1955 Jaguar XK-140

Jaguar introduced its XK120 in 1948 at the Earls Court Motor Show, just months after being conceived. The sensational roadster was the work of Jaguar boss William Lyons himself, with the body being conceived as a coachbuilt, aluminum paneled structure since Jaguar expected to sell no more than 200 examples in its first year. A new all-steel paneled body was developed in conjunction with the Pressed Steel Fisher Company, which retained the gentle curves, graceful lines, and fabulous appearance of the coachbuilt original while differing in minor external details. At its heart was the XK engine, which had been developed during World War II and was intended for Jaguar's forthcoming Mark VII saloon.

The 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine had a modern design with twin overhead camshafts running in an aluminum-alloy cylinder head, with seven main bearings and developing approximately 160 horsepower. The chassis was essentially a shortened version of the Mark V saloons, which employed William Henes' torsion bar independent front suspension.

The roadster was followed by coupe and drophead coupe versions, along with a Special Equipment (SE) package which brought power to 180 bhp. With either engine and regardless of body style, the XK120 was a genuine 120 mph car.

Production of the XK120 continued until 1954 and would prove to be the most popular of the XK series, with 12,078 examples built.

The Jaguar XK140
The Jaguar XK140 was launched in 1954 as a 1955 model and broadly similar to its XK120 predecessor, though more refined and sophisticated. The major engineering changes were confined to the adoption of rack-and-pinion steering as used on the racing C-Type, and repositioning the engine three inches further forward. The brakes and suspension remained mostly unchanged, though with telescopic shock absorbers replacing the previous lever-type at the rear and stiffer torsion bars at the front. Like its forbearer, the Xk140 was constructed in three body styles consisting of a roadster, coupe, and drophead coupe, the latter two having increased cabin space and occasional rear seats. Exterior changes included a revised radiator grille, larger bumpers, and rear lights incorporating flashing indicators.

The engine bay continued to house the tried-and-true 3.4-liter, twin-cam six, which now delivered 190 horsepower in standard trim thanks to revised porting and higher-lift camshaft. Steel bearing caps replaced the previous cast-iron type, ensuring reliability. The increased performance was handled by a close-ratio gearbox while Laycock-de Normanville overdrive became an option for the first time.

Jaguar XK140 models with the Special Equipment (SE) package came with wire wheels and Lucas fog lamps and could be optioned with a 210 horsepower engine with 'C'-type cylinder head. They had 2-inch sand-cast SU H8 carburetors, heavier torsion bars, and twin exhausts. The XK140 was capable of top speeds in excess of 120 mph. A USA-specification XK140 MC (as the 'C'-type head-equipped SE version was known there) was tested by Road & Track magazine with a zero-to-sixty mph time of 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 121.1 mph.

The Jaguar XK120 had made its debut in 1948 and was produced through 1954 with approximately 12,000 examples made. It was at the forefront of sports car manufacturing, with graceful lines and race-proven performance capabilities. The arrival of the XK140 built upon its predecessor's sound original design, bringing with it a comprehensive list of improvements designed to overcome its predecessor's few shortcomings while maintaining its appeal, especially in the all-important U.S. export market. It retained the basic 102-inch wheelbase length of its predecessor, ergonomics were significantly improved, and race-proven mechanical enhancements kept it at the forefront of performance. During its three-year production run, ending in 1957, just 8,943 examples were made. Of those, 1,392 were in right-hand drive configuration while the remaining 7,545 were in left-hand drive. Clearly, the majority were intended for the North American market. Production between the three body styles was fairly similar, with the open two-seater being the most popular, with 3,349 examples built. The fixed-head and drop-head were nearly identical, with 2,790 of the drophead, just eight less than the fixed-head version. Of the 3,349 open two-seaters, just 73 were in right-hand drive configuration.

The Jaguar XK140 was superseded by the XK150. The E-Type superseded the XK-series in 1961.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2020