In 1953 Sir William Lyons set out to prove the XK120 was on of the most capable cars by reaching 172.412 mph on the Jabbeke straight in Belgium.

Driver Norman Dewis piloted a modified XK120 with a small perspex bubble windscreen and it won the land speed record for a production car. It became the only Jaguar to hold a land speed record.

As a result of this achievment, a small brass plate was included on the dashboard of the XK120 describing the record run.

Dewis was piloting chassis 660986 registered ‘MDU524’. It was a factory race car which had already competed in the 1952 Alpine Trial before being fitted with its streamlined bodywork. After the record run it was retained by the factory and used at Goodwood, Mallory Park, Silverstone, Crystal Palace and Brands Hatch without its streamlined configuration.

type	Record Car
built at	Coventry, England
production	1
engine	Cast Iron, Inline-6
position	Front Longitudinal
aspiration	Natural
valvetrain	DOHC, 2 Valves per Cyl
fuel feed	Twin SU H6 Carburettors
displacement	3442 cc / 210.0 in³
bore	83 mm / 3.27 in
stroke	106 mm / 4.17 in
compression	7.0:1
power	119.3 kw / 160.0 bhp @ 5000 rpm
specific output	46.48 bhp per litre
torque	264.38 nm / 195 ft lbs @ 2500 rpm
body / frame	Steel Body over Steel Frame
front tires	6.00×16
rear tires	6.00×16
front brakes	Girling Hydraulic Drums
rear brakes	Girling Hydraulic Drums
steering	Re-circulating Ball
f suspension	Double Wishbones w/Torsion Bar, Telescopic Shock Absorbers
r suspension	Live Axle w/Half Elliptic Springs, Girling Hydrualic Shock Absorbers
wheelbase	2591 mm / 102 in
front track	1295 mm / 51 in
rear track	1270 mm / 50 in
length	4394 mm / 173.0 in
width	1562 mm / 61.5 in
height	1245 mm / 49 in
transmission	4-Speed Manual
top speed	~279.97 kph