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Classic status

Punctuatedasit wasbypreparations fortheannualClassicMotorShow,puttingthisissue of JW togetherhaspromptedmorethan afewdiscussionsaroundthe constantly changing peckingorderofclassicandmodernclassicJaguars.

Notsolongago,eventheX100generationofXK wasstill regardedas amoderncar, yetas Iemptiedthe wetvacaftersuckingthe rainwaterfromtheflooded footwellsofthe secondXK8inoneday, Ireflected thattheseareoldcars now –andas aresultverymuch modernclassic.

As acompletecontrasthowever,anunexpectedstickingbrakecaliperinourXKRmeant my transport to theNECwasourlong-termXJ8.Being registeredinJanuary2003,theXJ isidenticalinage to thepair ofdamplate-modelXK8s, yetitdoesn’t feelit.In factin theessentialelementsit feels notlikea20-yearoldcarbut onehalfthatageoreven less. Yes,the touch-screen graphicsarecartoonishly low-resby today’sstandards butinprettymuchall other respectsthecar’s performanceand refinement areverymodern...and 32mpgmaynotbe terribly greenbutthereare plentyof premium-badged hybridsyou canbuy todaywhichwillbarelyscrapethatevenwiththeirplug-in top-up.

Afteraweekofdrivingmid-2000sJaguarsthen, myconclusion wasthatalthoughthe aluminiumXJhas astrongenthusiast following,it’snotquiteready forthe‘classic’ tagyet. Meanwhile, establishedclassiccarthinking wasturnedonitsheadbytheauction results fromtheNECshow, whereabarn-findSeries 3E-Type– thekindofprojectwhichnotso longago wasthedarlingofthemarket –madejust£22,500againstthestartling£131,625 achievedbyanunregisteredXJ-S.Sadly,itwaslocked,so Ididn’tget achancetotesthow drythe footwells were.

KEITHHELFET

Paul Wager Editor

OLDER CARSCONTRIBUTEJUST 0.22PERCENTOFTRANSPORTEMISSIONS

THEENVIRONMENTALimpact of today’sclassicsisinvestigated in anew report,whichprovides carefullycalculateddataof the averagecarbon footprint fora carover 30 yearsold

Anew reportinvestigatingthecarbon footprintofallclassiccarsregisteredin theUKhas revealedthattheir totalannual CO2 emissions representjust0.22per cent ofthosefromtheentireUKtransportsector.

The report,QuantifyingClassicCar Emissions2022, wascollatedbyautomotive PRagency Loop,andincludedallcarsover 30 yearsofage –thesamedefinitionof classicsasusedbyFIVA,theinternational federation forhistoric vehicles.Thereare currently 874,083suchcarsregisteredinthe UK,461,515ofwhichare declaredSORN.

According to Loop,anaverage classic

car’sannualemissionsarecomparable to asingle round-tripflightfrom London to New York, atypicalthree-dayChristmas for oneperson,ortheequivalentofdrinking threelattesa day.

Drawingon yearsofdatafrom officialsources, includingthe DVLAand Department forTransport,thedetailed reportalsooffersinsightsonthemake-up ofthe country’sclassiccarsector,howfuel efficiencyandcarusehave changedover time,andthepartthatglobaleventshave playedinshapingthemotoringlandscape.

Alex Kefford, Loop’s technicalwriterand authorofthe report, comments: “Assigning afiguretothecarbon footprintoftheUK’s classiccarshaslongbeen achallenge.By taking adata-firstapproachthatincluded developingourownsoftware,delvinginto decadesofdustyarchives,andcrunching

‘Ex-Boycie’E-Typegoes to auction

AJaguarE-TypeSeries 3thatstarredinanearlyepisodeofOnly FoolsandHorsesisset to gounderthehammeratthefinalHampson Auctionssaleof2022,whichtakesplaceinHolywell,North Wales, onNovember29.

Thesecondepisodeofthefirstseries –entitledGo West Young Man –saw DelBoyand Rodney‘borrow’theE-Typefromtheir car-dealingfriend,Boycie, foratrip to London’s WestEnd.Inthe programme,theE-Typeendedupin acrash –althoughtheaccident wasstagedandtheE-Typeescapedunscathed.

Thetwo-ownerJaguar wasfirst registeredinNovember 1973, finishedinOldEnglishWhiteandtrimmedinblueleather.Itshows 80,000milesfromnew,withthe vendordescribingtheV12engine, automatictransmission,bodywork,paintworkandupholsteryasall beingingoodorder.

Thecar comeswith acollectionofTV-relatedmemorabilia, including anumberofvideos,signedphotographsandeven ascale modeloftheJaguarsignedbySirDavidJason(DelBoy)andthelate JohnChallis(Boycie),whiletheundersideofthecar’sbootlidalso carriesChallis’sautograph.TheguidepricefortheE-Typeis£140,000£160,000,and youcanfindoutmorevia hampsonauctions.com.

our waythroughmillionsofdatapoints, we’vebeenabletoshedsomelightonthis particularlytricky topic.”

Thedifficultyinquantifyingclassiccar emissionsstemsfromthefactthatmost older vehicles were manufacturedprior to formalisedstandards.Thestudyexamined datafromthepast70 yearstocalculatea figurefor the averageemissionsofclassiccars intheUK,basedon averageusageof 1200 milespercareachyear.The report concluded thatthe averageclassiccaremits641.6kgof CO2e(carbondioxideequivalent)annually.

Futurereportsfromloopwillinvestigate theemissionsofotherclassic vehicles, includinghistoricmotorcycles,light commercialsandtrucks.Meanwhile, to viewordownloadQuantifyingClassicCar Emissions2022,go to loopagency.co.uk/ classic-car-emissions-report

Displayyourestate

Looking ahead to the new year, the organisers of the Scramble events at Bicester Heritage are looking for owners of classic or interesting estates who’d be interested in taking their loadluggers along on Sunday, January 8.

With that month’s Scramble theme celebrating the humble estate, it’s a chance to show off your workhorse to an appreciative audience. To suggest your estate for the exclusive display area, complete the form at scramblers. bicesterheritage.co.uk/post/wagons-roll-up.

Queen’s X-Typeheads to auction

A slice of royal history goes under the hammer on Saturday, November 26, when the Jaguar X-Type estate originally owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II is offered for sale with no reserve.

Finished in its original Emerald Fire with a Barley leather interior, the car’s royal status is confirmed by its original paperwork. Back then, the car was registered as PYN IF and became a regular sight with Her Majesty photographed behind the wheel.

The 3.0-litre flagship X-Type comes with a sunroof, automatic transmission, electric windows, climate control, a comprehensive service history and a JDHT Heritage Certificate. Historics describes the car as one “for the serious collector or royalist and with a provenance which is impossible to match”.

Full more information on the X-Type and other lots in the sale, which takes place at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, head to historics.co.uk

CLASSIC COTSWOLDS CRUISE

Jaguar Classic is taking bookings for its Classic Cotswolds Drive Experience in April next year Starting at the Jaguar Classic Works building in Ryton, near Coventry, the route will take a cross-country route including Stratford, Broadway and Stow-on-the-Wold with a lunch stop at the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb where demonstration runs up the course will be offered in cars ranging from E-Type to current F-Pace SVR as well as the new Range Rover Sport. Carsavailable to driveontheeventwillincludeE-Type,XK120,XK140andXK150, whiletheexperiencewillalsoinclude abehind-the-scenes touroftheClassic Works operation to be redeemedat alaterdate.Sofar 12 spacesareavailableonthedaywhich costs£2000 foronepersonor£3500 fortwo and you’llfindmoredetailsat https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/jaguar-driving-experience.html

Referencepoint

Theremay notbe ahugenumber of JW readers in the market for a genuine C-Type, D-Type or lightweight E-Type, but for those in the market for one of these iconic models Herridge & Sons has just published what must be the definitive guide.

By acknowledged experts on the subject Den Carlow, Anders Ditlev Clausager, Paul Skilleter and Penny Woodley, the 408-page tome includes 500 photos, many of which haven’t been seen before. Providing a detailed history of each car’s competition outings and drivers, it’s a massively in-depth work and still a fascinating read even for those of us with rather more real-world Jaguar buying budgets.

The Complete Register of Jaguar C-Types, D-Types and Lightweight E-Types retails at £100 but the publishers are currently offering signed copies at £80. Visit www.herridgeandsons.com for moredetails.

Nitrogen charged

GAZ Shocks has launched a couple of new features for its existing range of GHA and Gold adjustable coil over suspension kits. The first is the addition of nitrogen gas to help minimise the aeration of the hydraulic fluid/oil under normal use by compressin the air bubbles inside the damper. This nitrogen is stored inside the damper with the oil

The second is the addition of a helper spring above the main coil spring, which along with the nitrogen, helps to give an improved an smoother ride.

hyco co to g feto tco teto o ve a sto Gto hav

Whilst these two features are now added to the GHA and Gold c suspension kits, they can also be fitted to old suspension kits, so cu who already have a suitable kit can send their suspension to GAZ to it upgraded for £45 per unit

Tel: 01268 724585 Web: gazshocks com

Pedalmountingshaft

Remodelledin-housebythedesignand development teamatSNGBarratt,this precision-engineeredpart fortheE-Type’s pedalboxisnow available.Suitable forthe later4.2andV12models.

Price: £33.31inc VAT Partnumbers: C25295)

Dimmabledashbulbs

IntheMay2022issueof JW,wereported onanall-newsetofLEDdashboardlighting bulbsfromBetterCarLightingthat could bedimmedusingallcarrheostats.BCLhas nowaddressedtheissuethatwhenearly carshavenewwiringharnessesfitted,it invariably changesthetypeofbulbsusedin thedashlightingfromthe EdisonScrew987 types to themoremodern 10mm wedge bulbsknown variouslyasT10,501, orW5W. BCLcannowsupplyfullydimmableLED versionsofthesebulbsineithergreenor

ivorywhite(4300K)and,importantly,in special-editioniceblueforearlyJaguars. No changesareneededwhenfittingthese bulbsastheyaredesigned to be adirect replacement fortheoriginalfilamentbulbs, buttheyaremuchbrighter,run cool,and areguaranteed forfiveyears.

