The Revolutionary 1954 Jaguar XK120 owned by David Gandy

The XK120 was launched at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show: With its revolutionary twin-cam engine and sweeping lines it proved to be a hit, but it was only ever intended to be a showcase for Sir William Lyons’ new six-cylinder engine originally destined for Jaguar’s new range of saloons.

Because the forthcoming line-up was not ready on time, Jaguar decided to manufacture a limited-production sports car. Lyons designed the lightweight aluminium body fitted to a modified steel and ash frame from the contemporary Mark V saloon, from which the chassis was also borrowed and cut down. The aforementioned 3.4-litre engine was fitted to create the XK120 prototype, which at the time was the fastest car in the world. Around 200 examples were built. Because demand turned out to be much higher than anticipated, in 1950 Lyons commenced mass production using steel bodies. This was known as the Open Two Seater, while a Fixed Head Coupé appeared in 1951 and a Drop Head Coupé was launched in 1953.

This particular 1954 XK120, which I photographed at Concours of Elegance 2020, has been restored to life-long Jaguar enthusiast David Gandy’s bespoke specification. The 11-month project, which was a close collaboration between Gandy and experts at Jaguar Classic, took 2700 hours to complete. The brief was to make the car race ready for classic motor sport events. After a suitable 1954 base car had been tracked down in California, unique upgrades inspired by the XK120 Lightweight were fitted while as much of the original car as possible was retained.

The original engine was rebuilt over five-and-a-half months, after which it delivered an additional 45bhp and enhanced durability, with a fast-shifting four-speed manual gearbox. An all-new, upgraded exhaust system with dual pipes instead of the usual single unit was also fitted, together with uprated front brake discs and four-pot callipers. The suspension uses fully adjustable dampers, allowing the Classic team to fine-tune the handling for events.

On the outside, 13 litres of solid black paint have been applied, while additional exterior features include a racing inspired flip-top fuel cap and twin aero screens in the place of the original split-screen windscreen – a feature that is synonymous with the XK120 Lightweight. Inside the car has been retrimmed in aged saddle tan leather by Bridge of Weir featuring a distinctive lattice design, with the seatbacks finished in aluminium rather than fabric. A custom 15-inch steering wheel and made-to-measure front seat further enhance comfort for the 6ft 2in tall owner.

ENGINE

3.4-litre, straight-six, double overhead camshaft, 225bhp

CONFIGURATION

Front engine, four-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, separate chassis, wishbone and torsion bar front, leaf-sprung live axle rear, disc brakes front, drums rear