1949 | Bedford KV

• Beautifully restored replica of Jaguar’s works support vehicles

• Previously displayed at Goodwood and the British Motor Museum

• 3.5-litre six-cylinder engine and four-speed gearbox

•  Fabulously evocative 1950s commercial vehicle

Jaguar made its name on the international stage during the 1950s, thanks to the success of its ground-breaking XK 120 and a competition programme that led to five wins in the most celebrated race of all: the Le Mans 24 Hours. 

Enthusiasts poring over photographs and video footage from early in that period won’t take long to notice the works team’s Bedford KV support vans. One of them appears in a famous photograph showing a trio of C-types lined up outside the Jaguar factory before the 1951 Le Mans 24 Hours, and these faithful commercial vehicles were ever-present in motor-racing paddocks from La Sarthe to Silverstone, carrying spare parts and equipment.

The Bedford KV being offered for sale here has been beautifully restored by a prominent collector and marque enthusiast. Intended to be a faithful replica of those works support trucks, it was resprayed in two-tone black and blue during 2017, and the quality of the workmanship is exceptional throughout. The logos and signwriting were applied with great care and lacquered over, while the interior is also superbly presented – from the cabin all the way through to the wood-floored load bay. 

Since being completed, this charming Bedford has been a regular feature at the Goodwood Revival. Not only has it featured in static displays, it has been driven in track parades such as the Ecurie Ecosse celebration in 2017. It also had a spell on loan to the British Motor Museum at Gaydon – a fitting venue where it joined a variety of legendary Jaguar competition cars. 

There’s plenty of torque on offer from its 3.5-litre six-cylinder engine, and the steering is wonderfully direct. The windscreen panel in front of the driver can be opened in order to provide extra ventilation, and getting behind the wheel evokes the long journeys that the works mechanics would have undertaken between Coventry and Le Mans, as they chased another victory in the endurance classic. 

This Bedford KV is offered for sale not only as a painstakingly restored historic commercial vehicle, but also as a reminder of a golden period in Jaguar’s long and illustrious history.