Price: £29.99inc VAT(fourwhiteorgreen bulbs)£35.99(iceblue) Tel: 0121 7737000 Web: www.bettercarlighting.co.uk

SalesOfficeUK Tel: 01746765432 www.sngbarratt.com Sales.uk@sngbarratt.com

SalesOfficeUSA

Tel:+1800452 4787 (toll free) Sales.usa@sngbarratt.com

SalesOfficeFrance

Tel:+33(0) 385201420 Sales.fr@sngbarratt.com

S-Typeheadlining

Myrtleisnowmanufacturingand sellingtheheadliningboards for bothpreandpost-faceliftX200 S-Typemodels.Supplied coveredin grey,oatmealor champagne,they’re producedwithhigh-temperature adhesivewithallthecutoutsinplace. Myrtlemanufactures arangeof Jaguarheadliningboardsandinthis case,offersthem formodelswithor without asunroofandalso forLHD variants.The companyshipsthem to

customersalloverthe world. Theheadliningboardismadefrom flexibleGRP,and PaulBanhamatMyrtle explainsthatitcanbefittedwithout having to removeany glassasitwillflex andfitthrough adooraperture.Plus, thereisnodrillingorglueing requiredas allholesandfixingpointsarealreadyin place.

Price: £225excludingshippingand local taxes

Tel: 0044(0)1843844962 Web: www.myrtleltd.com

Cuptype core plugs

SNGBarrattisnowsellingcuptype core plugs forarangeofXKsandlaterengines asfittedtotheJaguarsaloons,theE-Type, XJSeries1-3andtheXJ-S.Thenew15/8 in diameter core plugsare manufacturedfrom stainlesssteelandmadeintheUK.

Price: £8.39inc VAT Partnumber: C168628U

Deburring tool

Prices

LED swivel torch

NewfromMachineMart’sClarkerange is this battery powered LED torch It’spoweredby a3.7-voltlithium-ionbattery, which is recharged using adedicatedmainspowerleadandshould take a maximum of four hours.It features aCOB (circuitonbo rd) LED strip light forthemainillumination,whichproduces up to 400 lumensvia asmalladjusterwheelonthe back of thebody.

Italsohas atorch function,powered by an80-lumensSMD(surface-mounted device)LEDontheendofthe swivelarm. Thisis switchedonandoffvia asmall, recessedbuttononthebackofthebody. Whenbothlightsareonandwiththe mainilluminationatmaximum brightness,thebatteryshouldlast for roughlythreehours.

Pricesfrom: £32.39inc VAT Partnumber: 010814624 Tel: 0115 9565555 Web: www.machinemart.co.uk

STARLETTER

FinalEdition facts

Thearticleonthe SFinal EditionXKs wasa greatpiecebyCraig asusual. Ireallyenjoyhis talesofJaguaraddictionandhowhecan’tkickit!

Afewthings to addif you’llallow.Thespecial coloursmentioned were only supplementedbyanother fourincludingPlatinum, Racing Green,MidnightandQuartz.Montrealwheels were neveran option.

TheXK8-Scamewith 19”Atlaswheelsasstandardwiththe 20”Sepang availableasanoption.TheXKR-Scamewith Perseus asstandardwithnootheroption.But...the Perseusproved to beprone to bucklingsotheSepangs were fittedonsomeXKR-S straightfromthefactoryorfittedtoreplacethe Perseuswheels under warranty.

DoveGreyleather wasonlyavailablewith FrostBlueandQuartz exteriorandcamewithDoveGreycarpet.OnlytheXKR-Shad red calipers.Silvercaliperswithcross-drilleddiscs were anoptiononthe XK8-S. Ihaveafullspecificationbrochurewhichcamewithoneof thecarsIbought.Itcanbe abit confusingbutittiesinwithallthe carsI’veseenoverthe years.

AlsoCraigstatesonly500ofthe SFinal Edition were builtin XKandXKR formbut Ibelieveitwas alotmoreand Ihavebeen unable to findanymentionfromthelaunchthatthemodel wasa limitededition.TheearliestcarI’veseenis chassis46613,anXKR-S FinalEdition coupeinsatinwithblacktrim.

AlsoJaguarHeritagegivesthestartofproductionofthe SFinal Editionas chassis45289,makingit3395carsbuiltas SFinal Edition models.

TheearliestcarI’veboughtandsold waschassis46618 andIhave thebuildsheet forthiscarshowingitas aSportspackwhichwas

XJRInspiration

Thanks

a £4000 option on the coupe and £3200 on the convertible, over and above the usual XKR-S Final Edition specification. Including, according to the brochure: Handling Pack, satellite navigation, adaptive cruise control and Recaro seats.

In the course of buying and selling many S Final Editions cars, I’ve not found any after the Heritage start number which have been anything other than S Final Edition cars.

However, having said that... I also have a build sheet for a XK coupe with a chassis number in the range for the Final Editions cars but which identifies as a 2006 MY car with 2004.5 MY parts: Quartz with Dove Grey interior, 2004.5MY Montreal alloys and birds eye maple dash plus loads of extras.

Ifeelit’simportant to getthesethingspinneddownbecauseit affects values.Thereare already mythsandlegendsbeingattached to thesecarsinthehopeofhigherprices.

DavidHooper

XKdecisions

Havingbeenonthehunt foranice XK forafewmonthsI’vefound myselfgettingincreasinglyindecisive thanks to theoverlappingprices.Do Igoforoneofthe reallynicelater X100carsor– formuchthesame moneyorevenless –thelaterX150 generation? Yes, Iknowthelater caris technicallysuperiorwithits aluminiumbodyandother tech,but istheoldercarlikely to bethesafer investment as amodernclassic?

MichaelPreston

It’saninterestingpointandwe’llbe running acomparisonsoon to showyou howthe carscompareastheyage.Our advicewouldbe toforgetanythoughts of futurevaluesand simplybuyoncondition. Acherishedlate-modelX100willgiveyou moreenjoymentandbelessfrustrating to ownthan aneglectedX150XK.

EMAIL: jwm.ed@ ke lsey.co.uk FA CEBOOK:F acebook/Jaguar Wo rldMonthly IN STAG RA M: jag. wo rld

Forthe JWteam,this was definitelythestar of the show. FoundontheM25 Classicsstand,thisheavily patina’d 1963MkXlooked superband featuredan originaltriple-carbed3.8 engineandMoss four-speed manual.Said to drivenicely, it’syoursfor£11,650.

ClassicMotor Show2022

Foranyonewitheven apassinginterestin oldcars,theannualbashattheNECisa highlightofthe yearandnaturallyJaguar alwaysfeaturesheavily.Fromabarn-find E-Typeintheauction to alast-of-the-line S-Type,here’swhatcaughtoureyethis year. See more action from the show on our Classics World websiteat https://classicsworld.co.uk

ThisDaimler coupeintheauctioncaughtoureye. Formerly owned by Harry Metcalfe,it wasclearlythepoor relation to the well-knowncarheeventually restored fortheHarry’sGarage channelbuthasapparently received acostly mechanical overhaul.Offeredatno reserve,itsold for£12,375.

Ifthismonth’sS-Typebuyingguidehasinspiredyou,thenhere’sone of the nicestyou’llfind forsalerightnow. Awell-specced2007carwiththe2.7 dieselengine,it’s forsalewithclassicdealerKimCairnsat£10,995andis absolutelypristine.

LEFT:Itmay have done 18,900 milesmorethantheunregistered carintheauction,butthis 1988 XJ-S convertible wasas-newin every respectandisyoursfor £24,995fromHeritageClassics.

Anotherno-reserveauctionentry wasthis’73E-Typemanual,anoriginal UK-speccarwhichhasbeenhidingin abarnformany yearsafterbeing parkedup forsomeminor repairs.Enthusiasticbiddingsawiteventuallysell for£22,500.

ABOVE:ThesoleMk1 we foundinthreedays of trampingaroundtheNEChalls,this 19593.4 was ondisplaytopromote the Coventry Concoursat thecity’sMotofest event. Restoredbackinthe 1990s,itstilllookssuperb today.

BELOW: Thisyear’sshowsaw thefirstpublic showing of our ownnewprojectcar,a 2003XK8 convertiblewhichrepresentedtheculmination of theclassiccar‘TradingUp’ challengeinconjunction withLancasterInsuranceandoursistertitleClassic CarMart. Considering KelseyMDPhil Weedenhad started offthe challengelastyearwithanoddball Honda Acty Romahomecamper van, we reckon he’sdonepretty well.

Thebarn-findE-Typemayhavegrabbedthelion’sshareofattentionat theauctionbutthisXJ-S wasarguably amoreexcitingfind. A1989car,it remainedunregisteredandhad coveredjust 100miles,eventuallyselling for £131,625againstanestimateof£50,000-£60,000.

Sayinggoodbyeto theF-Type

JUST AS the December issue was going to press in early October, Jaguar announced that 2023 will be the F-Type’s final model year Following chairman Thierry Bolloré’s ‘Reimagine’ strategy from February 2021 that will establish Jaguar as an electric only manufacturer by 2025, this is didn’t come as much of a surprise. Yet with the car arriving early in my tenure as editor of Jaguar Worldand afterdrivingseveralexamplesoverthelastdecade,it’sstillone Ifeel close to andwillmournitspassing.

TheXJ-SandbothgenerationsofXKmighthave beensuccessful andstillpopularmodels,butthey were always largely comfortablegrand tourers. Yetdue to theclassicXKfamilyfrom 1948andthe threeseriesofE-Typethat followed,Jaguar willalwaysthoughtofas amanufacturerof sportscars.

Asthe company’sthenglobalbrand director,AdrianHallmark,saidduringthe F-Type’s2012 reveal,“ForJaguarnot to have atruesportscarinits folioisasunacceptable as Ferrarior Porsche.That’swheretheessenceofJaguar’simageis bestdisplayed. We have arightfulplaceinthatsegmentandthere’sa massiveexpectationfromexternal forces forustobehere. We don’t need to explainwhat we’redoing.So forthat reason,it wasn’ta difficultdecision to moveinthatdirection.” Tenyears laterandthat statement remainsjustastrue.

Modelssuchasthe TeslaRoadsterandLotus Evijaproveelectric vehiclescanrivalthosewith atraditional internal combustionengine in termsofdriverengagementbutwithnothingontheimmediate horizon, we’llhavetowait to discoverifthisis arouteJaguardecides on.Ifit’s tocompetewithmoreexclusivemanufacturerslikeBollore

suggestedit wouldin2021, such as PorscheandAstonMartin for examplewhichare nodoubtdevelopingtheirowntwo-seater EVs, thenit’sone IreckonJaguarneeds totake.

