Introduced in 1957, the Jaguar XK150 had a tough act to follow in the immensely popular Jaguar XK120, which had been the first postwar Jaguar sports car. True, there had been a Jaguar XK140 in the interim (1954-56), but that had been something of a placeholder, and was still heavily based on the design language and mechanics of its predecessor. The XK150, on the other hand, had received a full redesign from the ground up.
Where its stablemates had held onto some design features that dated back to the 1940’s, the Jaguar XK150 began to show not only traces of what had come before — a feature of Jaguar design to this day — but hints at what would come after. It was wider looking, slightly more aerodynamic, and featured a single-piece windshield in place of the older split design. It came in three trim levels (Roadster, Fixed Head Coupe, and Drop Head Coupe), and by the end of its lifecycle had been upgraded to a 220 hp 3.8L engine.
The Jaguar XK150 would be retired in 1961 to make way for the extremely successful Jaguar E-Type. Some examples of the XK150 can still be seen on the road or at car shows, lovingly maintained or painstakingly restored by their owners. Something of their pioneering spirit lives on in the 2015 Jaguar XJ, which combines the XK150’s combination of rock-solid build quality and comfort with the thrilling driving experience that can only be experienced behind the wheel of a Jaguar. Come to Jaguar of Peabody today to see our full lineup of a car brand that is still innovating — and still building classics — nearly sixty years after the XK150 was introduced.
