The Silverstone Classic this weekend is the ideal opportunity to see classic British sports cars howling around the home of the British Grand Prix.
Everything from MG Midgets and Morgans to Aston Martin DB4s and AC Cobras are out on track – in fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a Brit classic that isn’t taking part in one of the races, parades or club displays. Not many of them, however, will be named in the circuit’s honour.
The XK120 LT2 – also known as the Silverstone – was William Lyons’ back-up plan should his ambitious plans to conquer Le Mans in 1951 have backfired. In the end his secret weapon – the Jaguar C-type – wasn't only ready in time, but went on to win that year’s 24 Hours Race. But its victory meant the lightened XK120 never got its chance to bask in the limelight of a Le Mans victory. This lovingly detailed homage, based around a 1953 XK120 Drop Head Coupe, is just about the closest thing you’ll get to the lightened, souped-up ‘Silverstone’ XK120 Jaguar’s engineers honed all those decades ago. All the important details are there – period correct Brooklands aero screens, a quick-release fuel filler cap, front disc brakes to ape the braking system the C-type used as part of its Le Mans weaponry and period correct bucket seats.
The car’s sellers describe it as a 1953 XK120 Aluminium Special, but make no bones about it being ‘an exhaustive and painstaking restoration’ that’s completely faithful to the works-prepared cars aimed at racing at La Sarthe in 1951.
He said: ‘This car is capable of giving you a rather large grin as the needle edges to 4,500 RPM and the howl of the exhaust builds to a wonderful crescendo.
‘The net result is a truly stunning XK 120 that would sit equally at home on the grid for Le Mans Classic or blasting through a French countryside!
It’s right at home at the Silverstone Classic too – in fact, it’s hard to think of a British sports car that’d be more suited to a patriotic celebration of the nation’s motorsport heritage.
Take a look at more pictures of this wonderful XK120