LONDON.- The Jowett Jupiter was a successful British race and touring car produced by Jowett Cars Ltd of Idle near Bradford. It is estimated to sell for £38,000 to £42,000 at the next H&H Classics sale in Duxford, the Imperial War Museum March 21.

The Jupiter achieved competition success with a record-breaking class win at the 1950 Le Mans 24 Hour race, a class one-two in the 1951 Monte Carlo International Rally. an outright win in the 1951 Lisbon International Rally, and a class one-two in a gruelling four-hour sports car race on the public road circuit at Dundrod in Northern Ireland in September 1951.

Damian Jones, Head of Sales for H&H Classics says of this car: “In the Jowett Jupiter you are buying a rare and classy piece of British car racing history. This car was a winner in its day against the toughest competition.”

A well-appointed touring car first and foremost the Jupiter tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1950 had a top speed of 86.1 mph (138.6 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 18.0 seconds. A fuel consumption of 25.1 miles per imperial gallon (11.3 L/100 km; 20.9 mpg US) was recorded. The test car cost £1086 including taxes. At this time a Jaguar XK120 cost £1263 including taxes when tested by the same magazine.

The Jowett Jupiter being sold by H&H has a 1950s documented race history with supporting photographs at Dundrod, Silverstone and Isle of Man British Empire Trophy. It was a 1951 Monte Carlo rally entrant but was scratched from racing. The car has been in storage from 1969 until 2015.

It has undergone a full comprehensive, correctly detailed and photographic restoration to the very highest standard over a two-year period.

Those who drove the car were enthused by its performance, especially in view of the "well-known ... verve of the Javelin engine" and its "susceptiblity to power output increase". Other features drawing particular praise included quick, light though highly geared steering and gear change linkage which was "unusually positive for a steering column layout".