Description
This car is Lot 165 to be auctioned by Bonhams|Cars at Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris Sale on 6 February, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Public Viewing:
Available Tuesday 4 February from 08:00 until 18:00 and Wednesday 5 February from 9 AM - 6 PM, at The Grand Palais Historique, Paris.
Lot 165
1952 Jaguar XK120 SE Roadster
Registration no.
Chassis no. S675454
Original colour combination
Left-hand drive
Delivered new to the USA
Present ownership since 1998
Swiss cancelled registration document and Spanish customs document
Conceived and constructed in just a few months, the XK120 debuted at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show where the stunning looking roadster caused a sensation. Conceived as a low-volume model, the XK120 proved considerably more popular than expected, the resulting demand for what was then the world's fastest production car taking Jaguar by surprise. The XK120 set new standards of comfort, roadholding and performance for British sports cars and, in keeping with the Jaguar tradition, there was nothing to touch it at the price.
Chassis number 'S675454' was built in Black with Red trim and delivered new to the USA via Max Hoffman's dealership. The 1996 Jaguar Heritage Certificate on file notes the car as RHD but this may be an error, as the chassis prefix and delivery would point to original LHD Specification. Little is known of its life in the United States but by the late 1990s the car had made its way to Switzerland, and it was from the 1998 Brooks sale in Geneva where the car was purchased and imported to Spain. The catalogue at the time noted that the car had been restored in the 1980s and further works undertaken in 1997. The block stamping matches the Heritage certificate but the cylinder head stamping is different, implying that the car has had a replacement cylinder head at some point in its life. In the history file there is an invoice for paintwork from 2009, as well as Spanish import paperwork and a copy of the old Swiss title. This car requires recommissioning before any use after a long period of static display.
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams|Cars website for all pertinent auction information.
