10 minute read
ON TOUR IN AUSTIN POWERS’ XK
ENGLAND’S GLORY
Who thought that Peter Simpson harbours delusions of being a reincarnated 60s British spy? He takes the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust’s ‘Shaguar’ on a South Downs tour to bolster the fallacy…
Advertisement
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER SIMPSON
The Jaguar drew up on the starting grid resembling a giant gift-wrapped birthday present. With effortless cool the driver broke into a toothy smile of sly invitation, dribbling slightly onto his lacy cravat and pimped out polyester suit as he breathed the words “Yeah Baby”.
I was daydreaming again, visualising myself as stunt double to Tom Cruise on the set of “The Leaping Spy”, an imaginary Austin Powers movie with a Jaguar theme. Back to reality and it isn’t half bad, because the real world does actually see me on the track at Goodwood, in the Austin Powers XK8, thankfully minus the polyester and with Tom Cruise nowhere in sight. However, extraordinary good fortune has come my way as I have blagged a few minutes for a photoshoot in the company of the Goodwood ARDS Instructors. This is the power of big-screen stardom. Not mine naturally, but the Jaguar’s.
As a classic Jaguar enthusiast visiting the British Motor Museum, you will have been drawn by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust’s (JDHT) vehicle collection on view, amongst which this Union Flag bedecked XK8 normally resides. To be honest, sporting this livery it’s difficult to miss. In truth this is not the actual “Shaguar” involved in the film, which was left-hand drive and now resides at a museum in Texas. Nevertheless, that car was supplied by Jaguar and,
Flying the flag at Devil’s Dyke
following press releases identifying that the XK8 would replace the 1970 E-type utilised in the previous films, sales of the model were boosted. Jaguar realised the value of publicity on this side of the Atlantic and duly grabbed a car from their fleet to serve as a promotional celebrity. The film in question was “Goldmember” the third in a series of spoof spy capers that were hugely successful in their day, this final release taking five times its budget at the box office. That’s a lot of dough baby. Whoops, I slipped into character again.
I was blessed to secure use of the car as part of my current project to compile a touring guidebook to Britain and Ireland. Some of the tours are being undertaken in my personal E-type (see page 54) and I am also employing a number of JDHT cars, all of which have considerable distinction, with the character of certain vehicles being particularly suitable for specific regions of the country. For example, in the last issue of Classic Jaguar I stepped back in time, driving the Trust’s 1935 SS1 Airline through the timeless backwaters of the English Cotswolds. The next venue on my list was the South Downs and I began to consider the personality required to convey the spirit of the district.
The South Downs are not characterised as a mythical domain of pointy mountains piercing the sky, in fact the highest point of the Downs is below that of some buildings in London, nonetheless, this designated national park is an enchanting picture of a precious, unspoilt landscape, a fundamental ingredient in the diverse scenic backcloth of Britain. There is a peculiarly English feel to the South Downs; perhaps it’s the proximity to
Fayre ye well. Alfred the Great salutes our departure
the sea, the rolling green hills or rippling chalk cliffs. This precise combination inspired William Blake, whilst residing here, to compose the immortal words that subsequently became the rousing
Exquisite scenery surrounds Goodwood anthem “Jerusalem”. For a tour that embodies the essence of England it struck me that there could be no finer conveyance than a British built Jaguar emblazoned with the Union Flag. Thus, the Austin Powers XK8 was chosen!
In the main the Union Flag XK8 is a standard 2001 car fitted with the 4-litre V8 engine. To add visual drama, other than the striking livery, the car was fitted with colossal 20-inch R-Performance Detroit wheels, originally designed by BBS for the concept XK180 at its North American Motor Show launch (ironically, in Detroit!). To complement the impressive alloys, braking was uprated with Jaguar badged Brembo callipers and crossdrilled discs. In reality the car actually only featured in the opening scenes of the movie when it was driven by Tom Cruise, not the film’s lead actor, Mike Myers. The XK8 was subsequently gifted to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust »
Goodwood’s Chief ARDS Instructor Jack Layton strikes a familiar pose
and is now in much demand for public appearances at car shows and events.
SOUTH DOWNS SOJOURN
I fully intended to watch the film before embarking on the tour, although after enduring the promotional trailer I concluded that the humour was perhaps not quite my cup of tea. Therefore, do not consider this feature to be a homage to a movie, but to the representation of the national spirit for England's green and pleasant lands.
The South Downs comprise an upland chain stretching from the venerable city of Winchester to the seaside retirement heaven of Eastbourne. Our route meandered through the hills, commencing by the statue of King Alfred the Great in the heart of the ancient Wessex capital and terminating on the crest of Beachy Head’s awesome sea cliffs; a one hundred and twenty-mile trail of enchantment.
