Now that is what you call a proper barn find that checks all the right boxes for a most prized collectible. A unique 1955 Jaguar XK140 with a Ghia body had its collectible status confirmed after changing hands for $335,000 at auction, despite its dilapidated state.
Regular Jaguar XK140s are hard to find as they are, regardless of the condition they’re in, but finding a Ghia-bodied one is an even more daunting task for the discerning collector. Only four XK140s were sent over to Turin, Italy, and got a new aluminum body by Carrozzeria Ghia, at the behest of rich owners who wanted something different. Each unit received a distinctive design, which means each is unique.
This 1955 XK140 that crossed the auction block at the Bonhams’ Zoute Sale on October 10 was the first one to be built. It was also a proper barn find, having spent decades in dry storage after its last owner decided to put it away so he could start restoring it. As if all these things weren’t impressive enough, the XK140 has celebrity provenance and outstanding racing history.
All things considered, it probably sold on the cheap at €287,500 ($335,000), premium included. This is a historic and unique vehicle, and the specialists at Bonhams hope it will be restored to its former glory now that it has seen the light of day again.
The first owner was wealthy businessman Hans Altweg, who bought the rolling chassis from Jaguar and had it shipped to Italy for the body. In 1956, Altweg took it to the Concours d’élégance in Cannes and, months later, put it on display at the Paris Salon. In 1959, the XK140 was involved in an accident and received further modifications by Ghia on the front end.
In 1969, the car was with its second owner, who further modified it so it would perform better at rallies and hill climbs. Its third and last owner also raced it extensively (and successfully) throughout the ‘70s: Roland Urban, a well-known Jaguar historian, and founder of the Jaguar Drivers Club of France. The same year (late ’69) Urban bought it, he put in a new 3.8-liter Jaguar XK engine with triple twin-choke Weber carburetors.
Urban retired the car in 1979, planning to restore it. It would spend the next four decades locked away until Urban’s family decided to sell it upon his death. When it emerged, it was far from the racing machine it was back in the day, but here’s to hoping that will change under current ownership.
