The Motor magazine road-tested an XK120
roadster in 1949. With hood and sidescreens in place, it achieved a
top speed of 124.6 mph (200.5 km/h), accelerated from 0-60 mph (97
km/h) in 10.0 seconds and consumed fuel at the rate of 19.8 miles
per imperial gallon (14.3 L/100 km; 16.5 mpg-US). The car as tested
cost £1263 including taxes.
In May 1949, Jaguar demonstrated an XK120 roadster to the press on
the high-speed autoroute between Jabbeke and Aeltre in Belgium. The
road was closed for the occasion. The white left-hand drive car,
chassis number 670002, was the second XK120 built. Jaguar's
development engineer Walter Hassan was to have driven but fell ill,
so Jaguar test-driver Ron "Soapy" Sutton substituted for him. With
hood and sidescreens erected, and the airflow under the car improved
by the addition of a full-length aluminium undertray, the Jaguar was
timed through the flying mile by the Royal Automobile Club of
Belgium at 126.448 mph (203.498 km/h). With hood, sidescreens and
windscreen removed, a metal airflow deflector fitted in front of the
driver, and a tonneau cover fastened over the passenger side of the
cockpit the speed improved to 136.596 mph (219.830 km/h), making the
XK120 the world's fastest production car..
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