Jaguar’s XK 120 was an instant hit at its 1948 Earls Court introduction. Low and lithe, it had a curvaceous envelope body and a newly designed dual-overhead cam six-cylinder engine. The model took its name from a May 1949 speed run by a production roadster on Belgium’s Jabbeke Highway, where it was clocked at over 120 mph. A handsome fixed-head coupé was added to the line in 1951, and a convertible with roll-up side windows was added in 1953.

For 1955, the chassis was redesigned, with larger torsion bars and rack-and-pinion steering. The engine was given higher-lift camshafts, which raised horsepower to 190. The car was re-designated XK 140, and an XK 140 MC variant with the cylinder head from the C-Type boasted 210 bhp.

The final iteration of the original XK arrived in 1958, with the XK 150. Significantly restyled, the cars now had a higher beltline, with virtually no dip ahead of the rear fender. The windshield was a one-piece curved affair, and the grille was widened. For the first time, four-wheel disc brakes were available and fitted to most cars. An S model, with the engine uprated to 250 bhp, was added to the line. The 3.8-litre engine from the Mark IX saloon became available in 1960. That S-version, with triple carburettors, developed an impressive 265 horsepower.

The Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate for this left-hand drive XK 150 S documents its manufacture on 18 February 1960. It was despatched from the factory on 7 March, consigned to Jaguar Cars Eastern Canada in Montréal for Mr J.C. MacIsaac in Sudbury, Ontario. Total XK 150 production totalled fewer than 8,000 cars, of which just 2,133 are said to be drophead coupés. Most of these were built for export, but those of 3.8 S-specification number only 89, making them rare in any constituency.

Equipped with the 265 horsepower triple-carburettor engine, this car also has the desirable Laycock de Normanville electric overdrive. It received a meticulous, body-off restoration in Belgium in 2003, including concours-quality paintwork and a rebuilt engine and gearbox. The interior was completely re-done in red leather, the original specification, but the factory exterior combination was reversed, the cream body becoming black and the former black top replaced in tan, a most attractive motif. It comes with chrome wire wheels and the aforementioned Heritage Trust Certificate.

Although some enjoy the purity of the original XK 120 model, it is only in the final 150 S form that the XK reached its full potential of performance and comfort. This car is an excellent example and comes ready to enjoy and impress.