Jaguar XK120 (1953)

Jaguar XK120

Offering a transfixing glimpse into the glamour of the British sportscar’s heyday, the XK120 is a glowing testament to the revolutionary engineering that saw it claim the title of ‘fastest car in the world’ upon its global debut in 1948.

The beautiful sportscar may have been designed to tear up the roads to the tune of its soulful straight-six engine, but it didn’t take long to make an impact on the world of road-racing. Marking Jaguar’s first foray into the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950, the XK120 laid the groundwork for the XK120-C – otherwise known as the C-Type – to earn Jaguar’s first ever win at the prestigious motor race just a year later.

The XK120 began its life in the USA as a left-hand drive example finished in Pastel Blue, before making its way back home to the UK – where it was destined for a no-expenses-spared approach to preserving its lustre and race-winning dynamics.

Immaculately restored from tyre treads to windscreen, the vehicle was professionally converted to right-hand drive and treated to an extensive powertrain upgrade. The snarling 3.4-litre straight-six engine was bored out and modified to deliver engaging performance on the open road – power and pull delivered in every gear courtesy of a new five-speed transmission.

Drivers can also channel the confidence of the racers who tackled the infamous Le Mans circuit in years gone by with state-of-the-art disc brakes on all four corners of the car, making it a pure joy to drive whether on a laid-back grand tour or rip-roaring road rally.