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The Jaguar XK 120, 140 and 150 - history, successes and competitors

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Created on July 22, 2011

Reading time 23min

Written by:

Louis Miller

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

6

Bruno von Rotz

15

Louis Miller

4

Balz Schreier

1

Archiv

22

Daniel Reinhard

6

Bruno von Rotz

15

Louis Miller

4

Balz Schreier

1

Archiv

22

Jaguar XK 120 (1952) - Classic & Sportscar Auction Interlaken 1990

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Jaguar XK 120 (1948) - Seitenansicht

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Jaguar XK 120 (1949) - an der London Motorshow 1949

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Jaguar XK 120 Super Sport (1948) - elegante Linienführung

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Jaguar XK 120 (1953) - Werksfoto

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Jaguar XK 120 (1955) - offene Version

Bild von Partner Planai Classic 2025 Inline 1

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Jaguar XK 140 Cabriolet (1954) - mit montiertem Dach

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Jaguar XK 140 Coupé (1954) - geschlossene Version

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Jaguar XK 140 Cabriolet (1955) - Cabriolet gschlossen

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Jaguar XK 140 Tourer (1955) - Innenaufnahme stark retouchiert

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Jaguar XK 120 Coupé (1952) - Seitenansicht des Coupés

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Jaguar XK 140 A (1956) - Seitenansicht, links

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Jaguar XK 120 (1950) - an der British Auto Show von 1950

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Jaguar XK 140 FHC (1956) - fotografiert Anfangs der Neunzigerjahre

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Jaguar XK 150 Drophead Coupé (1958) - stimmige Aufnahme im Park

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Jaguar XK 150 Drophead Coupé (1960) - auf einer staubigen Strasse

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Jaguar XK 150 S (1960) - Aufnahme aus den 90-er-Jahren

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Jaguar XK 120 Super Sport (1948) - der Super Sport kostete 988 Pfund vor Steuern

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Jaguar XK 140 (1954) - Zugang zur Rückbank - aufgenommen an der London Motorshow von 1954

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Jaguar XK 120 Coupé (1952) - ausgestellt am Genfer Autosalon von 1952

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Jaguar XK 150 (1958) - bearbeitetes Werksfoto

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Jaguar XK 150 Open Two Seater (1959) - der XK 150 hatte keine tief ausgeschnittenen Türen mehr

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Jaguar XK 140 (1955) - Armaturenbrett

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Jaguar XK 140 (1955) - Frontansicht

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Jaguar XK 140 (1955) - Interieur

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Jaguar XK 140 (1955) - Motorraum, der Reihensechszylinder

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Jaguar XK 120 (1952) - fotografiert an einem Oldtimertreffen um ca. 1979

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Boxenstopp @ Meylenstein Mai 2011 - Jaguar XK 150

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Jaguar XK 140S (1956) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 074)

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Jaguar XK 150S (1958) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 089)

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Jaguar XK 150 (1959) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 102)

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Jaguar XK 150 (1960) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 111)

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Jaguar XK 150S (1958) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 089)

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Gaisbergrennen 2011 - Jaguar XK 120 OTS (1952) - auf dem Salzburgring

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Gaisbergrennen 2011 - Jaguar XK 120 OTS Lightweight (1950) - auf dem Salzburgring

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Jaguar XK 140 OTS (1956) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 091)

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Jaguar XK 150 DHC (1960) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 112)

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Jaguar XK 120 OTS (1950) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP2 049)

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Gaisbergrennen 2011 - Jaguar XK 120 DHC (1953) - auf dem Weg zum Gaisberg hoch

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Gaisbergrennen 2011 - Jaguar XK 120 OTS (1952) - in zügiger Fahrt auf den Gaisberg

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Jaguar XK 120 OTS (1950) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP2 049)

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Jaguar XK 120 LM (1953) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 060)

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Jaguar XK 140 OTS (1956) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 077)

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Jaguar XK 140 GTS (1956) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 091)

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Jaguar XK 120 LM (1953) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 060)

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Jaguar XK 120 OTS (1950) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP2 049)

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Jaguar XK 120 OTS (1950) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP2 049)

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Jaguar XK 120 FHC (1952) - an der Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP3 094)

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Summary

The Jaguar XK 120 to XK 150 were the benchmark in sports car competition from 1948 to 1961. No other manufacturer offered such good performance for less money. The fast and elegant sports cars were also a commercial success. This article takes an in-depth look at the various models, their predecessors and successors and is supplemented with many contemporary photos and original documents.

This article contains the following chapters

The predecessors Jaguar SS 90 and SS 100
Jaguar XK 120, the star of the 1948 London Motor Show
Technological innovation in the Jaguar XK 150
The Jaguar XK 120, 140 and 150 models today
Production figures for the various Jaguar model series - 1945 to 1973/75
Technical data
Further information
More comfort in the Jaguar XK 140
The E-Type as the successor to the XK series

Estimated reading time: 23min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Jaguar could already look back on a long history when the XK 120 was launched in 1948 and became the star of the London Motor Show. However, the XK series was more successful than any Jaguar car before it and established the company as the benchmark in the sports car market. Only the E-Type was able to take a similarly large step forward and was a worthy successor to the XK sports cars. The predecessors Jaguar SS 90 and SS 100 The company "Swallows Sidecars", founded by William Lyons and William Walmsley in Blackpool in 1922, originally produced - as the name suggests - motorcycle sidecars. From 1927, sporty bodies were also built for the chassis of vehicle manufacturers Austin and Standard. After moving to a more spacious factory in Coventry, the company introduced its first vehicle in 1931 on its own, particularly low chassis, which allowed for more elegant and sporty lines. The vehicle, a two-door saloon, was assembled at Standard and fitted with Standard engines, accordingly the car was named SS (Swallows/Standard). There were two versions: The SS 1 with a six-cylinder engine with an initial displacement of 2 and 2.5 liters and the SS 2 with four-cylinder engines with between 1 and 1.6 liters of displacement.

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