Asmentionedearlier,I’vebeenprivileged to experienceplenty ofexamplesoverthelastdecadeandsomeof my mostmemorable tripshave beenwithan F-Type.Threethatspring to mindinclude visitingseveralEuropean race trackswith a3.0-litreV6S,navigating Scotland’smagnificentNorth Coast500using a5.0 R(pictured)and then to Turinwitha2.0 to photographoneofitsdistantancestors, theXJ-S-basedPininfarinaSpyder.

Althoughverydifferentexamplesand journeys,whattheyandalltheothersIenjoyed shared wasasenseoffunthatother,perhaps moreordinarycars, wouldmissouton.

Yetfor methe F-Type wasnever aperfect car.Basedon asectionoftheX150XK’s chassis, Ialwaysfeltit wastoobigand too wideandtheV8modelswith AWDtoo heavy.Storage inthe convertibleisalso ludicrouslytightandit wasalwaysa squeeze to fitluggage fortwo plus my cameraequipmentintotheboot.Plus, the F-Typehasalwaysbeentooexpensivewitheventheentry2.0 R-Dynamic convertiblecurrently costing£68k, amassive£23,500 morethan acomparableBMWZ4.

Andalthoughpretty,inmyeyesit’snotasmemorableassomeof Jaguar’spastmodelsincludingtheE-TypeorevenXJ-S. Removethe Growlerbadgeonthenose,andthedesigndoesn’tnecessarilysayJaguar.

Thesenigglesaside,likeall goodpowerfultwo-seatersshouldbe, the F-Type,isstillgloriouslydecadentand Ican’tthinkof abetter wayforthe company’s75-yearhistoryintraditional,petrol-engined sportscarstocome to anend. PW

NothinglikeaDaim

I’MSURE,likealotofJaguarfans,I’mnotalonein lamentingthedemiseoftheXJsalooncar range.

XJs, forme, were the verysoulofJaguar –abrand thatmadesomeprettyimpressivesportscarsandhad its rootsinperformancemotoring,but whichmoreover madethebestsalooncarsinthe world.I’veownedXJsof four generations,eachoneflawed,butallofthembeautiful.

TheappealliesinthefactthateverysinglegenerationofXJ wasdesigned aroundthedriver,tohandleandrideas wellastheypossibly could,while atthesametimeexhibiting wonderful,oftenanachronisticstyling.These were carsthat were classicsassoonastheylefttheshowroom,something that’s reflectedinthesurgein values we’veseeninrecenttimes forSeries models,XJ40sand –latterly –theX300/X308models. Peoplewho ownthem cherishthem.Thatdoesn’t really happenwith alotofcars.

Don’tgetmewrong.Therewereother luxurycarsthat were betterbuilt.The olderMercedes-BenzS-Classes were beautifullyengineeredand wonderfulin theirownright.Inmorerecenttimes, the AudiA8and Lexus LS were much betterpackagedand technologicallymore advanced.Buttheonethingthey were all missing wasthefundamentalsoulthat makes aJaguar aJaguar.

WiththedeathoftheXJ(and, Imust confess,I’mnot ahugefanofthelastofthebreed comparedwithits predecessors),JaguarhasletgoanessentialstrandofitsDNA.

Don’tgetmewrong. Iunderstandtheneed to changeandevolve. Iworked foroveradecadeinside acarmanufacturer’ssenior management team,andtheonething Ilearnedaboveall isthatif you don’tembracechange, youget leftbehind.Jaguardidembracechange. It keptitssportscarsasthey’rehigh-value,high-profitmodels,butthe evolutionoftheexecutivecarmarketintoonethathas amuchgreater focusonSUVsandalternativefuelsmeantthat fora companywith limited resources, followingtheherdmadesense.

AnewXJ wouldhave been amonumentalinvestment inboth technologyandarchitecture,thelatterofwhichwouldonlyhave suited alargesalooncar.And,likeitornot,bigsaloonsareoutoffashion. That’s atrendthat Ihope won’tlast forever.

Inthemeantime,Jaguarmust follow amorediversepathinorder to survive–but itmustalsonot forgetits roots. Afterall,prior to its demisethedemographicofXJbuyerswas largelyamongtheover-55s. WhenthefirstXJemergedin 1968,it wasfar fromthat,astheagile newcomerappealed to ayoungercustomer.

Butallisnotlost. Youonlyhavetolookatmodelssuchasthe PorschePanameraandMaseratiQuattroportetoseethat amarket forlargeluxurycarswithsportscarDNAstillexistsandwhilstJaguar hasnooptionbut to chase amoremainstreammarketwithits core model range,there’sanargumentthat arange-topping,highlyspecialistluxury saloon could very wellstillappeal to the effortlessly wealthy.

So,here’sanidea.Therehasn’tbeen aDaimlermodelfromJaguarCarssince thedemiseof theX350 in2010,but thedormantbrandnamestill remainsin Jaguar’spossession. CouldJaguarbring backDaimler,andmakeitwhatMaybach is to Mercedes-BenzorLagondais to Aston-Martin? Afterall,sub-brandsarea thinginthecarindustryrightnow –DS andCupraare CitroënandSEATwithanextradoseofflair,andby thesame tokenDaimler could returnasJaguarwithanextrasplash ofluxury.

Afterall, aDaimler wasalwaysa veryspecialderivativeofanXJ. My veryfirstXJ wasa 1986Daimler3.6 –anXJ40with aclublounge behindthedriver’sseat(and,sadly,not muchfloor).It feltlikeavery specialcarindeed,andif abigJaguarsaloonis to ever returnthen that’stheauraitneeds to project. Youcouldsellone forover£100k easily,andthen Icouldpickoneup manyyearsdowntheline fora twentiethofthatandbe averyhappymanindeed. CC

Interiorergonomics

EVENDURING my earliest yearsatJaguarinthe SeventiesandEighties, wewere alwaysaware ofinterior ergonomicsbecause we knewsomecarsweremore comfortablethanothers.Plusas acardesigner,Ineeded to accommodateallsize ranges,fromthefifthpercentile female to the95thpercentilemale.Butotherwise,Jaguar –likemost Europeanmanufacturersatthetime –neverpaidmuchattention to how comfortableinteriorswereorperhapsmoreimportantly,howeasy they were to use.

ButintheearlyNineties we becameincreasingly awareofneeding to have the controlsmoreaccessible.Jaguareventually recruited threeergonomicexperts,allgraduatesfrom Loughborough University, who reported to me for a while meaning I was always aware of their work.

Studies at the time had shown people in the western world had grown and a person sat in a car isn’t the same length as when they’re standinguponlywiththeirhipsandlegsbent. Whenseated,thespinehasanarcmeaning youreyesandheadaredroppedbyaninch and ahalf.Obviouslyit’simportant to knowthis in termsofvisibilitybut forsafety too.Andso theyshowedergonomics wasmorethanjust fittingpeopleinside acar;therewerealso‘body angles’ toconsider.Theexpertsshowedushow someoftheseangles were theoptimumwhileotherswouldbecome uncomfortable,especiallyoverlongjourneys.

We previouslyhad some95thpercentilesizeddummiesmade from Perspexinthedesignstudiowhichhad afewhingedjointsbut that wasit.Buttheexpertsintroducedmoresophisticatedandlifelike mannequinsthat, forexample,allowedthehead restraints to beputin amoreusefulposition,catchingtheheadbeforetherewas toomuch whiplashcausedby arearimpact.

Thedevelopmentofergonomicsalsostarted to improveseatdesign and we eventuallyaddedlumberandlateralsupport to ourcars.Seat cushionsalsobecomeextendable to supportthighs.

Theotherpartofimprovingergonomics wasthelayoutofthe controls. From asafetypointofview,wewanted tokeep allthe switches andcarinformationintheclearviewofthedriverwithouttheneeding to changethedirectionoftheireyes.The reachandnatureofthe controlsbecamemorestudiedovertimeandthereforemoreefficient, eventually resultingindriverandinfotainment controlslocatedonthe steeringwheel.

Ergonomicsbecame reallyimportantwhensatellitenavigation was introducedintheearly2000s.Oneof my ergonomicsexperts worked closelywithJaguar’searlysatnavteam to improvethe system’s interfacesothatit wasintuitivetouse,userfriendlyandtheinformation easilyinputted. We alsospentalotof time working on the information output to try and help drivers get into the correct line earlier for example.

The ergonomics experts also made us aware that the demographic of Jaguar’s customer were usually older (the ‘fifth age’inmarketingspeak).Theymade everyoneinthestudio wearglassesthat madeeverythingappearfuzzyso we’d makethe controlsclearandobvious for theseoldercustomers.

Ibecame especially awareof ergonomicswhenIwasthedesign manageroftheX308generationof XJ8inthemidNineties.Theinteriorofitspredecessor,theX300, was largelybasedontheXJ40’sthat wasoriginallydesignedintheSeventies andEighties.Sowithourexpertsonboardfromthebeginning,itgave us achancetoimprovethelocationofthe controlsandtheoverall layout.ThismeanttheX308 wasarguablythefirstJaguar to have an ergonomicallydesignedinterior.

Keith Helfet was a Jaguar designer between 1978 and 2002 His most famous creations are the XJ41, XJ220, XK 180 and F-type concept, plus the design themes for the XK8 He currently runs his own design company

Which of these two V8-engined coupes from the Nineties do we prefer; the traditional Jaguar XK8 4.0 or the more contemporary BMW 840Ci?

TT TUUUDDDYY Y TT THHHEE E hh hiiistttory andd d speciiifffiiicatttiiions off f tt thhhe Jaguar XK8 and BMW 840Ci and you’d think they were separated at birth As twwwo door V8 engined coupes that arrived in the midd d Nineties and from companies that have a long hh history in sports cars, theyy y have more than a little in common.

