Like the unemployment rate that continued to rise even after the recession has officially ended, classic Jaguar prices continued to drop even after the rest of the market seemed to stabilize. The drop from HCTM Book 9 though Book 10 was particularly sharp. We think it's a combination of relatively high production numbers and the market shifting into a pickier mode.

True No. 1 condition XKs and E-types haven't gone down that much, but the No. 2 and 3 condition cars have. We've seen Series 1 E-type OTS cars done by well-known restorers still bringing more than $140,000, while cars differing only in the minute details may bring less than half that.

Again, it's a function of numbers. When there are a lot of cars to choose from, buyers can hold out for the very, very best. On a more positive note, it might be an unprecedented time to buy some of the sexiest sports cars of the post-war era. In spite of what you might have heard, six-cylinder Jaguars are relatively easy to live with — they perform well and have excellent parts and club support.

-Dave Kinney, March 2010, Publisher of