1954 Jaguar XK120 – Classified of the Week

William Lyons needed something new, something dramatic and something exciting. Jaguar was on the brink of collapse post-war. Plans to develop a new engine were slow, and the pressure put on manufacturers to build cars for export was hurting Jaguar, as its older, more traditional offerings simply weren’t floating the American car buyer’s boat. With the London Motor Show looming, something had to be done. And that something was, at the time, unimaginable – Lyons would create a sports car.

Now, we take the sports car for granted. Back in the ’40s though, it was a notion that was looked down upon by the British automotive old guard. It was a fad, a silly style of vehicle that held little appeal and that more crucially held little in the way of profit. Lyons wasn’t listening, and instead set about creating the XK120. Unlike today’s automotive execs, Lyons was hands on. He was in charge of the styling of all of Jaguar’s cars, despite having no formal training in design. He didn’t sketch the cars, either. Instead he favoured building full-scale bucks that, with the help of his engineers, he would tweak, cut, chop and change until the resultant shape satisfied his eye. A bold style, but it worked.

The 1948 London Motor Show rolled around, and the Jaguar team nervously pushed the XK120 into position. There was a lot riding on this car, but there was little to suggest it would be a success. The MG cars that tumbled out of Cecil Kimber’s brain had been a huge success in America, but there was little of that car to be shared with the Jaguar. It was a nervous time, but nerves needn’t have come into it. The covers were pulled back and the crowds went wild. The XK120 was a hit as soon as eyes fell on it, with many remarking on how utterly beautiful it was. One person who agreed was budding import/export businessman, Max Hoffman, who sidled up to Lyons and quietly ordered 200 for America. And just like that, the XK120 saved Jaguar.

As well we know, the XK120 would go on to sell in massive, massive numbers. It would go on to be raced at Le Mans, and it would be known as the car Clark Gable would drive. And now, it’s recognised as one of the world’s most popular and most beautiful classics. And when you gaze upon this 1954 Jaguar XK120 model, it’s hard to disagree. Benefiting from a recent detailed restoration, and tasteful modification like the inclusion of the five-speed manual transmission, it sits today as a car that can be enjoyed right away. Painted in gorgeous gloss black with contrasting wine interior, it’s an absolute stunner. It also has the benefit of being fitted with disc brakes, electronic ignition, electric power steering and an alternator kit replaces the old dynamo.

With the recent restoration, and that selection of restrained, but useful modifications added in the name of modernisation, this Jaguar XK120 is perhaps the perfect one for today’s roads. You could use this car whenever the mood took you, and you would enjoy every minute of driving it. The steering is feather light, it stops in a heartbeat and it goes like a bolting horse. But more than that, this is the car that saved Jaguar, that pulled it back from the brink of financial collapse. It’s an icon, not only in terms of design, but also in terms of what it achieved. And that’s worth buying into, don’t you think?