Vehicle Description
1954 Jaguar XK120*CONCOURS STYLE RESTORATION*This 1954 Jaguar XK120
is colored in Cream White paint and luscious red leather interior.
Powered by a 3442CC 3.4L in-line 6 cylinder engine and a 4 speed
manual transmission, this is an incredible running and driving
classic Jaguar. Producing 180HP through the DOHC, Twin SU Carb
setup, means this thing can really sing. Foctory 16 inch wheels and
white wall tires complete the amazing 1954 Jaguar XK120. The Jaguar
XK120 is a sports car manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954.
It was Jaguar's first sports car since SS 100 production ended in
1939. The XK120 was launched in open two-seater or (US) roadster
form at the 1948 London Motor Show as a testbed and show car for
the new Jaguar XK engine designed by William Heynes Chief Engineer.
The display car was the first prototype, chassis number 660001. It
looked almost identical to the production cars except that the
straight outer pillars of its windscreen would be curved on the
production version. The sports car caused a sensation, which
persuaded Jaguar founder and Chairman William Lyons to put it into
production. Beginning in 1948, the first 242 cars wore wood-framed
open 2-seater bodies with aluminium panels. Production switched to
the 1cwt or 112 lb (51 kg) heavier all-steel in early 1950. The
"120" in the name referred to the aluminium car's 120 mph (193
km/h) top speed (faster with the windscreen removed), which made it
the world's fastest production car at the time of its launch. In
1949 the first production car, chassis number 670003, was delivered
to Clark Gable. The XK120 was ultimately available in three
versions or body styles, first as an open 2-seater described in the
US market as a roadster (OTS) then as a fixed head coup? (FHC) from
1951 and finally as a drophead coup? (DHC) from 1953, all
two-seaters and available with Left (LHD) or Right Hand Drive
(RHD). However, certain Special Equipment roadster and fixed head
coupe cars were produced between 1948 and 1949 denoted by an 'S'
preceding the chassis number. These Special Equipment cars were
sold as an early production build for enthusiasts.[citation needed]
A smaller-engined version with a 2-litre 4 cylinder engine,
designated the XK100, intended for the UK market was cancelled
prior to production. On 30 May 1949, on the empty Ostend-Jabbeke
motorway in Belgium, a prototype XK120 timed by the officials of
the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium achieved an average of runs in
opposing directions of 132.6 mph with the windscreen replaced by
just one small aero screen and a catalogued alternative top gear
ratio, and 135 mph with a passenger-side tonneau cover in place. In
1950 and 1951, at Autodrome de Linas-Montlh?ry, a banked oval track
in France, open XK120s averaged over 100 mph for 24 hours and over
130 mph for an hour. In 1952 a fixed-head coup? took numerous world
records for speed and distance when it averaged 100 mph for a week.
XK120s were also highly successful in racing and rallying.