But raw data is one thing; actually drivinnng the cars is another. To dd discover whether this pair of powerful grand tourers are as alikee e as the facts and figures suggest, we’ree e comparing a 2000 XK88 8 with a 1997 BMW 840Ci

W O R D S & P H O T O G R A P H Y P A U L W A L T O N

BMW 840Ci 4.4

Despite arguably looking and feeling more modern than the Jaguar, the BMW arrived first, debuting at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show before going on sale the following year. By being more powerful and more expensive, it wasn’t a direct replacement for the 6-Series like the XK8 would be for the XJS six years later

The idea of such a model was originally considered by BMW in 1981 with the green light for the car internally known as the E31 given three years later. The work of inhouse designer, Klaus Kapitza, it featured amuchmoreangularand chiselleddesign thanthesofter6-Series.Plus,bybeingbased ontheE32-generationof7-Series,it was longerandwiderthanitspredecessor.

Thepress weren’talwaysimpressedby thenewlook,though.“It’sanold-school, squarecutBMW,”saidCarmagazineinits November 1996issue,“elegantbut too discreet to beexciting.”

What reallysettheE31apartfrom the6-Series(as wellasthe competition) wastheabundanceofclever technology, muchofitnotseenbefore.Thisincluded anelectronicdrive-by-wirethrottle, fourwheelsteerandintelligentautomatic transmission.Little wonderBMWmanaged to spend ahuge$900milliononthe car’sdevelopment. Yetthiseye-watering amountdidn’tinclude aconvertible version

and other than a handful of expensive aftermarket conversions, the 8-Series was only ever available as a coupe.

To begin with, the only engine choice was BMW’s first production V12, a 5.0-litre that delivered 300bhp resulting in a 0-60mph time of seven seconds. This decadent engine together with all that tech made the 850i an expensive choice. At £61,495 in 1992, it cost £13,500 more than its nearest V12-engined rival, the 6.0-litre XJR-S.

Yet the critics were never that impressed by the car, feeling like it lacked character “You would always respect such country

crossingabilities,”saidCarmagazinein itsOctober 1992issue,“butneverfall passionatelyinlovewithitasaloyaland faithfulservant.SomehowtheBMW850i is ashade toonice, toopinklysoft, too twee:ittries amitehardtobefriendlyand accommodating,offersheartbutnotsoul.”

Aslightlymoreaffordableoption, a4.0litreV8,arrivedinmid 1993butat£52,950, was still £20k over the recently updated XJS 4.0. Two years later the capacity was increased to 4.4 litres which didn’t change the power output of 286bhp but torque was increased from 295 to 310lb ft.

Often viewed as too big, too complicated and too expensive, the 8-Series was never as popular as its huge investment warranted.

Admittedly the global recession of the early Nineties hit sales hard, the all-important American market especially, but between 1990 and 1999 a mere 30,621 examples were produced. Of those, just 7803 were the V8-powered 840Ci making the red 1997 example I’ve arranged to drive a real rarity and one I’m excited to experience.

It might be over three decades since the E31’s debut but it remains a big and imposing car, its saloon origins obvious

by the way it dwarfs the Jaguar alongside. While it could be argued the XK8 is a pastiche of the E-Type, the 8-Series was all-new, looking like nothing else before or since with only the famed kidney grilles linking it to the 6-Series and beyond.

Yet as much I as I appreciate the boldness of the design, it’s too square, too hard and too large for my own tastes, preferring the soft voluptuousness of the XK8.

Those themes continue inside. The 8-Series’ interior is dominated by a wide and hard-edged centre console that in typical BMW efficiency is slightly angled towards the driver Made from a particular variety of strong yet soft to touch black plastic only found in German cars, the cabin’s ambience is more Braun travel alarm clock than luxury GT but it’s still strongly built, more so I’d argue than the often fragile-feeling Jaguar

According to the official performance figures, at 6.7 seconds, the BMW is faster to 60mph than the XK8 by a mere 0.1 of second yet as I squeeze the throttle, due to a fatter torque curve with a lower peak, it feelsfasterthanthat. Atinyhandfulof 840Cis were fittedwithasix-speedmanual transmissionwhilemost,likethisone,had afive-speedautomatic.Moreeager to kick downthantheJaguar’ssimilargearbox,it resultsin apunchieracceleration.

Thesuspension’s compliancyismore likethatof agenuinesportscar,suchas BMW’sownZ3, resultingin arelatively hard,unforgivingride.Butsincethe840Ci weighs 1855kg –200kg morethantheXK8 coupe –it’salso toobig and tooheavyplus suffersfromanabundanceofbody roll to takecornersathighspeeds comfortably.

Yetforitsfaults,theBMWisstilla magnificentcar;beautifullybuiltand wellengineered,it feelsstrongerandbetterput togetherthantheJaguar.Isthisenough to beatthestillpopularBritish GT?

Jaguar XK8 4.0

The 8-Series might have been larger and more expensive than the car it replaced but it was business as usual over at Browns Lane during the early Nineties when Jaguar was developing its own new car A case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, in terms of size, personality and price, the eventual XK8 was reminiscent of the outgoing XJS. Yet it was also very different at the same time. Although it used a section of theoldercar’s chassis,thenewmodel (codenamedX100) featuredsimilarcurves to thoseoftheE-Type, aconsciousdecision bythe company’sdesign team.“Internally, we had averystrongviewthattheXK8 ought to bethespiritualoffspringof theE-Type,”saidthe company’sdesign director,GeoffLawson told Autocar in March 1996,“withmuscularflowingshapes and amuchsportierlookthantheXJS.”

The result wasahandsome,classically proportioned coupeand convertiblethat thecriticslovedfromtheoutset. Autocar evendescribedtheXK8asoneofthe prettiestsportscarsJaguarhadeverbuilt. Consideringthequalityofthe company’s backcatalogue,that washighpraiseindeed.

Thedesign wasn’ttheonlyaspectof thecarthat wasnew;underthebonnet

wasanall-aluminium,32-valve,quad-cam 4.0-litreV8that wasthe workofJaguar’s engineersbut builtat Ford’sengine plantinBridgend,South Wales. With 290bhp,itoffered a155mphtopspeed andsub sevenseconddashto60mph.

A‘Spitfirewing’ shaped dashboardinto whichthedials were theninsetmighthave

beennew,buttheheavyuseof veneerand leathermadetheinterior’satmospheresimilar to that oftheoutgoingXJS.Butthen,that’s whatcustomersofthetime were expecting.

“Wemadeclays,”saidGeoffLawson intheApril 1996issueofCarmagazine, “abroadselectionfrom radical to off the wall to muchmorerestrained.Theone

we developed is very Jaguar It focuses on ambience and natural materials.”

The luxurious interior, the classic design and excellent performance made the XK8 an attractive combination especially following the car’s debut at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show it was also incredible value at £48,000, eight grand under the 840Ci. As What Car? said intheDecember 1996issue,“Nothing remotelysimilarinpricecomesclose.”

Andover25 yearslater,that’sstillthe case.Asmentionedearlier,XK8sare today

valuedatbetween£3000and£7000 which, forabeautiful,luxuriousandbigengined GT,isdifficult tocomprehend. Admittedlywithover90,000X100sof all varietyproducedbetween 1996and 2005,they’renotas rare astheBMW, but whocareswhentheylookthisgood?

Admissiontime: regular readers mighthave already recognisedthe2000 EmeraldGreen coupe featuredhere as my own.But IpromiseI’mbeing impartialwhen Isay Ireckonit’sprettier thantheBMW. It’snotasbulkyand,

ironically, the smoother, rounder, more traditional lines have aged better than the angular, more modern 8-Series.

As the worn leather on the driver’s seat bolster and the annoying squeak from behind the dash will testify, I admit the interior isn’t as well-built as the BMW’s. And if the 840Ci’s cabin is a travel alarm, the huge swathe of wood makes the Jaguar a grandfather clock. Yet I still find it friendlier, cosier and more user-friendly than the cold austerity of the German car

The BMW 4.4-litre might have the edge in terms of grunt but always eager and free revving, when I give the throttle a proper shove the XK8 still accelerates with a surprising hardness. And as the speed rises, a surprisingly meaty growl starts to grow in the cabin.

The XK8’s power-assisted rack-andpinion steering is reasonably precise for a big GT, although too light and imprecise for a serious B-road blast. The car might not have Jaguar’s optional

active suspension system (CATS) fitted but there’s still plenty of grip if a little too much body roll. Although 200kg lighter than the BMW, the car’s still considerable weight and slow steering doesn’t allow for a full exploration of its performance since it lacks the sharp directness of its more driver focused, all aluminium replacement.

Plus, unlike the sportier 840Ci, the Jaguar has no illusions it’s anything other than a comfortable grand tourer And so the suspension is beautifully supple, smoothly soaking up any bumps in the same easy style as an XJ from the same era.

Yet after driving both back-to-back, there’s something about the Jaguar that’s bothering me. Admittedly I’ve owned the XK8 for several years, but I can’t help feeling it lacks the sense of occasion of the larger, better-built and rarer BMW.

So considering all of this, which one of these two magnificent coupes should you choose today?

TWIN TEST

XK8 vs 840Ci

Verdict

As mentioned earlier, I think the BMW is a great car; clever, well engineered and powerful, I genuinely enjoyed my brief time behind the wheel Plus, compared to the more common XK8, the car’s relative rarity is appealing too

But in my opinion the 840Ci can’t compete with the Jaguar in terms of design and handling. Admittedly looks are subjective and I’m sure BMW enthusiasts will disagree with me, but I’m not the only one who reckons the X100 rides better

As Motor Sport magazine surmised at the end of a similar comparison in 1996, “The XK8 not only out performs and out handles its rival, but out rides it too.”

I also find the Jaguar friendlier, more approachable and less stern than the overly Teutonic BMW If these cars were dogs, the 840Ci would be a large and well trained German Shepherd while my XK8 would be a big, dopey, loveable Labrador.

So forget what the data says the XK8 and 840Ci might appear to be similar on paper but I’d put the Jaguar ahead on something that can’t be officially measured: personality PW

Thanks to: the owners of the BMW featured here, Debbie and Paul Blythe, plus the BMW Car Club GB (www.bmwcarclubgb.uk)

AHE AGEINGprocessisnot gradualorgentle,”saidthe Britishauthorandbarrister, JohnMortimer,once.“It rushesup,pushes youover, andrunsofflaughing.”

