Jaguar XK120 – 1952 images

The Jaguar XK120 began life as a one-off testbed for a new engine, but the reaction at its 1948 debut convinced Jaguar to build it — and the resulting car became the fastest production car in the world at the time. This 1952 example carries the original 3.4-liter inline-six good for 180 hp and a genuine 120-mph top speed. Jaguar built just over 12,000 XK120s between 1949 and 1954, with alloy-bodied cars now among the rarest of the breed.

This 1952 Jaguar XK-120 Roadster has been painsakingly restored to original condition and is nowÂ period correct. The interior is leather linned and under the hood is a 3442 cc (3.442 L) 6-cylinder engine backed by a short throw 4 speed stadard transmission.Â Top speed for the roadster is around 120 mph.

⚑ Featured Gear

Start Car Conversations →

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

MCF thanks Gateway Classic Cars for the images provided here.

click any image to view a larger picture

When this car first appeared at a London auto show years before this particular example rolled off the line, nobody expected it to become anything more than a one-off engineering showcase. Instead, it triggered such an overwhelming reaction from the crowd that the company’s own chairman decided, almost on the spot, to put it into full production. What followed was a run of cars that would claim a title few road cars of the era could touch: fastest production car in the world. This 1952 example, finished in period-correct condition down to its leather-lined cabin, carries that same inline six-cylinder engine that made the badge famous — but the story behind how a testbed became a production icon is far stranger than the finished car lets on.

From Show Car to Fastest Production Car in the World

The XK120 launched at the 1948 London Motor Show as a testbed and show car built around a new engine designed by Jaguar chief engineer William Heynes. The reaction was so overwhelming that Jaguar founder and chairman William Lyons decided to put the car into full production, and it went on to claim a genuine 120-mph top speed — making it the fastest production car in the world at the time.

The Engine and Numbers Behind the Badge

Power came from a 3,442cc inline-six producing 160 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 195 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm, paired with a four-speed manual gearbox capable of a 0-60 run in under ten seconds — remarkable for the early 1950s. Jaguar built 12,061 XK120s between 1949 and 1954, and only 240 of them wore rare alloy bodies rather than the more common steel construction.

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter