Jaguar XK120 Supersonic: A Rare Classic Like No Jaguar You've Seen Before

Jet-Borne Elegance - In a world where car design often dances between the lines of tradition and innovation, every once in a while, something truly unique breaks through the mold—something that captures both the past’s elegance and the future’s ambition. The 1950s were a golden era for automotive experimentation, and during this time, one particular design language, dubbed “Supersonic,” emerged as a breathtaking blend of jet-age fantasy and Italian craftsmanship. While several manufacturers had the privilege of adorning this style—Aston Martin, Fiat, and Chrysler among them—it was the Jaguar XK120 Supersonic by Ghia that truly stood out, turning heads with every glimmering curve.

This is the 1952 Jaguar XK120 Supersonic by Ghia, not like the Jaguar you know before. (Picture from: ClassicAndSportsCars)

The story of the Supersonic coachwork begins with a racing dream. A Swiss enthusiast named Robert Fehlmann commissioned the design for a Conrero-tuned Alfa Romeo 1900, destined for the legendary Mille Miglia in 1953. With the creative genius of Giovanni Savonuzzi behind the pen, the Supersonic look was born: a long and low windshield, an elegantly curved nose leading into a perfectly straight beltline, and a dramatic tail fin evoking the thrust of an afterburner jet. It was sleek, fast, and futuristic—a concept seemingly borrowed from the skies above rather than the roads below. 

The long nose and rounded rump are characteristic of the Supersonic style. (Picture from: ClassicAndSportsCars)

This visual masterpiece quickly became a hot ticket item for connoisseurs with means and a taste for the extraordinary. Ghia, based in Turin, received a number of commissions to apply the Supersonic touch to different chassis. When it came time for Jaguar to join the party, it did so with flair and individuality. The lucky model? The already admired Jaguar XK120 coupé.

The first Jaguar XK120 to be transformed was owned by Joseph Malpelli, a French businessman in the lingerie and hat trade. Because Jaguar wouldn't sell bare chassis for custom coachbuilding, the conversion had to be done on an already complete vehicle. Undeterred, Malpelli went ahead—and not only once. He was so taken by the result that he reportedly ordered a second conversion, with others possibly following under the hand of a Paris-based Jaguar dealer named Charles Delecroix.

There’s a Nardi steering wheel inside the XK120 interior was retrimmed in beige leather by Ghia, rather than replaced. (Picture from: ClassicAndSportsCars)

But this wasn’t just about wrapping a Jaguar in prettier metal. Under the hood, the changes continued. The engine received a performance boost from Conrero, swapping the standard SU carburetors for triple Webers, pushing both the style and performance envelopes. The first finished car made waves when it debuted in 1954, showing off its Italian silhouette under British bones in glamorous venues like Paris and London, not to mention the prestigious concours events at Montreux and Cannes.

This is the 1954 Jaguar XK120 Supersonic powered by the sublime and much-loved XK straight-six engine. (Picture from: ClassicAndSportsCars)

A second car soon followed, presenting itself as a more refined evolution of the first. With a striking silver-over-blue paint scheme, Ferrari-style eggcrate grille, and bold hood lines, it carried a personality all its own. Unlike the original, it lacked side vents, further distinguishing its identity while staying true to the Supersonic ethos. Then came the third, which was sold to Switzerland—and like a phantom, quietly vanished from public view, leaving behind only speculation and admiration.

On the 1954 Jaguar XK120 Supersonic by Ghia, where the Jaguar's typical wheels remain in the deep arches and has stylish, slender quad exhausts. (Picture from: ClassicAndSportsCars)

Today, experts agree that only four Jaguar XK120s were ever touched by the Supersonic transformation. Each is a story in metal, a rare fusion of British engineering and Italian artistry. They’re not just modified Jaguars; they’re time capsules of a daring era when imagination ran on gasoline and chrome.

These magnificent machines have seen many hands, many roads, and many restorations. Their value today is measured not just in price, but in awe. Their most recent brush with the spotlight came at the prestigious Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2019, where the world was once again reminded that true beauty never fades—it evolves.

Even decades later, Savonuzzi’s 1953 vision, once fitted to an XK120, proved timeless enough to echo on the Cobra 427 a full ten years later. Some cars age. Others transform. But few, like the Jaguar XK120 Supersonic by Ghia, manage to live forever. *** [EKA [19122020] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CLASSIC AND SPORTS CAR ]

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