A Rogue, an XK120 and the World Record that Took 5 Years and Stirling Moss to Break.

It was a car the likes of which had not been seen before. Fitted with a truly inspired DOHC six-cylinder engine and clothed by a streamlined flowing coachwork, evocative of that hopeful post-WWII period, it was a promise of better times to come. As the name implied, the Jaguar XK120 was good for 120 mph, an amazing speed when other British cars of the period generally ran out of puff at half that speed.

Naturally, Jaguar took full advantage of the 120’s potential through such events as setting speed records (132.6mph) on the Jabbeke highway, Belgium in 1949, first in class during the 1950 Alpine Trial and 107mph for 24 hours at Montlhéry, France, in October 1950.