Customs exercise

The Jaguars of the 1950s are now classic cars, and of them the XK120 represents the start of significant developments. It took the motoring world by storm in 1949. Having tried it on the road and round Brands Hatch, I wrote that “The outstanding impression left by this wonderful car is its combination of extravagant performance, and silent, effortless functioning, exhaust sound vanishing at about 2500rpm”, and Lord Montagu, in his book Jaguar reminded me that, “As no mincer of of words,” I had also reported that the XK120’s engine “like a bank clerk, was devoid of temperament and the speed so deceptive that previously easy corners seemed acute”.

The designation of this new Jaguar was clearly intended to indicate speed, not bhp, because the twin-ohc engine gave 160bhp at 5000rpm. But was two-miles-a-minute truly obtainable? I put it at no more than 110mph. Jaguar’s test-driver, RM Sutton, was also sceptical, but on a five-mile stretch of road near Coventry did get the magic 120 from a prototype. However William Lyons decided to show what the new Jaguar could do, and the RAC of Belgium was asked to arrange for one side of the Jabbeke-Aeltre autobahn to be closed for some timed runs. That was in May 1949, a day I can hardly forget…

From Heathrow a Sabena Dakota flew a party of top journalists to Ostend and a waiting coach. The driver got lost and had to be directed by Tommy Wisdom of the Daily Herald. We therefore arrived late. Poor ‘Soapy’ Sutton (so-called because he was continually ‘washing’ shaking hands) who was to drive the XK120, was smoking nervously as he stood by. The car was a standard model, with 3.27:1 axle ratio and 6.00×16 Dunlop Road Speed tyres. After rope had secured its side-curtains to the hood, Sutton drove it at 126.448mph over the two-way mile. The screen was then removed, a scuttle air-deflector fitted, and the XK timed at a convincing 132.332 mph over a flying-start kilo, at 132.596mph for the mile. The Jaguar had an undershield, but this was a listed extra. Two of the Fleet Street chaps were then allowed to drive it.

Afterwards we were taken to the Osbourne Hotel, where the Deputy Mayor of Ostend provided lunch. It was then that things began to misfire! There was another party in the big dining room and Lyons’ party was invited to join this jolly group. Now Fleet Street liked a drink, and the jollities went on into the late afternoon, in spite of the pilot sending messages about leaving. We departed at last, to find annoyed stewardesses on the aeroplane, who had been brewing tea for us, and a cross pilot. Now before this trip Motor Sport, ever ready to conserve money, had told me I did not need a passport for a day visit to Belgium. I had got out alright, but passport-less WB held up all the journalists, frantic to get a story in the evening papers about the fine Jaguar showing. I was not popular, it being some time before the pilot vouched for me…

However, I devoted a whole editorial to the XK’s performance, and described the car as sans peur et sans reproche. So if you have an XK120 still in use, continue to cherish it!