Thisisn’tsomethingthatcanbesaid aboutthis 1978 XJ12C.Despitebeing45 yearsold,thebig coupehasn’taged aday, lookingasgoodaswhenitlefttheBrowns Laneassemblyline.Thereare tworeasons forthis;anincrediblylowmileageand spendingover20 yearsinstorage.

Thecar,aUK-specificationXJ12Cin the‘interesting’ combinationof Yellow Goldexteriorpaintwith aFlorisBluecloth interior wasbuiltinJune 1977andsold fivemonthslaterthroughJaguar’sofficial Worthingagent.Theowneroriginally livedlocallybut achangeofaddressinthe originalhandbook –partoftheoriginal paperworkstillwiththecar –showshe latermoved to Norfolk.

According to amuchlateradvert,the Jaguarstayedwiththesameowner’sfamily forthenext24 years.It’snotknownifthisis truesincesurviving registrationdocuments showedbetween 1986and 1999thecar livedin Londonandthen Edinburghuntil 2001. Thenexttwokeepers alsohad very differentsurnamesfromthefirst.

Due to themanysurvivingMoT certificates,whatisknownisthat formost ofitslifethecar wasbarelyusedandeven byJanuary 1984had coveredamere10,374 miles.Although asecondMoTlaterthat same yearinDecembershowsithadquickly risen to 17,598,themileagesoon tailedoff again.Between 1987 and2001itcovereda mere2500miles,occasionally coveringless than 100between annual MOTs.

Yetthehandfulof receipts forparts andservicingprovethecar wasstill wellmaintainedduringthisperiod.

Sometimeintheearly2000swhenthe yellowJaguarhadunder23,500miles ontheclockitwas up forsalethrough aSurrey-basedclassiccarspecialistwho lentit to Thoroughbred &ClassicCars magazine foratwin test with aFerrari400i intheApril2001issue.“DriveagoodXJ12 andyou’llstillmarvelattheride,”saidthe article.“Sosupple,so resilient,eachwheel movementbeautifullydampedandisolated fromtheinterior.”

Thestillhighlyoriginalcarnext went to Hollandwhenit wasboughtbyenthusiastA M‘Ton’Knook,whoonceownedthebiggest Land RoverdealershipintheNetherlands. “Myfatherboughtthecar forhis collection,” Ton’sson, Rob, tellsme.“Heownedseveral very rare carswith agoodhistory.”

Buyingitlargely fordisplayratherthan roaduse, Tonneverbothered registering theJaguarintheNetherlands. Yetbybeing keptinanair conditionedandheated garage,thecar wasagainstill well-looked afterduringthisperiod.

When Tonpassed away in2007,his collection waspassedontoRobwhoagain didn’t registertheXJ12, tellingmeheonly occasionallydroveitonthe roadusingthe Dutch equivalentoftradeplates.

In2021 andwith22,924milesontheclock, thecar wasadvertisedonlineby Robwhereit caughttheeyeofBritishcarenthusiast,Nick Sladen.“Wefoundit forsaleonanobscure websiteinHolland,”he tellsme.

“SincetheUK wasstillinlockdown due to Covid-19andthereforewecouldn’ttravel to Holland to seeitforourselves, we askedan E-Typespecialistlocatedfivehoursawayin Amsterdam to do aninspectioninstead.”

New to V12Jaguars,Nickwas initially drawntothecardue to itslowmileage. “There’sloadsofthemaround,”he tells me,“but Iwantedaproperone.”

The reportsentbackbytheDutch specialistdidn’tdisappoint,showingit to be agenuine,23kmileageexampleinnear perfect condition.“Thecarhadbeen kept inrunningorder,” confirmsNick.“It was evendrivenonandoffthetrailer.”

Never having been registered in Holland meant there was a nice surprise for Nick and Richard Grout from car storage facility, Motorvault in Leicestershire, where Nick keeps the car and who helped with the purchase.

“Due to Brexit, we were due to pay duty on the car when we brought it back into the UK,” Richard tells me. “But because it was still registered with the DVLA, when theDutch ownersentoverthe registration documentbeforehand, we changedthe ownershipintoNick’snamewhichgotus abrandnewV5.When we broughtthecar backtotheUK,thismeant we didn’thave to payimport tax.”

DespitetheJaguar’simmaculate condition,Nickknewitslackofuse would meanitneededsomeminor remedial work to makeitsafesohetransported it to marqueexpertM&C Wilkinson nearDoncaster.“Michaelandhis team strippedthesuspensionplusbrakesand rebuiltthediffbeforeallthecomponents were powder coatedandputbackon.I alsoasked fornewfuel tanksbecausethe originals were abitgritty.”

Physically,theJaguar remainshowitmust have lookedwhenit wasfirst delivered to

the first owner in Sussex almost 45 years ago. “You can see it hasn’t been abused,” says Nick as he shows me around the car. “It even has the original Unipart number plates and all those stickers under the bonnet that usually peel off or don’t get replaced after a respray are still there.”

By virtue of not yet reaching 23,500 miles, it’s one of the cleanest and nicely presented XJ Coupes I’ve seen yet. Due to the richness ofthepaint,thebrightnessofthe chrome andtheperfectfitofthevinyl roof, Ican tell it’sneverbeen restored.Andalthoughthe yellowexteriorandblueinteriorshouldn’t work together,somehowthe combination doesandthecaroozesalltheclassand charm synonymouswiththesecars.Andso, whenNickkindlyoffersmeaspininthis time warp exampleofoneof my favourite Jaguars, Idon’tturnhimdown.

Thefirstbrandnewcar my parentsbought wasaPeugeot504estatein1979and four decadeslater Icanstill rememberhowclean theinterior wascompared to theiroldone. AlthoughanXJ12Cisasdifferentfromthe Frenchseven-seaterasanycarcanbe,the waytheblueclothseatslooklikethey’ve neverbeensatonandthehowtheplastic shinesinthelowautumnalsunstill reminds

meofwhen Iwassixand Ifirstclimbedin the rearofthebox-fresh Peugeot.Due to theflimsy-looking veneeroftenfadinginthe sunlight,I’veneverseenanXJSeries 2with suchbrightandvividdash.

ThebigV12churnslazilyover acoupleof timesbeforecatching,soonsettlingdown to itssmooth,quiethum.Despitethe5.3-litre producing285bhp,likeallstandardXJ12 CoupesI’vedriven, Iwouldn’tcallitfast, thebigenginehamperedbytheantiquated three-speedautomaticbox. Yetitstillpulls well,deliveringitspowersmoothlyand consistently,thewhisperingnoiseofthat hugeenginebarely registeringinthecabin.

Yetdon’tbedeceivedbyitssmoothness; when Isqueezethethrottleharder to force theboxtofinallykickdown,I’m rewarded withsuddenandsurprisinglyenergetic acceleration.

Of course,theV12-engined coupe was neveraboutanythingasvulgarasspeed;it wasfortravellinginultimatecomfortand Nick’scaris aperfectexampleofthis.The waythesuspensionisablemakeany uneven

surfacefeellikethesmoothestofSwissmademotorwaysisautomotiveblackmagic.

Thepayoff forthis comfort,though,is anabundanceofbodyleanwhichtogether withoverlyassistedsteeringmakesthe XJ12Cnowherenearas confidentor composedthroughfastbendsasanE-Type Series 3orevenanXJ-Softhesameage. Butthisisn’tdue to saggydampers ora wornsteering rack sinceasthisperfectly preservedexampleillustrates,that’show thesecarsare supposed to feel.

Asanyone –likeme–who’sfighting alosingbattlewiththegreyhairswilltell you,theageingprocessisn’t agradualor gentleprocess.Butdue to itslowmileage, thetwodecadesitspenthidden,unusedin awarmgarageplusthecareandattention lavishedonitbypreviousowners,it certainlyhasbeen forthis remarkablecar.

Thanks to:OwnerNickSladenand RichardGroutfromMotorvault (www.motorvault.co.uk)

TheV12-engined coupe wasnever aboutanythingasvulgarasspeed

FROMANXK150that was fittedwiththe rearsection of aMorrisMinor Traveller to anXJ-S coupethathadits roof removedandthe originalheadlights replacedwiththose from aVauxhall Corsa,I’vedrivenplentyof modifiedJaguarsoverthe years.Although verydifferentin termsoftheir conceptand background,theone characteristicthe majorityhadin common wastheirless thanprofessionaldesignand construction.

ThislargelyhandmadeMkVIIdrophead coupebucksthattrend.Thanks to its elegantproportionsandperfectdetailing, it’snot toomuchofastretch to imagine it wasdesignedbyJaguar’s chairmanand chiefdesigner,Sir William Lyons,and producedatthe company’sBrownsLane factory.Butthat wasalwaysthe target for thecar’sownerandcreator,JohnLucas.

“What Iwasmostmindfulof,”explains John,“andespeciallyafter Idiscussed my plans forthecarwith former testdriver, NormanDewis, wasifJaguarhadmadea

MkVIIdrophead coupe,it wouldhave been builtonthesameproductionlineastheXK 120DHCandthereforesharedmanyofthe samepartsandstyleofhood.”

Otherthanthatit wasmadein 1952 andexported to Americabeforebeingsold throughJaguar’s west coastagentCharles Hornburg, nothingisknownaboutthecar’s first fourdecades.

Johnboughtthebigsaloonover30 yearsago from aLosAngeles-baseddealer althoughit wasn’t whatheinitiallytravelled to Americatobuy.“It wasfor aMkVIII,” he tellsme,“butafter we didthedeal,the dealersaidhehadanother forspareswhich Icouldhave forfree.”

YetthegreenMkVIIturnedout to be largely completeandrustfree.“They’d takenthebrightworkoffit to be rechromed whichwasnowsittinginboxes.”

JohnsoonsoldtheMkVIIIsincehe preferredtheoldermodel,butit would take another30 yearsbeforeheturnedhis attention to it. Forsomereason –andhe can’t totallyexplainwhy–hedecided to

transformthecarintoadropheadcoupe.

“I’vealwayshad athing fortwo-door coupes,”hediscloses. “Andin my opinion, when youlookattheMkVII,VIIIorIX, theirdesignis toocluttered.Plus,bynot beingbigsaloons,thedoorsare tooshort, andtheyhave limitedinterior room.”

Followingthedrophead coupeversionof theearlierMkV,Jaguarbuilttwoprototype MkVIIsin asimilarstyle(chassis750001 and750002).Butdespitefamedbody engineer CyrilCrouchdesigning apoweroperatedhoodas wellasthepotential popularityofsuchamodelinAmerica,the projectcame to nothing.

