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‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK



The weekend of 8th and 9th August saw the largest-ever gathering of classic Jaguar XKs, when more than 600 XK120s, 140s and 150s, plus C-types and D-types, assembled at the Goodwood Motor Circuit.

The event was organised by the Jaguar XK Club to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the XK120 Super Sports, which was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show. At that time, it was the world’s fastest production car, courtesy of the ground-breaking XK engine, the first to be designed in-house at Jaguar. More recent models were welcome at the ‘XK60’ event, too: more than 300 E-types, Mk IIs and even some modern XKs took part.

‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK As well as 14 hours of on-track action over the two days (featuring such luminaries as Sir Stirling Moss, Derek Bell, Norman Dewis and – in support of the BBC’s Children in Need appeal – Pudsey Bear), there were technical workshops for classic Jaguar enthusiasts and a Fabulous Fifties Fashion show.

As the XK Club pointed out, it was a line-up that would surely have impressed Sir William Lyons, not only for the number of Jaguars present but also for the quality. Among them was C-type XKC 018, once owned by Juan Manuel Fangio, a car never shown in Europe before; D-type XKD 524 that has covered just over 6000 miles since its manufacture; and the prototype D-type XKC 401, owned by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.

Also present were five of the first ten XK120 alloy cars, including RHD cars numbers two, three and four which travelled to Goodwood from Australia – and LHD cars numbers five and ten, which made a similarly heroic journey from the USA.

For spectators, one of the highlights of the weekend was surely the Ecurie Ecosse cars (many from the Dick Skipworth collection), which were seen both on track and in a ‘quirky’ demonstration of loading and unloading the original, purpose-built Ecurie Ecosse team transporter.

For more about the Jaguar XK Club, see www.xkclub.com.

Text: Charis Whitcombe
Photos: Jaguar XK Club and Roger Dixon - all strictly copyright. For further information please visit www.rogerdixonphotography.com


‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK ‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK
‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK ‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK
‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK ‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK
‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK ‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK
‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK ‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK
‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK ‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK
‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK ‘XK60’: Celebrating 60 Years of the Jaguar XK


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