Jaguar Xk120 Fixed Head Coupe

The coupe version of the Jaguar XK120 is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful sports cars of all time.

The coupe version of the Jaguar XK120 is seen by many as one of the most beautiful sports cars of all time. In its day it is the fastest production car in the world. The type designation 120 means 120 miles (193 km/h), but on a closed section of motorway near Jabbeke in Belgium, a roadster version of the Jaguar XK120 is clocked in 1949 at a top speed of almost 220 km/h. The Fixed Head Coupe on display in the museum has never been restored and still carries its original Dutch license plate. The metallic blue paint is original. The intention is to build only a few examples of the XK120, because it is meant to serve as a test and show model for the new Jaguar 3.4 liter six cylinder, but at the 1948 London Motor Show the interest is so great that it is decided to put the car into production. Initially two open versions are made, a roadster and a so called drophead coupe, in which the opened top is not stowed away in the bodywork. In 1951 the coupe with a fixed roof appears. Almost 2,700 examples of this model are built, of which only 195 with the steering wheel on the right hand side, because most Jaguars are intended for export.