1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster
1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster | RM Sotheby's

1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster

Given the Jaguar XK 120’s status as a true automotive icon, it is surprising to many that the model was originally conceived and born as a limited-edition stopgap model. William Lyons assumed that the post-WWII fortune of his company, the recently re-named Jaguar Cars Ltd., would be made on saloon cars that would sell in export markets, especially the United States.

1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster
1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster | RM Sotheby’s

To that end, the new dual-overhead-cam, six-cylinder, 160-horsepower XK engine was developed to power a new line of sports luxury four-door sedans. As the new car was not yet ready for the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show, it was decided that the engine would be launched in a limited-run roadster before becoming a regular offering. That roadster, of course, was to be known as the XK 120—so named for its top speed of 120 mph.

1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster
1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Roadster | RM Sotheby’s

Story by RM Sotheby’s