Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupe
• Delivered new in the USA • Matching numbers chassis, body, engine • In Switzerland and only three owners since 1978 • Formerly owned by the president of the Jaguar Owner's Club • Swiss registration document The XK120 set new standards for comfort, handling, performance, and styling for British sports cars and, in keeping with Jaguar tradition, there was nothing to be said for the price. A striking appearance, the XK120 was built on a separate chassis, featuring independent front suspension via wishbones and torsion bars, an active rear axle, and large hydraulic drum brakes at all four corners. The heart of the car was, of course, the fantastic XK engine. The 3,4-liter inline six-cylinder engine, designed during wartime and intended for Jaguar's post-war sedan, embodied the best of modern design, with double overhead camshafts in an aluminium cylinder head, seven main bearings, and a maximum output of 160 hp combined with endless torque.
• Delivered new in the USA
• Matching chassis, body, engine numbers
• In Switzerland and only three owners since 1978
• Formerly owned by the president of the Jaguar Owner's Club
• Swiss registration document
The XK120 set new standards in comfort, handling, performance and styling for British sports cars and, in keeping with Jaguar tradition, the price was no match.
Its striking appearance, the XK120, was built on a separate chassis, with independent front suspension via wishbones and torsion bars, a live rear axle and large hydraulic drum brakes at all four corners. The heart of the car was of course the fantastic XK engine. Designed during wartime and intended for Jaguar's post-war saloon, the 3,4-litre inline six-cylinder engine embodied the best of modern design, with double overhead camshafts in an aluminum cylinder head, seven main bearings and maximum power. of 160 hp combined with endless torque.
The bodywork was the work of Jaguar boss William Lyons himself – and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful forms ever to grace a car – and was conceived as an aluminium structure for the simple reason that Jaguar expected to sell no more than 200 XK120 Roadsters – or Open Two Seater (OTS) – in the first year! The exquisitely beautiful and well-balanced Fixed Head Coupé (FHC) soon followed, and it remains one of the most celebrated closed coupé designs to date on a non-coachbuilt passenger car, bearing a strong resemblance to some of the finest lines of Jean Bugatti's Type 57 Atalante masterpiece.
"We claimed a speed of 200 km/h (for the XK120), a speed that was unheard of for a production car at the time." – William Heynes, Chief Engineer, Jaguar Cars.
Jaguar's claim was duly verified when a carefully prepared example achieved a speed of 200,4 km/h with the bonnet and side panels up, and 212,10 km/h without weather protection and equipped with an underseat! The XK120 was also the foundation of Jaguar's racing dynasty and the first model for many future automotive legends, including Stirling Moss and Phil Hill. On various levels, Jaguar's 'XK' engine ensured that Jaguar XK 120 C-, C-Type, and D-Type sports racers went to international racing dominance, including five Jaguar victories (1951, 1953, 1955-57) at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
According to the Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate, this left-hand drive XK120 Coupé (one of 2.484 built) left the factory on April 18, 1952, as a personal export delivery via City Motors, Oxford, destined for the USA. The original colour scheme was cream with a red interior. Two former owners are known: Jaguar Owners' Club Chairman Urs Schmid (1978-1988) and Rudolf Schnorf (1988-2015). The current seller acquired the XK from Mr. Schnorf. The car is fitted with new electrical systems and new interior upholstery (invoices available) and is described as generally in good condition. Additional documentation consists of a FIVA identity card (issued in 2016), a heritage document, and a Swiss registration document.