Althoughthecarneededsignificant amountsof work to transformitintoa convertible,withJohndescribinghimself as“anenthusiasticamateur,”having previously rebuiltanE-Typeplus acomplete body foramilitaryJeep,hedidmuchofthe work himself.“Thefabricationofthebody wasalldonebyme,”hesays,“but Ihave severalpeople Ican callupon fortheareas thatneed to be donebya specialist.”

John’sfirst task wastoremovethe bodyfromthe chassiswhichwasthen shot-blastedandpowder coasted.Butby beingstrong,sturdyandmoreimportantly, separatefromthebody,itdidn’trequire anyextrastrengthening to supportthecar afterit wasturnedintoa convertible.

Followingmountingthebodyontoa steelframeJohnhad constructedhimself, nextcamethemammothandpotentially disastrous taskof removingthe roof. Attackingthepillarswithananglegrinder, heinitiallyleftmoremetalthanheinitially needed to allowtime to slowlyfinessethe finallines.When Iask ifheever regretted removingthe roof,he repliesno.“Butthere wasnoturningbackanyway.”

Afterdecidingwherehewantedthe newshutlines forthelongerfrontdoors, JohncutouttheB-postsand relocated themfurtherdownthesill.The A-pillars andquarterlights were also adjusted accordinglyas wasthescreen railsinceit originallycurvedwhereitmetthe roof.

JohnboughtanotherpairofMkVII rear doors,usingthem to extendthefrontsby 9in.Theoriginals were then repurposed intonewquarterpanels,withJohninitially making amouldfrom woodandplaster to findtheshapehe wantedbeforereplicating itinsteel.

Headmits to notalwaysgettingthe designright.“The toplineoftheMkVII’s frontdooractuallycurves alittle,”John tellsme,“but Imadeitstraight. AfterIput itbackonthecar,thenewdoorlooked wrongmeaning Ihad to adjust itbya quarterofaninch”

Otherthanfitting

Thepoweredhood wasa bespokedesign byClassic Restorationsin Perth,Scotland, the hydraulicsdiscretelyhiddenbehind the rearseats.This robs alittleoftheboot spacebutit’sstillneatandtidy,further adding to the impressionofthisbeinga factory conversion.

Johncutthefrontseatsinhalfand added amechanism to allow them to tilt atanangletoaid rearingresswhile alocal

Asecondpairof reardoors was used to extendthefronts. The originals were used to create the newquarterpanels.

upholsterer retrimmedtheinteriorusing leatherintheoriginalshadeofSuede Green. Acarpenterextendedtheoriginal frontdoorcappingswithanotherpieceof wood, coveringbothinnew veneer to hide thejoin.

Takingtwoyears tocomplete and onlyfinishedinmid2022,John’sMkVII drophead coupeis amagnificentlooking car especially in the Aston Martin Racing Green John choose over the Pastel Green

it wasoriginallypaintedin.Notonlyisthe carbeautifullyproportionedbutbyusing originalMkVIIdoorsforthenewpanels ratherthansteelsheets,Johnhasmanaged to retaintheMkVII’sbodylinethatruns offthefrontwing,acrossthedoorbefore endingatthe rearwheelarch.“Ihaven’t changedthelookofthecar,”he confirms. YetwithJaguar’ssportscarsfromthe same era having a similar line, the larger, more upright radiiator grille aside, I’m

surprised to discoverhowmuchlikea larger versionoftheXK120drophead coupetheend resultis.Butwithboth designedbySir William Lyonsaroundthe sametime,itmakessensethey would.

What’smore,thewindermechanisms fromtheoriginal reardoorshavebeen repositionedintothenewquarterpanels whiletheglasshasbeensetintonewfully chromed frames All four windows can be lowered to create a handsome pillarless

coupe, astyle Lyonshimself championed duringtheSeventieswiththeXJ Coupe. Butsinceit’s araresunnyday,Johnlowers the roof,thehuge hydraulicssoundinglike TowerBridgeinoperationasthecanvasfolds quicklyandneatlybehindthe rearseats. It’sthehefty roofmechanismwhichJohn reckonsexplainswhythecarstill weighs aroundthesameas astandardsaloonwhich at 1676kgis300kgmorethananXK120 DHC.Andso,withthe3.4-litrestraightsix unitproducing amere160bhp,despitethe modern four-speedunitkickingdownfaster thantheoriginalthree-geartransmission, theaccelerationisbestdescribedassteady ratherthanfast. YetlikeallXK units,itstill pulls keenly,thefamiliartwincam roar unmissabledue to thelackofroof.

Due to allMkVIIshavingslightly vague steeringby today’sstandard’splussoft, wallowysuspension,themodelmighthave performed wellinall formsofmotorsport

(seeFinishingLines,p114)but in my experience these big saloons don’t enjoy beinghurriedthrough corners.WhereJohn’s carexcelsisgently waftingdownquiet country roadson warmsunnydayslikethis, theinteriorsufferingfrom asurprisinglylittle turbulencefor ahandcrafted convertible.

Similar to using aMorrisMinor Traveller to createanXK150estate, ahomemade MkVIIdrophead coupehastheability to gospectacularlywrong.Butthanks to

John’seyefordetail andhighlevelsof craftsmanship togetherwiththebigsaloon suitinghavingits roofloppedoff,in termsof styling,conceptandoverallfinish,this really is amodelJaguar couldhave produced.And whenit comes to modifiedcars,there’sno higherpraise Icangivethanthat. PW

Thanks to:OwnerJohnLucas.HisMk VIIDHCisnowforsaleandJohncanbe contactedatjwlucas32@gmail.com

Eurostyle

IN THE world of classic cars the business of doing something different often tends to be disappointingly follow-the-herd: witness the hordes of Sebring-kitted MGBs out there, all those ‘backdated’ 1980s Porsche 911s and let’s not overlook the countless DeLorean DMC-12s bedecked with Weetabix-box-and-Dymo-tape Flux Capacitors.

The Jaguar world tends to avoid the problem to some extent, particularly the E-Type where ever-rising values tend to discourage significant body modification. If you do see an E-Type which has been heavily modified, it’s likely to be a highbudget job and will more than likely be a slavish homage to the famous lightweightbodied racers with their drilled bodywork and riveted extensions.

What it most certainly won’t be mainly because it’s either unique or one of only two made, depending on who you believe is anything quite like the car you see here. Bodied in a lightweight style but influenced by the styling of Ferrari’s 1950s Monza racers, the car has had a fascinating history since first leaving Coventry and stands out in the E-Type world as something refreshingly different.

Others may disagree of course, but that’s certainly what we thought when owner Paul Briggs first showed us some photos of the car We’d been discussing his plans to outfit his Series 3 (itself a car with an interesting provenance) with a Tremec five-speed box, but when we noticed the red car in the background, sensible discussion of manual gearbox conversions in classic Jaguars rather went out of the window

“It’s like Wallace and Gromit meet Malcolm Sayer,” laughs Paul which sums up the car rather neatly, although it seems like the workmanship which went into

boththe restorationandmodification was topnotch.

Thecaritselfbeganlifein1967and was despatched to itsfirstowner,aShirley EdghillviaJaguarCarsinNew York,with theJaguar remainingintheUSAuntil 1996whenit wasimported to Toulouseby newownerJacquesBaron.

Onarrivalin Franceitwasentrusted to well-known FrenchE-TypespecialistSerge Bouzignac,who wastaskedwith restoring thecarand convertingit to anevocation ofthelightweight racers similar to ablue 1962 coupehehadalreadycreated.The engine,gearboxandsuspension were also rebuiltandin2000theJaguarpassed to its second Frenchowner,M.Labouriewhoit seems waslivingsomethingof adream life downintheSouthof France:he reputedly usedtheE-Typesimply to travelbetween hishouseandhis yacht...

In2009 MLabouriesoldthecar toa friend, StéphaneBerteil,whosentthecar backtothesame restorationfirm,bythen operatedby MBouzignac’snephewwhere itunderwent acompletenut-and-bolt restorationand asecondengine refresh with arebuiltcylinderhead.

Afterpresumablyrealisingthat 13,500kmin 12 yearsmeanthe wasn’t reallyusinghisE-Typeenough, MBerteil putthecarup forsalethrough aBiarritz classiccardealer.Itwas atthispoint thattheJaguarfinally returned to its homeland,beingacquiredby awell-known UK collectorwhoobviously recognised itspotentialandsetaboutuncovering itbeforeofferingitthrough aHistorics auctionlast year.

Andit wasatthispointthatthecar cameintoPaul’spossession,ironically enoughwhilehe wasona JLRcustomer experienceday samplingthenew Defender.During abreak inproceedings scrollingthroughclassiccarauctionson hisphone(comeon, we alldoit...) Paul

It’s like Wallace andGromit meet Malcolm Sayer

noticed the red E-Type hadn’t sold and put in an offer The phone rang shortly afterwards, a deal was done and a new Defender found itself hitched up to a trailer the following day to bring it home.

Flicking through the massive collection of photos in the car’s history folder, it’s obvious that the second restoration was a properly thorough job, with the closeups of details like the engine frame and underside showing just how solid the car is.

The photos also show that those responsible for the visual side of things didn’t really know where to stop: the white bonnet striping and ‘Jaguar’ lettering up the sills was more Hot Wheels than Le Mans, the three-spoke Momo steering

Car is actually a roadster, but the hardtop completes the style nicely.

wheel wasacoupleofdecadesoutofstep andtheseatsonarrivalfrom Francewere apairofmodern Recaros,sincereplaced bythebrownperiodbucketsithasnow. These also have the advantage of allowing drivers of normal height to see out of the

carwithoutpeeringunderthescreen rail. Furthermechanical fettlingalso took placeatthispointwiththecargaininga RobBeere Racingadjustableload valve for the power steering which Paul reckons makes for an interesting modification.

The Triple-SU4.2XKengine remains essentiallyasit waswhen reassembled forthesecondtime,althoughthere’sa stainlessexhaust system fedbyceramiccoated tubular headers and Paul reckons it runs a slightly higher 9.5:1 compression.

Althoughtheenginespecisessentially standard,thestainlesspipesgiveita soundtrack to match thelooks.

