Thursday, June 30, 2011

An Enduring Legend: The Original Jaguar XKE 120 Dual Cam Roadster

With much of Western Europe in ruins, automobile and engineering companies specializing in all kinds of sports car and motorcycles shifted their focus to America at the end of World War 2. This mass exodus included famous named like Austin-Cooper, Lotus, Austin-Healey, Mini-Cooper, Triumph, MG, Triumph bikes, Norton, Greeves, and British motorcycles. One name that stands out from this era of high-tech engineering and exotic European performance vehicles is the legendary Jaguar XKE roadster.

Although the Jaguar Automotive Company was active in the manufacture of high performance sports cars prior to World War 2, it is only in the post war period that the company went from a local British brand to an internationally acclaimed icon. Jaguar was going strong in pre-war Britain with standouts like the Jaguar Roadster SS-100, but the war soon brought an end to the good times for the small British manufacturer. A weak post-war economy combined with rationing lead to a huge decline in sales in Britain and Europe. Luckily there was an emerging market for premium performance vehicles over the Atlantic in the United States and Canada.

To tap this vibrant new market for their vehicles Jaguar's designers, engineers, and even the co-founder set out to launch a new, more stylish and sporty. This new model was seen as the saviour of the company - it was meant to raise demand for Jaguar vehicles abroad and ensure the company's continued existence in a difficult home market.

To this end they fitted out the new model with a then very powerful engine that achieved max power at 5,000 rpms. This was a huge innovation at the time as such power back then could only be found in specialized racing cars and not normal production vehicles. Another huge innovation for the time was the introduction of twin overhead camshafts, something else not found in many cars of the era. The original XKE roadster used a 3/4 litre inline six engine with a bulky crankshaft and 7 main bearings powering a long engine stroke. The 5200 rpm gave this car 160 horse power, making the original XKE an agile yet refined beast on the highways and byways of America.

It is interesting to note that the unique twin over head cam setup was not proposed for production models of the jaguar Roadster, but for the Jaguar Sedan instead. The cam setup was installed as a temporary fix for the engine during the testing phase of the Roadster, but due to positive market approval and high customer approval they decided to stick to it for final production. Although the Jaguar Sedan Mark VII models released in 1951 featured the same engine, the Jaguar Roadster XK120 model had it three years earlier in 1948.

The Jaguar XK120 was launched to rave reviews for its elegant look, beautiful styling, high performance engine and impressive speed and handling. With its stylish contours and top speed of 120 miles per hour the Jaguar XK120 lived up to its namesake of a sleek and agile hunter. It seems quaint when you consider that the Roadster's price back then was a modest 2,500 US Dollars.

The original Jaguar XKE120 roadster holds the distinction of being one of the best cars ever designed. Even in to the profusion of high-end European cars that thrived in US markets after the war, the Jaguar XKE120 held its own, and is still regarded as an all time classic.

Looking for information on Jaguar XKE?

Click to http://www.jaguarxke.com/, the ultimate website for Jaguar XKE fans and enthusiasts.


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