In Winchester, the compact old town clusters around the magnificent cathedral, yet within minutes we were amidst open countryside making our ascent onto the downlands with the promise of a varied drive ahead. Few roads follow a course along the crest of the downs and those that do are cloaked in deep woodland, stifling clear views. For this reason, the early part of the tour made use of an 'A' road, which is in reality the best option, affording open skies and fluid driving. The A272 features in several lists of great driving roads, so we expected to encounter the odd enthusiastic driver, especially motorcyclists heading to the popular Loomies Moto Café near Petersfield. The XK8 didn’t look out of place there either, surrounded by leather, chrome and beards. Bikers see the appeal of a V8 too.
Our tour took a loop around the Goodwood estates, which are extensive and immaculate, from the beautifully situated Goodwood Park Racecourse (the Glorious Goodwood meeting could not be more aptly named), to the imposing mansion of Goodwood House and the historic Motor Circuit, the latter with a relaxed entry policy on all but paid-event days. Our visit in the Union Flag XK8 was particularly propitious and I gratefully acknowledge Goodwood's hospitality for the exclusive photoshoot opportunities. Even some of the staff came out from the tower to pose for photographs with the car.
As an aside, you can read about how an XK8 how copes when driven purposefully on the track on page 28 but suffice to say the Brembo brake upgrade fitted to this Austin Powers edition would certainly have been appreciated on my own XK8’s trackday at Castle Combe!
My previous visits to the Motor Circuit
If you’ve got it, flaunt it
Peter pretends to be a stuntman
had been for the Revival weekends held each September, where I was merely one flat-capped attendee amongst many thousands of period-dressed public. However, the racing of classic cars at the Revival is intoxicating and to actually be here, driving a motorised emblem of Britain around this hallowed track was deeply emotive.
One would expect after this high point that the tour ahead would be an anti-climax, but a mixture of wooded rural lanes, B-roads and short blasts on faster highways provided continuous interest as we progressed further east watching the hills transition in character, becoming less-wooded, steeper-sided and more occasionally revealing the chalk under their skin. A high point of an alternative nature was provided by the Devil's Dyke, a commanding viewpoint only five miles from Brighton. This proximity assured popularity and in Victorian days the site became a theme park boasting a funicular railway, cable car and fairground rides. In modern times most traces of commercialism have gone, with people now drawn to the fresh air activities of walking, picnicking and paragliding.
The ostentation of our XK8 certainly drew much attention, although the disappointment at viewing its less flamboyant driver was incontestable. Perhaps I should have visited a fancy dress shop before embarking on this outing. The car’s colour scheme makes a loud statement, whereas the muted appearance of a standard XK8 generally only raises acknowledgement from the initiated. The XK8 was the spiritual successor to the E-type and its design respects the concept of sporting heritage whilst incorporating the interim decades of grand touring expertise learned from the XJ-S. Early E-types were raw, potent machines whereas the XJ-S was a silent cruiser and the XK8 artfully blends the essence of the two models. It is a lithesome, elegant car and whilst some critics have accused the styling as being dated since day one, that’s a sure sign of distinguished recognition when it becomes really old. There’s a logic in that somewhere.
Returning to the foot of the hills we
The variety of visual appeal in Lewes
Journeys End. Looking back to the Belle Tout lighthouse and Seven Sisters from the Zig-Zag road
changed pace with an amble through the centre of Lewes, a town displaying a mixture of traditional architecture amidst a jumble of narrow streets, where the car presented a striking contrast to the pastel shades of the painted buildings. As the downs again made their call, we became enveloped by peaceful countryside teeming with hidden treasures, such as the manor house of Glyndebourne, behind which looms a vast world-class opera house.
Civilisation briefly intruded at Seaford, soon to be replaced by the Seven Sisters Country Park and the dramatic Birling Gap. Here you can access the beach and chalk cliffs in spectacular close quarters. The final stretch of road climbed past the Belle Tout Lighthouse, long decommissioned due to cliff erosion and now serving as a unique B&B. The road is set back from the sea, although numerous laybys provide easy access to the cliff edge path. After the final twists of a section known as ‘The Zig-Zags’, the precipitous cliffs of Beachy Head marked the thrilling terminus of an excellent tour.
The XK8 and its later XKR supercharged version are steadily becoming the modern classic of choice for the Jaguar owner and with good reason. The deployment of the brandnew V8 engine in this model was inspired, guaranteed to woo the allimportant American market. The design language was unashamedly retro but brimming with up-to-date technology, delivering oodles of character, comfort and refined power. For a Jaguar whose oldest survivors are just twenty-seven years old it has the presence of an enduring classic, belying its tender age. In a field of E-types it does not look out of place and that’s praise indeed.
As for this Union Flag XK8, it is maintained in road ready condition and normally driven to the many events it attends each year, consequently the few hundred miles I added to the odometer were digested with no ill-effects. The car is quiet, compliant, yet poised and responsive when called upon. Driving an XK8 is to be always in a happy place and driving this extravagant example induces a constant chuckle. ■
Beachy Head lighthouse rises over 100 feet from the beach, yet is dwarfed by the cliffs
Making a statement: The impressive Detroit alloy wheels
Business as usual: the Union Flag XK8 in its customary setting at the British Motor Museum
