Lot 208: 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster

The Jaguar XK120 enjoyed a sensational debut at the 1948 London Motor Show. Overnight, the sleek OTS (Open Two-Seater) roadster established the post-WWII standard for automotive greatness, offering exceptional performance, handling and comfort at a very attractive price.

Jaguar Cars, the small British firm that produced the XK120, was all but overwhelmed by response to the car, conceived at first to be a one-off show model. In the rush to get production started, the first XK120s were built with expensive, difficult to manufacture aluminum bodies. After 242 cars were built, the factory switched over to pressed-steel bodies (while retaining the alloy bonnet, doors and trunk skin), which enabled the factory to produce the popular roadster more quickly.

Although its enduring good looks have ensured the XK120's place in the pantheon of automotive classics, its 120mph (193 km/h) performance, hence the model designation, made it perhaps the fastest production car one could buy at the time. The original 3.4L (210 cid) dual-overhead cam 6-cylinder engine was rated at a world-class 160hp, matching the power of the then new Cadillac OHV V8. The Jaguar engine utilized hemispherical combustion chambers, a first for a mass-produced engine.

The majority of XK120s were left-hand drive models, with most exported to the United States. The car quickly became a much-favored choice for not only sports car enthusiasts but also the Hollywood elite. Prominent XK120 owners included Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable.

Production of XK120 variants continued into 1954, with a drophead coupe (DHC) model with padded top and roll-up windows introduced in 1951, followed by a Fixed-Head Coupe (FHC) with metal top in 1953. However, the OTS roadster, with its removable windscreen, remained the purest expression of the true open sports model. Total production of XK120 OTS roadsters was 6,437 with left-hand drive and 1,173 with right-hand drive.

This steel-bodied, left-hand drive XK120 is car number 670756. Presently titled as a 1949 model, it was shipped from the factory to Max Hoffman's New York dealership in September, 1950. The original engine has been replaced at some time in the past. The known ownership history of the car goes back to 1979, when a member of the vendor’s family purchased it. Following his death in 1996, ownership of the XK120 passed to a brother and, subsequently, to successive heirs.

The passing of time has only enhanced the appeal of the XK120 OTS roadster; today as in the early 1950s, the mere sight of such a beautifully styled car delights appreciative spectators and to own one remains a dream held by legions of enthusiasts. Offered with a Certificate of Title.