The
Jaguar XK140 is a sports car manufactured by
Jaguar between 1954 and 1957, the successor to Jaguar's highly
successful XK120. Upgrades included better brakes, rack and pinion
steering, increased suspension travel and modern tube type shock
absorbers instead of the older lever arm design.
The XK140 was introduced in late 1954 and sold as a
1955 model. The primary visual change was the more substantial front and
rear bumpers, with large overriders. Another new feature was modern
flashing turn signals, operated by a separate switch on the dash. The
twin amber lights positioned above the front bumper helped to
distinguish the XK140 - until XK120 owners started installing the same
equipment.
Front grille size stayed the same but became a one
piece cast unit with fewer, thicker vertical slats. The Jaguar badge was
fitted to the grille itself, rather than being mounted between the
grille and hood/bonnet as on the XK-120. A chrome trim strip extended
back over the bonnet and at the rear continued down the centre of the
boot (trunk) lid, where it contained a red shield with the words 'Winner
Le Mans 1951-3' inscribed in gold.
The interior was improved for taller drivers with an
addition of 3 inches (76 mm) of legroom, as a result of relocating the
engine, firewall and dash forward. The new arrangement left no room for
the XK120 battery compartment, and the single battery was now located
low down inside the wing on the inlet side, making it almost impossible
to replace.
The XK140 continued to feature
the famous Jaguar XK engine with the Special Equipment modifications
from the XK120 as standard, increasing the specified power by 10 bhp to
190 bhp (142 kW)
gross at 5500 rpm.
The special C-Type cylinder head was also carried through from the XK120
catalogue as an option, specified at 210 bhp (157 kW) gross at 5750 rpm.
A car fitted with the C-type cylinder head, 2-inch
sandcast H8 carburettors, heavier front torsion bars and twin exhaust
pipes was known in the UK as an XK-140 SE. In North America it was
popularly called an XK-140 MC.
In 1956, the XK140 was the first Jaguar sports car to
be offered with an automatic transmission. As with the XK120, the
availability of wire wheels and dual exhausts were options although most
cars imported into the United States had wire wheels. Cars with disc
wheels continued to be offered with fender skirts (spats) closing the
rear wheel arch.
The XK140 was available in three body styles. The OTS
(Open Two Seater) roadster had a light canvas top assembly that when
lowered fitted behind the seats and thus completely disappeared inside
the body. The interior of the OTS was trimmed in leather and
leatherette, including the dash. Like the XK120 Roadster, the XK140 OTS
had removable canvas and plastic side curtains on light alloy doors, and
either a long or short tonneau cover to keep the cockpit dry with the
top down.
As well as real wind-up windows,
the DHC (Drop Head Coupe) had a permanently-mounted padded soft top that
when lowered sat above and outside the body of the car. it also had a
fixed windscreen (unlike the removable windscreen of the OTS). The DHC
had a very elegant walnut-veneered dash and door cappings, as did the
FHC (Fixed Head Coupe). As a gesture to practicality, a jump seat was
added to both
coupe models. The
FHC's windscreen was mounted further forward, giving it considerably
more interior space than the DHC.
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