The Roadster goes into production in July 1949, initially with an aluminium body, as the "Jaguar XK120 OTS". The "XK" stands for the type designation of the engine (X-Experimental/K series), the number "120" for the maximum speed, a tradition started before the war. Last but not least, the term "OTS", which stands for "Open Two Seater". For later vehicles, there are often additional optional designations behind the speed designation, such as "SE" for "Special Equipment" or "M" for "Modified", the designation for "Special Equipment" on export vehicles to the USA.

In March 1951, almost two and a half years after the first presentation of the Roadster, a closed travel coupe was presented at the Motor Show in Geneva, which is called FHC (Fixed Head Coupé) ex works. The curved shape of the roof is considered very successful and bears some resemblance to the earlier design of the Jaguar SS100 3.5-litre Coupé, which never went into production. The interior was comfortable and luxurious. In addition to a dashboard made of decorative walnut and wool carpets on the floor, there is even a heating system inside, which the roadster has always lacked.

Another year later in April 1953, the convertible, commonly known as the Drop Head Coupé (DHC), finally came out. It has all the amenities of the coupé and has an easy-to-use, lined mohair folding top. The vehicle is an ideal compromise between the coupé and the roadster. Due to the late introduction of the DHC variant, it is on the one hand the most mature model and on the other hand, the one with the lowest production number. Most convertibles, like the roadsters and coupés, are sold on the North American market.