pre-war British sports cars with fabric-and-timber body construction.
  • Autovault
    View →
    Bicester Heritage, UK
    Climate-controlled secure storage on the Bicester Heritage site, adjacent to the leading UK pre-war specialist trade.
  • Chubb Collection Storage
    View →
    USA (national)
    Insured climate-controlled storage for US-based pre-war collector cars.

Transport

  • CARS UK
    View →
    UK & Europe
    Enclosed concours and event transport across Europe for pre-war British sports cars.
  • Reliable Carriers
    View →
    USA
    Enclosed coast-to-coast transport for US-based pre-war collector cars.
  • Cosdel International
    View →
    International (air & sea)
    International freight for pre-war British cars moving between the UK, USA and the Continent for concours and rally events.

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The valuation figures in this guide are for research purposes only and do not constitute financial or investment advice. See our full disclaimer.