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1951 Jaguar XK120

The Jaguar XK120 was conceived and constructed three months prior to its debut in 1948 at the Earls Court Motor Show where its stunning appearance caused such a sensation that it took Jaguar by surprise. The resulting demand for what was then the world's fastest production cars convinced Sir William Lyons and the team at Holbrook Lane, Coventry (through 1951, then Browns Lane, Coventry from 1951 to 1954) to put it into production.

The XK120 was the work of Jaguar boss William Lyons himself and one of the most elegant shapes to ever grace a motor car. It was produced from 1948 to 1954 and was their first sports car since the SS100 which ceased production in 1940. Initially built with roadster bodywork, the '120' in its name referenced its top speed which made the XK120 the world's fastest standard production car at the time of its launch. The roadster body was joined by a coupe in 1951, and then a drophead coupe in 1953.

The XK120 had been conceived as a coachbuilt, aluminum paneled structure as Jaguar did not anticipate selling more than 200 examples in its inaugural year. With demand quickly outpacing that initial 200 figure, Jaguar worked with the Pressed Steel Fisher Company for the fabrication of a new all-steel paneled body, which retained the appearance of the coachbuilt original while differing in minor external details. The first 242 cars were open 2-seater bodies with aluminum panels, while subsequent production used 1 cwt or 112 lb heavier all-steel bodies. Beneath the skin, the steel car was entirely different and it would take approximately twenty months of development before manufacture could begin.

Powering the XK120 was the XK engine which had been developed during the war and intended for Jaguar's forthcoming Mark VII saloon. The 3.4-liter straight-six used double overhead camshafts, hemispherical combustion chambers, a high-strength aluminum-alloy cylinder head, seven main bearings, inclined valves, and twin side-draft SU carburetors. With the standard compression ratio of 8:1, the engine offered 160 horsepower. The 7:1 lower compression version with less performance was reserved for the United Kingdom market, where the post-war austerity measures restricted buyers to 70 octane 'Pool petrol.' The XK engine was later modified into a 3.8 liter and 4.liter version, surviving into the late 1980s.

1951 Jaguar XK120 photo
Hardtop Coupe
Chassis #: 679002
View info and history
Jaguar essentially shortened the chassis of the simultaneously announced Mark V saloon and incorporated William Heynes' torsion bar independent front suspension. There were semi-elliptic leaf springs in the rear, recirculating ball steering, 12-inch drum brakes, and a telescopically adjustable steering column. The drum brakes had a tendency to fade, so some examples received Alfin (ALuminium FINned) brake drums to rectify this problem.

The first 242 production examples of the XK120 were hand-built with aluminum bodies on ash framing with a steel chassis similar to the Mark V. These early examples were built from late 1948 through early 1950. As demand increased and beginning with the 1950 model year, all subsequent XK120 models received the pressed-steel bodies, but with aluminum hood, boot lid, and doors. The fixed head coupe (FHC) and drophead coupe (DHC) were better equipped and more luxurious than the open roadster, with wood veneer on the dashboard and interior door caps (the roadsters had leather-trimmed door caps), and wind-up windows. The detachable side screens and lightweight canvas top of the roadster could be stowed behind the seats when not in use. The roadster was devoid of external door handles, with access from the interior provided by a pull-cord accessed through a flap in the side screens when in place. Aero screens could be installed in place of the windscreen.

All body styles wore removable spats, known in the United States as 'fender skirts,' which covered the rear wheel arches and added to the vehicle's streamlined appearance. The exception was the optional center-lock wire wheels, becoming available from 1951 forwards, and when installed, the spats were omitted due to insufficient clearance for the chromed, two-eared Rudge-Whitworth knockoff hubs. The standard setup was 6.00x16-inch ply tires on 16x5K solid wheels for pre-1951 cars. 185VR16 Pirelli Cinturato radial tires were optional later in the development cycle, and chromium-plated wire wheels were optional from 1953.

1951 Jaguar XK120 photo
Roadster
Chassis #: 672528
The drophead coupe body style had roll-up windows with opening quarter lights, a flat glass two-piece windscreen installed in a steel-painted (body color) frame that was integrated with the body. The lined canvas top was padded and could fold onto the rear deck behind the seats when retracted.

The Special Equipment (SE) option (in the United States, it was called the M Version for Modified) added a dual exhaust system, stiffer suspension, higher lift camshafts, and 180 horsepower at 5,300 RPM. The SE option was optional beginning in mid-1951 per Service Bulletin number 95 dated June 1951.

Jaguar quickly demonstrated the capability of the XK120, showcasing its claimed top speed was no idle boast in May of 1949 by driving a roadster with its hood and side screen in place to a recorded speed of 126.448 mph on the Jabbeke to Aeltre autoroute. With the hood and windscreen detached and an under-tray fitted, the XK120 reached 132.596 mph. The car was chassis number 670002, the second XK120 built. It was finished in white, had a left-hand drive configuration, and was intended to be driven by development engineer Walter Hassan. After falling ill, driving duties were assigned to Jaguar test-driver Ron 'Soapy' Sutton.

1951 Jaguar XK120 photo
Roadster
Chassis #: 672528
In 1950, Leslie Johnson and Stirling Moss drove JWK 651 at the Autodrome de Montlhéry where it averaged over 100 mph for 24 hours, making it the first production car to had an average above 100 mph for 24 hours. During those twenty-four hours, there were driver changes every three hours, the best lap was 126.2 mph, the average was 107.46 mph, and it covered 2,579.16 miles. A year later, Johnson drove JWK 651 at Montlhéry with an average speed of 131.83 mph for one hour.

Along with performance, the XK120 established new standards of comfort and road-holding for a British sports car, while maintaining an attractive price. Production continued through 1954 and would prove to be the most popular of the XK series with 12,045 examples built. Of those, 7,606 were roadsters (open two-seater with 6,436 in left-hand configuration), 2,672 fixed-head coupes (2,477 with LHD), and 1,767 Drop heads (1,472 LHD).


by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2021

Related Reading : Jaguar XK120 History

The Jaguar XK120 was designed to be a prestigious vehicle and produced in low numbers. The designation 120 represented the vehicles top speed of 120 miles-per-hour. At the time, it was the fastest production car in the world. The British automotive industry was greatly influenced by World War II. Many manufacturers went out of business due to the lack of funds, fuel and supply shortages, or....
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1951 Jaguar XK120 Vehicle Profiles

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Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

$800-$3,855
1951 XK120
$4,000-$11,000
1951 Jaguar XK120 Price Range: $3,855 - $4,000

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Other 1951 Jaguar Models
$3,750 - $3,850

XK120

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 210.04 CID., 160.00hp
$3,945 - $3,945
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 210.04 CID., 160.00hp
$3,950 - $3,950
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 210.04 CID., 150.00hp
6 cyl., 210.04 CID., 160.00hp
6 cyl., 210.04 CID., 180.00hp
$3,855 - $4,000
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 210.04 CID., 180.00hp
$4,050 - $4,080
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 210.04 CID.
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 210.00 CID., 160.00hp
6 cyl., 210.00 CID., 250.00hp
$4,040 - $4,255
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 210.04 CID., 160.00hp
6 cyl., 210.00 CID., 180.00hp
$3,350 - $4,000
102.00 in.
6 cyl., 210.04 CID., 160.00hp

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