Modifiedbodywork has takensomereal skill.Bonnet remains allmetal,while rearis partly composite.

The original four-speeder has been replaced by a Tremec five-speed, while the stopping is taken care of by uprated Coopercraft front calipers, the originals having been repurposed to the rear

Even on a cold winter’s day the bright red E-Type really grabs your attention and it’s easy to forget that it’s actually aroadster ratherthan acoupe –the lightweighthardtop really completesthe

look, as do the period Minilite wheels, staggered in the best tradition at eight inch front and nine inch rear Sticking to a 16-inch wheel also means period-looking tyres can be mounted, in this case 215/60 front and 245/55 rear which provide a superb stance, the lack of bumpers giving the E-Type a dramatically different style.

Thebodyworkitselfisanintriguing creation.It’sclearlyinvolvedsome

skilled craftsmanship to build the driving lights into the bonnet and to fabricate the rear end, some of which has been done in composite material. To my mind the great thing about it is that it isn’t a slavish recreation of the famous lightweight racers, but presumably one person’s vision of what a period racing E-Type couldhave lookedlike,with ahint of’50s Ferrarimixedin.

Whatever its origins, it looks tremendous, all the better for being something slightly eccentric and it’s also been put together with real care. As Paul’s discovered when working on the car, things like shakeproof washers at important points suggest a proper attention to detail and as an engineer he’s somebody who spots these things.

As a result, it drives really very nicely and is much less intimidating than the racy exterior might suggest. As we wait for it to clear its throat while chugging along local lanes, Paul explains that he plans to tweak the SU carbs to make it more tractable from cold but with modern electronic ignition, once warmed through it’s quite happy in urban use, yet sounds superb through the stainless pipes as it

passes the camera for our action shots. The suspension features Koni dampers but is otherwise standard which equates to a very civilised ride and the surprise is that despite its outlandish looks this is a car you really could use on the road regularly

and with the five-speed box for longer trips, too.

No, it may not be one for the concours purists, but as a beacon of individuality in the worldofclassiccarsitwas afineway to capoffthe year. PW

Staggered wheelsfillthe archesnicely. Sticking toa 16-inchrim means aperiodappropriatetyre profile.

Despiteits outlandishlooks thisiscar youreally could useonthe road regularly

AS RAPIDLYappreciatingclassics go,theJaguarXJ40isfinallyat the forefront.It’sbeen along wait forBrownsLane’s 1980s flagship,but collectorsare finally cottoningon to theappealofwhat was,whenit wasnew,the company’smost technologicallyadvancedcarever.

TheuseoftheDaimlerbadgeonthe XJ40presentedaninterestingjuxtaposition forJaguar,withoneoftheoldestandmost steeped-in-traditionnamesinmotoring historyapplied to itsmost avant-gardecar yet. It wasafusionoftraditionalandmodern –a caraimedatJaguar’smoretraditional, oftenoldercustomerdespitebeingthe jewelintheXJ40 range’scrown.

Butthen,Daimler’sassociationwith Jaguar wasalwaysa peculiarone.Not to be associatedwiththeDaimler companythat ownsMercedes-Benz,the companywas originally acompletelyindependentBritish operationthatusedthenameunderlicence.

In 1910,the companywas boughtbythe BirminghamSmallArms company(BSA), betterknown foritsmotorbikes,before beingsold to Jaguarin1960.

ThefirstDaimler to shareitsplatform with aJaguar wastheV8250of 1962, with asmallcapacity2.5-litreV8engineof Daimler’sowndesign,fittedtothebodyand chassisoftheMk 2saloon.Distinguishedby itsflutedgrille,splitfrontseatandstandard automatictransmission,the250 was marketedas aluxury-orientatedalternative to theMK 2sportssaloon –a themethat

would continueuntilthelastappearance oftheDaimlernameon aJaguar vehiclein 2005,withtheX350-basedSuperV8.

WhentheXJ40appearedin 1986,the Daimler’spositionintheline-up wasclear.It wastobesomething alittlemoreexclusive, ratherthantheupmarkettrimlevelthatthe ‘DaimlerSovereign’hadbecomeduringthe Series 2and 3gestationsoftheXJ6.

TheSovereignname,whichhadadorned Daimlercarssince 1966whenitappeared on abadge-engineeredJaguar420,became aJaguartrimlevel,markingoutthebestappointed variantintheJaguarline-up (andbecomingthemostpopularXJ40 intheprocess),whiletheDaimlername wouldbeapplied to astandalonemodel.

KnownatlaunchassimplytheDaimler 3.6,thecar wastheflagshipoftheXJ40 line-upand wasonly availablewith thelargerengine.It wasimmediately identifiablethanks to its‘fish-tank’ rectangularheadlampsandfluted radiator grille,thoughtherewereotherDaimlerdefining featuresas well.Themattblack bootplinth(deletedbytheendof 1987), darker rearlightclusters,fluted chrome boottrim,D-motifwheel centrecapsand achromerubbingstripalongtheflanksof thecararetheothergiveaways.

Inside,theDaimler wasthe very essence ofluxury.Ithadfullleather,walnut veneer picnic tablesinthe rearandlambs’ wool over-rugs,whilethe rearseat wassplit intotwo separate seats,withanelaborate centrearmrestthat foldeddowninfrontof

awood-veneeredoddmentstray –though atraditionalthree-seater rearbenchwas offeredasa cost-freeoptionfor thosewho needed afive-seater.

TheleatherseatsinDaimlermodels were of ahigherqualitythanthosefitted to Jaguarvariants,and featured afluted appearancethatechoedthestyleof the radiatorgrilleand rearbootplinth, complementedbyhighqualityburr walnut inserts,withadditionalfilletsaroundthe windowbuttonsonthedoors.

Thedoorcards were alsofullytrimmedin leather,whileallDaimlermodels were given alargeslidingmetalsunroofasstandard.

Eventheboot wasluxurious –fully carpeted,with aflockedsparewheel cover andstylisedattachécasetoolkit.

Indeed, the specification was fantastic standard equipment included air conditioning, metallic paint, cruise control, headlamp power wash, electrically adjustable heated mirrors, self-levelling rear suspension, eight-way adjustable electric heated front seats and a top of the range branded Clarion radio-cassette player, which was the only place in the car where the Jaguar ‘leaper’ was immediately visible, on the cassette deck flap. Re-engineering such a small component for Daimler was clearly a cost too far in the XJ40’s development.

At launch, the Daimler 3.6 had a list price of £32,000 or £4000 more than the top spec Jaguar 3.6 Sovereign

The Daimler was sold across European markets and Australia, but was never sold in the USA, where the brand had no recognition. Instead, the equivalent model was known as the Jaguar Vanden Plas, and featured the same specification and interior treatment, but minus the fluted grille.

LikeallXJ40s, it wasa wonderfulcar to drive,buttheexampleinourphotosisbarely used.Itspentthefirstsixmonthsofitslifeasa Jaguardemo,andthenspentthenext 31 years inanundergroundcarparkin Kensington.

Itsownerhadanaddressintheexclusive West Londonsuburb,but workedallover the world,visitinghisnativeUKonly four orfivetimes ayear, duringwhichthe Daimler waskept ready forhim to useon the rare occasionsthatheneeded acar.As aresult,ithasamassedjust 12,200milesin 32 yearsandhas to bethebestandmost originalsurvivingexampleofanunrestored XJ40,letalone aDaimler3.6.

Thecar wasservicedevery yearup to 2021(sometimes coveringlessthan300 milesbetween)byesteemedJaguaragent RA Creamer,renowned forlookingafter thecarsofthe RoyalHousehold,andwhich suppliedhimwiththecarinthefirstplace.

Drivingitin amoderncontext reminds youofjusthowluxurioustheDaimler

wascompared to standardJaguarmodels, something younoticeimmediatelythanks to itsthickwoolfloor rugsandsumptuous creamleather.

Thenarrowsteeringwheelanddelicate walnut veneergiveitthe feelof atrue luxurycar –akintoaRolls-Royce orBentley ontheinside,butwiththeperformance andagilitythat youexpectfrom aJaguar. Certainly,the3.6-litreengineisnoslouch, feelingaseagerandlivelyasiteverdid.

Theimpressiveaccelerationismatchedbya throatyexhaustnotethatbrings anoteof Jaguar’ssportssaloonheritage to Daimler’s purelyluxuriousimage.

Backin1989,whenthecar wasnew,the Daimler wouldhave beentheperfectcar for‘oldmoney’,withalltheaccoutrements expectedby retiredarmymajorsand captainsofindustry.A cliché?Maybe –but this wasthemarketatwhichthecar was targeted,whiletheJaguar versions were

aimed at amoreyouthfulmarket,andthe ownerofthisexample(now retiredandin hislate80s)fittedtheprofileperfectly.

Inthe rear,theDaimler feelseveryinch likeacar to bedrivenin,asopposed to one youdriveyourself.Thesculpted rearseats offerbettercomfortthan astandardrear bench,whiletheirdesignalsohelpsoffset thelimited rearlegroomofthestandard wheelbaseXJ40.Thedetailingisbeautiful, too.Flipdownthe walnuttray tables,and the chromeringeddrinksholdersadd to theupmarketappeal.

CoupledwiththeXJ40’straditionally wonderfulridequality,theDaimlerisa fabulouscarthatdeliversacossetting experiencetobothdriverandpassengersalike.

AnyDaimler3.6is aspecialcar,notleast becauseoftheir comparativeraritythese days –attheendof2021, according to DVLAdata,therewerejust40left taxed onUK roadsand afurther 112onSORN. Find agoodoneandnotonlywillitbea marvellousthing to own,but also asound investment forthefuture.Thisone? Well, surelyit’sthebest? CC

Aston Martin was once voted the world’s coolest brand. The British car maker has been synonymous with style, prestige and performance for almost 100 years. Sporting models like the DB5 have been screen icons thanks to the hugely popular James Bond movies, while its motorsport pedigree makes Aston Martin one of the world’s best automotive brands.

Aston Martin Driver magazine seeks to celebrate all that’s best about the marque: from the iconic models such as the DB5 and DB6, through to attainable modern classics like the DB7 and DB9 plus of course all the current line-up of models such as the DB11 and DBX.

