2006-10-22 12:50:27 | Lofty writes:

According to Bernard Viart's comments in his book, dd 2006, XKs in Open Roads Rallies in the 50s (ISBN 2-7268-9468-2), this car has been rebodied in 1954 by Jean Barou, French coachbuilder in Tournon (France);

2016-02-27 15:37:33 | Lofty writes:

The car is buy by a Jaguar agent to run in differents races (See the Wiki frenchs pages. The body s rebuilt by Jean Barou.


Gratefully Nico

2016-02-28 10:30:24 | Peter Ingram writes:

The Jaguar agent in Lyon who commissioned the rebuild by Barou was Henry Peignaux in fact this is one of two or possibly 3 Barou XKs. See Roland Urbans book Les Metamorphoses du Jaguar p.86. I think this Is reg 1039 AE 69?? Further reading Jaguar XK in Detail by Anders Clausager p.210- 211

2017-09-25 04:50:12 | Pekka T. writes:

Reportedly rebodied as a coupé by Jean Barou in Tournon-sur-Rhône, France in 1954

2025-03-27 21:27:42 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 4/25

www.aguttes.com//lot/160425/28710625-jaguar-xk-120-berlinette-barou-one-off-1949 ...?

Auction description:

1949 Jaguar XK 120 Berlinette Barou

Estimate €350,000 - €450,000

Aguttes - Tour Auto 2025, Paris, France

7 April, 2025

Lot 50

Chassis No. 670028

French registration

Sold without technical inspection

August 29, 1951, Nice. The Promenade des Anglais was transformed into a parc fermé for the first post-war edition of the legendary Tour de France Automobile. Henri Peignaux, a high-performance gentleman driver and Jaguar dealer for the Lyon region, entered the race at the wheel of one of the very first Open Two-Seater roadsters (with an aluminum body), purchased from French importer Charles Delecroix in left-hand drive, co-driven by Roger Montabert. The Battleship Grey-painted car proved highly competitive from the start, masterfully driven by Peignaux. During the second leg, the crew set the fastest time in the hill climb at the Col de Peyresourde in the Pyrenees, averaging over 75 km/h, notably leaving behind the event's eventual winner, "Pagnibon," behind him in his Ferrari 212. Unfortunately, in the third leg, Montabert crashed off the road, Peignaux was seriously injured, and the car was seriously damaged. During his convalescence, Peignaux entrusted the valiant, damaged Jaguar (it seems that a new, undamaged replacement chassis had been ordered from the factory) to a coachbuilder friend from Ardèche, Jean Barou, who specialized in advertising vehicles and sports cars.

A few months later, the Jaguar returned to Lyon, rigged as a superb berlinetta with an Italian-inspired design. Peignaux sold it in this configuration to one of his clients, also keen to try his hand at racing. He was a Dijon native named Jean Laroche, who, co-driven by Jean Radix, would take part in the legendary and extremely difficult 1952 Liège-Rome-Liège race. Given the weather conditions and the harshness of the event, also known as the Marathon de la Route, which took place on open roads in a single stage of over 3,500 km, competitors liked to enter closed cars, such as the Barou berlinetta, which also had a helmet restraint for the co-driver, whose role was already crucial. The Dijon crew, number 82, put in a very good performance and climbed to second place in the event, behind the victorious Porsche 356. That year, out of 125 crews at the start, there were only 24 finishers...

Barou would also produce a berlinetta, seen at the 1954 Lyon-Charbonnières, which differs from the first by a different grille and a few details. There was also a barquette, also entered at the Lyon-Charbonnières, without any more success. While the second berlinetta has disappeared, the barquette survived, restored in the 1980s by Roland Urban, a specialist in special Jaguars, and entered several times in the historic Mille Miglia by one of its subsequent owners. Our sublime and very high-performance Jaguar berlinetta #670028 was resold in 1952, then in 1954, before sinking into oblivion. It was through a classified ad that the current owner, an enlightened enthusiast, acquired it. He had the car – then white – repainted in its current red color, and used it in a few rallies, where he notably met Roland Urban, who noted the car's great authenticity, its low degree of wear, and its high performance. Characteristics also confirmed by Bernard Viart, the pope of XK (whom we thank for the numerous elements provided).