Book excerpt: This book tells the story of one of the six alloy-bodied XK 120s that were prepared by Jaguar in 1950 for racing and rallying. This one, known as JWK 651 because of the registration number, was owned by Leslie Johnson and raced by him in some of the most prestigious events of the time, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Mille Miglia (twice) and the Tourist Trophy at Dundrod. Beyond that, Johnson and up-and-coming racing driver Stirling Moss visited the speed bowl at Montlhery for a record-breaking attempt, and Johnson also took part in the RAC Rally. In 1950, the car lay in second place in the Le Mans 24 Hours after 15 hours and was gaining on the leaders when the clutch failed. Besides this diverse and distinguished period competition career, the book tells the story of the later life of this most significant XK 120. The book includes a wealth of period photographs as well as a portfolio of magnificent studio images