Britain emerged from the austerity of the post-war years with few cars capable of challenging the world’s most accomplished sporting machines. Jaguar changed that almost overnight with the XK 120, a car of startling beauty, advanced engineering, and genuinely transformative performance. Introduced in 1948 around Jaguar’s newly developed XK twin-cam straight-six, it paired aerodynamic, coachbuilt-inspired form with a claimed 120-mph maximum speed—an extraordinary figure for a production road car of its era.

Initially conceived as a short-run showcase for the new engine, demand ensured that the XK 120 quickly became far more than a promotional exercise. It established the blueprint for the Jaguar sports cars that followed: elegant, capable, mechanically sophisticated, and endowed with a level of performance that rivaled far more expensive competition. Today, the model remains one of the defining British sports cars of the 20th century, admired as much for its sensuous lines as for the enduring excellence of the XK engine beneath its long bonnet.

Accompanied by a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate, this XK 120 was dispatched new to Montreal, Canada, on 30 June 1950. Chassis 670288 was the 288th XK 120 completed and is therefore among the earliest steel-bodied examples built immediately following the conclusion of alloy-body production.

While the intervening ownership history is not presently known, the car had entered the collection of a prominent Southern California enthusiast by 2006. In 2010, that owner commissioned Classic Showcase to complete a comprehensive restoration which saw the body stripped to bare metal before being expertly refinished in its correct and particularly attractive Pastel Blue. The interior was retrimmed in a striking combination of Blue and French Grey leather, complemented by a French Grey convertible top and matching tonneau cover. The Jaguar is powered by its matching-numbers engine block with replacement cylinder head. The finished car emerged as a proven concours contender, earning multiple first-place trophies and near-perfect scores at several Jaguar Clubs of North America events.

Spectacular, sleek, and elegant, this exceptional and exquisitely restored early XK 120 is ideal for the discerning collector seeking to acquire a landmark Jaguar.