Launched at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show, the Jaguar XK120 Roadster caused a sensation.

Penned by William Lyons, the model's sensuous lines seemed almost impossibly glamorous to a country still feeling the effects of rationing, while the 120mph top speed that its name signified soon became the stuff of legend.

Flooded with orders, Jaguar began limited hand-built production soon thereafter (although it was not until 1950 that the factory was sufficiently tooled-up to discard aluminium in favour of steel for the curvaceous bodywork).

Built round a cruciform-braced box-section chassis equipped with independent torsion-bar front suspension, a leaf-sprung 'live' rear axle and hydraulic drum brakes, the lithe two-seater proved equally adept on road or track, winning both the RAC TT and Alpine Trial during 1950 (the former victory coming in the hands of Stirling Moss).

Credited with 160bhp and 190lb ft of torque in standard tune, its widely-admired 3,442cc DOHC straight-six engine was ...