This is a genuine Kougar Sports — a hand-built British roadster with a tubular steel chassis constructed around a Jaguar 3.8-litre twin-cam inline-six, 4-speed manual gearbox with Laycock overdrive, and independent rear suspension. The result is a car that looks like a 1950s Le Mans racer and drives like nothing else on the road.

This particular vehicle has an interesting history. It was the last vehicle built by Kougar Cars at their Maidstone factory in December 1985. Passing through several owners it was acquired by the current owner in 2015 from Godin Sporting Cars and Motorcycles Ltd and immediately exported to Texas. The vehicle has accompanied the owner on his travels being registered and driven in Texas, Massachusetts, Australia and New Zealand. It was recently returned to Texas, was re-titled and registered and sits in dry storage awaiting its new owner.

THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE

This is a Right Hand Drive manual gearbox vehicle that sits very low giving you a visceral feel for the road and the feeling of speed even at modest pace. Easily able to hold her own in traffic there is plenty of grunt available even at the fastest highway speeds. The laycock overdrive makes for relaxed cruising at highway speeds.

Her nimble nature shines on backroads where you can choose to amble along with a refined engine burble of a sedate drive or release the unmistakable roar as you open up the throttle to accelerate out of a corner.

If you like the driving experience, you will enjoy this vehicle immensely. You will also garner many an admiring look and appreciative comment. I have lost count of the number of conversations I have had with passers-by and other motorists while waiting for the traffic lights to turn green.

She has proven to be very reliable thanks largely to refurbished carburettors, regular servicing and an electronic distributor. It took about 60 days from handover in New Zealand to receipt in Houston but she fired up straight away as if she were my daily driver.

Are there oil leaks? The running gear is mid-60’s Jaguar - of course there are - but they are minor and manageable.

This is a car that has been driven not stored. With 92,400 miles, she has successfully navigated the cold of Massachusetts, the wind and rain of New Zealand and the searing heat of Texas and Australia. While there is plenty for the tinkerer to do, this is not a restoration project but a viable vehicle perhaps even a daily driver.

MECHANICALS

The Jaguar XK engine is one of the great classic powerplants — a 3.8-litre, twin-cam inline-six with a sound and character that modern engines simply cannot replicate. This particular mill was donated by a 1965 Jaguar ‘S’ class and has twin SU carburettors. The cylinder head and carburettors were professionally refurbished including new valves, valve guides and valve springs during the COVID period. New Michelin Defender T&H 215/70R15 tires were fitted about 5200 miles ago.

Mechanical upgrades since original build include:
> Dual-pot brake calipers and new discs on the front wheels (2022); Braided brake hoses (2025)
> Sealed ball joints and new bushings throughout the front suspension (2017)
> Aluminium radiator and alloy water pump (2020)
> Electronic 1-2-3 ignition distributor with programmable advance curves (2019)
> 3D-printed intake manifolds (2025)
> Head restraints (2023) - fitted to meet Australian registration requirements

ELECTRICS

The car is electrically reliable in day-to-day use. Like most cars of this age and type that have passed through several owners, the wiring carries the evidence of incremental modifications and repairs over the years. Everything works but a full rewire would tidy things up. Electrical upgrades:
> Battery isolation switch on the firewall
> Headlights and cooling fan are now relay-operated
> Crash-triggered fuel pump isolation
> Third stop lamp

PRESENTATION

The car is presented in deep navy blue with a blue leather interior and pink/red contrast trim — a striking combination that turns heads wherever it goes. The chrome grille, cycle-type front wings, louvred bonnet, and wood-rimmed Momo steering wheel are all intact and correct. The paintwork and seat covers show honest wear consistent with a car that has been driven and enjoyed rather than stored — there are minor scratches and sections of dull paint. The leather is faded and scuffed but not torn. This is a car for tinkering and driving - it is not a show car. That said, it rarely fails to draw admiring glances.

Included with the Sale
> "The History of Kougar Sports Cars" — the definitive book on the marque
> Jaguar maintenance and parts manuals
> Clean Texas title with no liens.
> Electronic records of history and maintenance going back about 25 years including back copies of the Kougar Owners Club magazine.
> Wet weather cover and doors
> Shop jack, jack stands and chocks plus an emergency toolkit roll in the passenger footwell