Is the Jaguar XK120 worth the money? 

It was a blue-sky day on the very first day of October. These two Jaguar XK120s had not been driven much this summer and were in need of some proper exercise.

We had had both cars in stock for a while and found ourselves asking why nobody was buying them. As soon as I got behind the wheel, I remembered why I fell in love with these cars in the first place. Immediately, there was that distinctive scent of a vintage Jaguar, followed by the ticking of the fuel pump. Then there was that glorious straight-six engine that Jaguar kept developing and using for so many years. During this period, however, it was especially pure and raw in character.

Jaguar XK120 values 2026

There is no doubt that the values of the XK120, XK140 and XK150 have fallen over the last couple of years. I understand that the people who used to drive these cars are getting older and may no longer need them. More cars are coming onto the market than there are buyers, and prices are falling.

But I also think one of the reasons is that people do not realise how good these cars are. Even today, their performance is staggering, and none of the German carmakers could come close during this period.

Of course, they need a few small upgrades to give the driver that little extra for today’s traffic and to help preserve the machinery. The green XK120 shown here has a five-speed gearbox and bucket seats. I think I could drive it from Sweden to Italy at 110 km/h in style and comfort. We received so many thumbs-up while driving these cars today that you would not believe it.

The blue Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupé is a completely different animal. The engine has been tuned by Sigma Engineering in the UK, and although it is very powerful, it is remarkably easy to drive and has loads of torque. It has been retrofitted with an overdrive from a later car, as overdrive was not available on the XK120. It also features blue bucket seats and a modern pedal set, which makes the car much easier to control.

In the boot, there is a 120-litre aluminium fuel tank, so your luggage has to go on the luggage rack. This is a car prepared for long-distance touring or rallies such as the Mille Miglia. Its power and sound make you feel like a genuine 1950s racing driver. This car does not go unnoticed anywhere.

A Porsche 356, or even a BMW 507, could not come close to matching the performance of a Jaguar XK120 during this period. Even today, most other collector cars from this era cost considerably more than an XK120. Perhaps now is the best time ever to buy your Jaguar XK.