1958 Jaguar XK150 Coupe

In 1948, Jaguar launched the wild and wooly XK120 at the London Motor Show. It was a testbed and show car to display the new William Heynes designed XK engine. The show car was a sensation and created quite a stir. Jaguar’s founder and chairman William Lyons had no other choice but to put the car into production.

The XK120 was offered in three variations Roadster, Fixed Head Coupe and Drop Head Coupe. It was an elemental sports car.

Its successor, in 1954, was the XK140 again offered in the three variants. The 140 offered a number of improvements including more interior space, better brakes, rack and pinion steering, increased travel in the suspension, and telescopic shocks which replace the antiquated lever arm design. Larger, more aggressive (and less attractive) bumpers were added while the grill was now a one-piece casting. With special equipment modifications the horsepower was raised by 10 to 190 hp, while the optional C-Type head (also carried over from the 120) raised the bar to 210 hp. The improvements were welcome and the 140 still held tightly to its sports car vibe.

The third and final iteration of the XK series was the XK150. The 150 made its appearance in 1957 and there was no denying the family resemblance to the 120 and 140, but it was a radical departure from the previous two models. The 150 sported a one-piece wrap around windshield compared to the 120 and 140’s two-piece glass. The bodylines had been smoothed out and even though it was the same width, the 140 to the eye appeared to be a larger car. The coupes windshield frame was moved forward by 4 inches to allow for better passenger access, while inside there was more room thanks to thinner doors, a reconfigured dash and no more chest-crusher steering wheel.

When introduced, only the Coupe and Drop Head were on offer, though a Roadster came along later. Initially, the 150s were not as fast as the earlier cars but after a delay caused by a factory fire in the early part of 1957 that all changed with the introduction of the special equipment models with a new SE engine and the addition of disc brakes. The big cats could now stop as well as go. The 150 morphed into a more conservative and subtle luxury grand tourer, with less grit than its hardcore ancestors.

Climb into the 150 and you will find the seating position is similar to the earlier models, but what is in front of you has a distinctly different look. Gone is the angled binnacle that housed the gauges and no more grab handle to hang on tight to as the driver takes a fast turn. Now you have a place to put your gloves, even the driver has a little cubby for his or her personal effects. The gauge cluster has been redesigned as well, the Smiths dials have a new layout. The tach is still closer to the driver than the speedometer, but now sweeps around in a clockwise manner, the secondary units have new locations too with the petrol gauge to the left of the tach and the oil and water temp gauge to the right of the speedometer, amps is between the two main dials and the switch for the directional signal is right above it in the padded dash overhang.

Turn the key and press the starter button and the engine comes to life with a subdued growl.

This 150 has several tasteful upgrades, one being electric power rack and pinion steering the other a 5-speed gearbox. So the steering is light at low speeds and shifting is much smoother, while also eliminating the original overdrive. The interior is larger, but you don’t feel the car to be any larger than its forbearers, however it doesn’t seem as racy, you drive it with a different mindset. That doesn’t mean you don’t get on it once and a while— it still reacts like a Jag, just a bit differently.

The 150 coupe is the grown-up version of the XK series. It will get you to your destination with grace, and pace, but your hair won’t be mussed up and if it dares to start to rain you can roll up the windows and stay warm and dry. It is a more stately machine. You can rally it, but you will probably stop to smell the roses compared to making sure you make it to the next checkpoint without a time penalty.

The next step was the E-Type, so the 150 stands out as a stepping stone between two distinct periods in Jaguar history. And it stands nicely on its own.

Thanks to Motor Classic and Competition for letting me have a unique ride.

SPECIFICATIONS