In 1954, Jaguar introduced the XK140 as a replacement for the highly successful Jaguar XK120 that had first appeared in 1948. The XK Series was conceived by William Lyons as a sleek automobile that sat atop a short wheelbase in two-seat roadster configuration powered by a twin-cam engine. The XK120, named because of its 120 mph top speed, was powered by an engine that produced 160 horsepower. The 'X' represented the 'experimental' engine type while the letter 'K' was the sequence. The XK140 received a larger 190 horsepower engine, rack-and-pinion steering, and more interior space. Interior space was gained by the repositioning of the engine and firewall, thus keeping the dimensions of the chassis identical to the XK120. Minor improvements were done to the aesthetics of the vehicle. A Special Equipment package was available that included Dayton wire wheels and a 210 horsepower engine, the result of C-Type heads, and dual exhaust.History
| #1 | #2 | #3 | Jaguar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Chevrolet (2,061,677) | Ford (1,476,031) | Fiat (957,941) | 4,442 |
| 1961 | Ford (1,338,790) | Chevrolet (1,318,014) | Volkswagen (807,488) | 3,422 |
| 1960 | Chevrolet (1,653,168) | Ford (1,439,370) | Toyota (1,068,321) | 4,934 |
| 1959 | Chevrolet (1,462,140) | Ford (1,450,953) | Volkswagen (575,407) | 5,839 |
| 1958 | Chevrolet (1,142,460) | Ford (987,945) | Volkswagen (451,526) | 4,607 |
| 1957 | Ford (1,676,449) | Chevrolet (1,505,910) | Plymouth (726,009) | 3,685 |
| 1956 | Chevrolet (1,567,117) | Ford (1,408,478) | Buick (572,024) | 3,685 |
| 1955 | Chevrolet (1,704,667) | Ford (1,451,157) | Buick (738,814) | 3,573 |
| 1954 | Ford (1,165,942) | Chevrolet (1,143,561) | Plymouth (463,148) | 3,349 |
| 1953 | Chevrolet (1,346,475) | Ford (1,247,542) | Plymouth (650,451) | 3,349 |
| 1952 | Chevrolet (818,142) | Ford (671,733) | Plymouth (396,000) | 3,349 |
