--- title: "Distracted Driver Obliterates 1948 Jaguar XK120 During Mille Miglia Warm-Up" description: "The Jag was struck by the driver of an Opel sedan who was allegedly distracted by her phone and crossed into opposing traffic." date: "2024-09-30" modified: "2024-09-30" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/1948-jaguar-xk120-obliterated-by-regular-traffic-during-mille-miglia-warm-up" categories: - "Jaguar News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Jaguar" --- # Distracted Driver Obliterates 1948 Jaguar XK120 During Mille Miglia Warm-Up ![]() *Non Aesthetic Things. X* Two Italian drivers, Giuseppe Cerbone and Nicolo Bottini Bongrani, were traveling through Austria last week in a gorgeous British Racing Green 1948 [Jaguar]() XK120, as part of a [Mille Miglia]() warm-up. As they were driving along the Schwaitl Landesstraße, a woman going in the opposite direction was reportedly distracted by her phone and smashed into the vintage Jag, per Austrian publication *[Kronen Zeitung]()*. Thankfully, no one was severely injured, although the Italians were seen with bloodied faces as they argued about the incident on the side of the road. In a video of the aftermath posted to *[X]()*, you can hear one of the Jag's occupants start speaking in Italian before switching to English, alleging that the woman's attention was buried in her phone, leading her to swerve across the road into oncoming traffic; she can be heard saying "I'm sorry" in response. Her car, a late-model Opel Insignia, also appeared to be totaled from the impact. https://twitter.com/PicturesFoIder/status/1840236326643200084 The Mille Miglia Warm-Up is exactly what it sounds like—a preparation event for the *real* Mille Miglia that takes place every June in Italy. There are warm-ups in several countries besides Austria, but it looks like these two Italian drivers aren't going to be participating in any others unless they can find a new ride. Their XK120 seems completely wrecked, likely suffering from heavy front-end frame damage. Even if it's fixable, the repair isn't being completed anytime soon. Thankfully, there are about nine months until the 2025 Mille Miglia, so Cerbone and Bongrani have time to figure out their next steps. Unfortunately, a normal, nicely sorted XK120 will set you back around $100,000, depending on its condition. However, Cerbone and Bongrani's XK120 wasn't just any ordinary one. Since it was reportedly a 1948 model year, it was one of the first 240 models to be built with aluminum bodies. After that, Jag switched to steel bodywork, as it was easier for large-scale production. The early aluminum cars can be worth two to three times more, according to *[Hagerty]()*. Hopefully, their XK120 was insured enough that they'll be able to fix or replace the car, and get in some more reps before next year's running. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()