During the 2005 Retromobile show, we ran into a Ghia bodied Jaguar XK120 that we had never seen in person or photographs and it peaked our curiosity. Packing the best British engineering and Italian flair we instantly wanted to know more, but information was scarce. Fortunately, the same car was recently auctioned by Bonham’s at their Les Grandes Marques a Monaco sale and sold for the highest bid that day: 680,000 EUR plus Premium and tax.
This left-hand drive Jaguar XK120 Supersonic, chassis number ‘679768’, is one of two ordered via the French Jaguar importer in Paris, Royal-Elysees, by a Lyonnias businessman, a Monsieur Malpelli. The other Malpelli XK120, finished in blue, is known to exist in France while the third example’s whereabouts are unknown. There are numerous detail differences between the coachwork of the red and blue Supersonics, while the car offered here, ‘679768’, is the only one fitted with a cylinder head modified by Virgilio Conrero to accommodate three twin-choke Weber carburettors instead of the standard twin SUs. The engine is reputed to produce 220bhp.
After completion, ‘679768’ was exhibited at the Paris and London Motor Shows in 1954 and took part in the Concours d’Elegance competitions in Montreux and Cannes. Originally registered ’69 BJ 75′ and subsequently ’66 BJ 75′, it was retrieved by Royal-Elysees following the disappearance of the mysterious Malpelli, remaining with the company until 1969 when proprietor Charles Delecroix ceased importing Jaguars. When Royal-Elysees sold up, the Supersonic was bought by Philippe Renault and subsequently sold by him to Roland Urban, who displayed the car at his motor museum devoted to special-bodied Jaguars in Montlhery. When the current owner, a prominent Jaguar collector and member of the French Jaguar Drivers’ Club, bought the car from Roland Urban in 1994 it had recorded only 9,400 kilometres from new.
Following completion of a no-expense-spared total restoration undertaken with the assistance of marque specialists Atelier Sontrop of Pourrain, the Supersonic won 1st prize at the prestigious Louis Vuitton Concours at Parc de Bagatelle, Paris in September 1996. There are bills totalling circa FF240,000 for this restoration work in addition to Atelier Sontrop’s invoice for servicing in 2005. Since restoration the car has covered only 10,000-or-so kilometres. Offered with French Carte Grise, this unique XK120 represents a rare opportunity to acquire a car that is not only an important piece of Jaguar history, but also a milestone in the development of Italian coachbuilding in the innovating post-war years.
| 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 |
| bhp/weight | 133.33 bhp per tonne |
| torque | 264.38 nm / 195 ft lbs @ 2500 rpm |
| body / frame | Aluminum over Steel Frame |
| front tires | 6.00×16 |
| rear tires | 6.00×16 |
| front brakes | Girling Hydraulic Drums |
| f brake size | x 305 mm / x 12 in |
| rear brakes | Girling Hydraulic Drums |
| r brake size | x 305 mm / x 12 in |
| 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 |
| curb weight | 1200 kg / 2646 lbs |
| 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 |
| gear ratios | :1 |
| top speed | ~214.0 kph / 133.0 mph |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~9.8 seconds |
| 0 – 100 mph | ~30.0 second |
