Cult 1-18 1948 Jaguar XK120 OTS diecast model car review

The XK120 OTS (Open Two Seater) was first revealed at the 1948 London Motor Show. It was basically little more than a test bed to show off the new XK engine that had been designed by Chief Engineer William Heynes. It caused a sensation, which persuaded founder and chairman, Williamn Lyons, to put the car into production.

The car that went into production differed very little from the prototype. The first 242 cars wore wood-framed bodies with aluminium panels; and indeed it is one of these cars that has been modelled by Cult.

The 120 nomenclature referred to the original car’s top speed; a speed that made it the world’s fastest production car at the time of its launch. The first production vehicle, which was delivered in 1949, went to Clark Gable.

On May 30th of that year, on the Ostend-Jabbeke motorway in Belgium, a prototype achieved a two-way average trip speed of over 130 mph, albeit with the windscreen replaced by an aero screen. At Montlhery in France, open XK120s averaged over 100 mph for 24 hours. The cars were also, of course, highly successful in racing and rallying.

The initial OTS cars provided little by way of weather protection; its lightweight folding, canvas hood and detachable, side screens stowed out of sight behind the seats. The doors had no external handles, operated by means of an internal pull-cord. The windscreen could be removed in order to fit an aero screen. To cope with the constantly exposed conditions, the interiors were more spartan than the later fixed-head and drop-head cars.

In 1950, production moved to a heavier, all-steel body, although the car retained its aluminium doors, bonnet and boot lid.

As you would expect of Cult, the resin model manufacturer has done a superb job in recreating the sleek bodywork of the XK120. Green, bronze and silver are the colours that its 1:18 replica has been produced in.

Click Cult 1-18 1948 Jaguar XK120 OTS to order.