At the 1948 Earls Court motor show, the XK 120’s impact was sensational. Soapy Sutton was Jaguar’s test driver. He was given the job of proving that the XK 120 could reach its claimed top speed of 120 miles an hour. Press and public loved the look of the car but was skeptical. Soapy Sutton reached 126 miles an hour. Then with a special small windshield, he touched 133. The XK 120 was the fastest production car in the world. William Lyons knew the value of such publicity.
The Jaguar XK120 was originally produced in 1949, and the Jaguar XK150 in 1955. Both cars were the first two models in the XK series, and were hand-built at Jaguar's factory in Browns Lane, Coventry, England. Sir William Lyons, Jaguar's founder, designed both the XK120 and the XK150.
Designed to be a high-performance sports car, the XK120 was initially offered as a two-seater roadster, but a drophead coupé and fixed-head coupé were later added to the lineup.
The XK150 was a more refined and luxurious version of the XK120. It featured a number of styling updates including a new grille, headlights, and rear lights. The XK150 was also available with a more powerful engine and a number of new optional features, such as power steering and air conditioning. The Jaguar XK120 and XK150 are two important cars in the history of Jaguar.
#FunFact: The XK120 and XK150 were the first Jaguar models to be exported to the United States in large numbers, and helped to establish Jaguar's reputation as a maker of high-performance sports cars.
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12 сен 2024