Each issue features the latest news and road tests, plus owners’ stories, nostalgic features about the brand’s illustrious past and practical advice on owning and maintaining an Aston Martin. It is written by automotive writers who have a deep understanding of the marque and the owners of these luxury sports cars.

Aston Martin Driver is published 4 times a year and is the definitive read for any owner or enthusiast of this prestigious car maker.

Comfort brake

On the 40th anniversary of its launch, we tell the story of the XJ-S Eventer, Jaguar’s best-loved sports estate

WO RDS SA MS KEL TON

HIS TO RY

Itshouldn’t comeas asurprise thatthosewiththemoney to buy upmarketcarsliketheideaofa sportsestate.PrincePhiliploved his Triplex GTSScimitar,thecar thatinspiredtheScimitar GTE– and hisdaughterPrincessAnnehashad astreamof GTEssincethemodel wasfirst announced.DavidBrown’s wealthymatesall wantedshooting brakesbasedupontheAstonMartin DB5,andSaudiPrinceslovetheir Turbo RbasedJankel Vald’Iseres. Itseemssurprising,then,thatthe closestJaguarcameinthesameera wastheE-Typehearsefrom 1971’s HaroldandMaude.

BythetimeoftheXJ-S, coachbuildinghad reached alull–with monocoque constructionputtingan end to manytraditional techniquesand thetunercar renaissanceofthe 1980s yettotakehold.ButGuyBlackand Roger Ludgatehad founded LynxMotor Companyseven yearsearlier,in1968.

Blackwas formerChiefProduction Engineerat WeslakeEngineering,and Lynx wasinitiallyintendedas aservice andmaintenanceproviderfor owners ofpreandpostwar racingcars.

In 1974 itlauncheditsfirstD-Type replica, followedby areplicaofthe C-Type.It wouldthenturnitsattention to roadcars,spottingintheXJCan idealcandidateforopen conversion andengineering aratherbeautiful fourseatcabrioletfromthetwodoorXJ. Onceproductionstopped, Lynx would puttheknowledgegarneredfromthis projectintopracticaluseontheXJ-S, ensuringthatthosesaddenedbythe demiseoftheV12E-Type wouldstillbe able to buyanopenJaguarifthey could stretch to the costof conversion.

The workshopin St LeonardsonSea enjoyedasmallbutsteadystreamof customers,andthequalityofthe work meantthatmanywhohadboughta racing replica would return foraroad cartoo.

Launchedin 1979,theXJ-SSpyder was seenbymanyasasuccess –removingthe most contentiouspartoftheXJ-Sshape, improvingvisibility,andwithno compromise to interiorspaceorstylewiththehoodup ordown.Black– with colleagueChris KeithLucas’sinput -hadevenmanaged to retain the rearseats, apracticalitysacrificedinmany open conversionsof2+2 GTs.Inevitably though,andwithnewsofanin-houseopen XJ-Sonthehorizon,Blacksoonturnedhis attention to otherpossibleadaptationsofthe XJ-Stheme.Chris Keith-Lucas wouldonce againhelptranslateBlack’sideasintometal.

Asportingestateseemedlikeanobvious winner –amodeltypethathistoryhad shown waspopular enough to sustain production,andonethatit washighly unlikelyJaguar wouldadopt forproduction

itself.However,itwould take justasmuch workastheSpyder to create.Whilethe car wouldn’tneedtheextrastiffeningthat roof removalhadnecessitated,it wouldstill need changesinorder to be useful. Forone, inanXJ-Sthefuel tanksitsatopthe rear axlebehindtheseats,andif asportsestate were to have foldingseats foranextended luggagebay, thefueltank wouldneed to be re-sited. Consideration wouldalsohave to begiven to style,in order to ensureit lookedlikeanin-houseeffort ratherthan somebackstreetlash-up.

To produceanEventer,Lynxstartedwithan XJ-S –atlaunch,this wouldhave been aV12, butwiththelaunchofthe3.6the conversion wasmade availableonbothmodels.It wasn’t specific to newmodels,either –ifyou wanted toconvert ausedXJ-S, Lynx wouldhave

accommodated.Overtimethis wouldalso expand tocoverthesubsequent6.0and4.0 models,andtheXJR-S.

The rearbulkheadofthedonorcar was modified,alongwiththe rearsectionofthe roof –thewhole rooffromthe 18thcar onwards. Thefuel tank wasremoved,and areplacementspeciallyshapedunitfitted aroundthesparewheellaidflatonthe bootfloor.A newfalsefloor wasfittedat axletunnelheight,ensuringnotonly room forthefuel tankbeneathbut aflatloadbay floorfromthe tailgateforward,and anew rearseatbackwas fittedwhichwouldallow forthe rearseats to fold forlongerloads.In total,theloadspaceavailable would come to sixfeetinlength,eveniftheheightof theXJ-S rather restricted youastothe typesoffurniturethatmightbecarried.

GUCCIEVENTER

Lynx Eventerno 47 wastohavebeen the startof aspecialpartnership. Andin1990,whenan XJ-SV12 was £34,200and acompleted Eventerin the regionof £47,000plus extras,the projectthatcar 47 wouldhave kickstarted wouldhave been aseriesof 20£100,000specials. Forthatmoney, theynotonlyhad to begood,butthey had to carrytherightname.Andthe nametheyweredestined to carry was “Disegnodi PaoloGucci”.

PaoloGuccihadoncebeenvicechairmanofthe family fashionbrand thatborehissurname.But aseries ofquestionablebusinessdecisions–including,inexplicably,thelaunchof his ownrivalGucci fashionlabelwhile headingupthe existingGuccibrand –led to hisdismissalfromthe family firm, alawsuitfromhis father,and hissubsequent revengein reporting senior familymembers fortax evasion.

Onedayinlate1989, the St LeonardsonSea factory wasvisited by PaoloGucci,whoasked Lynx for somethingsimple –aGucciinterior inan Eventer.Lynxchieftrimmer PhilGould wasentrustedwiththe design concept,visitingGucci to discussinterior conceptsand materials.Gucci wantedcrocodileskin,butthis wouldbe replaced withembossedcalfleather.

Therewas also to be stainedelm woodworkwithchevronmarquetry,in an extendedapplication compared to factorycars,therewouldbetwotone paint,US-styletwinheadlampsandbig wheels.Healso wantedthecar to be finished by theGeneva MotorShow, just12weeks away when astandard Eventer took14 weeks to build.

Aused example wassourced–there beingnotime to order anew one

–and workbegan.Often,the team wouldputin15-hourdays,mindful ofthedeadline –andallother Lynx projects were postponeduntilthecar wasfinished. Thelastbitsoftrim were completedjustbeforethecar was driven to Geneva –aswastheunique instrumentpack,withneedlegauges replacingthe standardcar’s minor instruments. Thesteeringwheeland gearselector wouldboth featuresemipreciouslapislazuli stones.

Sadly,thecar wouldbe vandalised at theshowbylawyersacting for

theHouseofGucci –gougingthe PaoloGuccibadgesfromthewings when Lynx refused to takethecaroff show. By thesecondday, theGucci standhadbeen re-dressedas aLynx stand,andlegalbattles overPaolo’s right to usetheGuccinamemeant thatthecar remained aone-off.Sold by PaoloGucciin1990inorder to stopitbeing consideredanassetin adivorce case,hewassubsequently unsuccessfulin attempts to buy thecarback.It resurfacedin2014, andhassincebeenfully restored.

Newinnerandouterpanelwork was fittedtothe rearofthecar,anduprated rearsprings were fittedtocopewiththe altered centreofgravityandwiththe potential forloadsheavierthanmight becarriedinthestandardcar.ACitroën Ami 8Berline rearscreen wasused–cleverlyintegratedintoatailgatewhich wasdesignedfrombehind to resemble theoriginal.Some Eventersalsofeatured revised rearseatpositioningand recessed rearfloorsfor 2”extralegroomandfoot spaceunderthefrontseats –butthese

options weren’t availableonthefirst conversions,whichretailedat£6950plus VAT. Externally,Lynx would respray the roofand rearwings to ensurethatthe conversionblendedin,and afullrespray wasa costoption.

Andthe results were impressive–impressiveenough,according to Motor SportMagazine, to have received tacit approvalfromJaguaritself.SirJohnEgan waslesscomplimentarythanthe report wouldsuggest,though –havingfirstseen thecaratJaguarDayin1982andnot

ABOVE: Conversion wasoffered onbothV12and six-cylindercars. Frontcabin remainedstandard.

havingbeen toldthatthecar wasunder development.Thisscuppered Lynx’s originalplan –tosellthe concept to Jaguar andbuilditunderlicencefor them, rather than to marketdirectly to customers. WhenSirJohn refused tocollaborate,and customersshowedinterest, Lynxalmost feltobliged to offerthe Eventerasan aftermarket conversionand aflurryof orderssoonfollowed. Thefactory wouldgo on to honourtheoriginal warrantyonall unmodified components.

Eganhasbeenquotedassayingthat hethoughtthecarlooked“abitlikean upmarket ReliantScimitar” –notthatthis isnecessarily abadthinginmindofthe clientelethat Reliant couldclaim.

COPYCATEVENTERS

TheLynx Eventerspawned anumberof copycats.Having seenthesuccess ofthe Eventerproject,oneGerman Jaguartunerdecidedin1987thatasportsestate wouldfit wellwithitsplans forthe XJ-S range,the companyhaving already expandedthe XJ-Sportfolio by engineeringa full convertible to sitalongsideJaguar’s cabriolet,and by adaptingthe coupe to loseitsbuttressesinthe styleof Jaguar’s ownDaimler stylingproposal.

In1987itannounced asportsestate thatboremore than apassingsimilarity to the Lynxthoughwithdetail changessuchasinternaltailgate hinges. Periodliterature showedjustone example,butit’s beensuggestedthata totaloffivewereplanned.

Thesecond copycatreally wasacopy, ratherthana carbuiltwith Lynxparts –usingGRPpanelsmoulded

fromanoriginal Eventer.Lynxthreatened to takethe manufacturersoftheFrench Ateliers-Réunis XJ-SBreak deChasse tocourt,butthe companywentbankrupt beforeLynxhadthechance.Thesecarsalsoused windows designed forthe Eventer,andsourceddirectly fromtheglassmanufacturer.

It’s believedthat11wereproducedbutonlysixare known.

Asolecar wasalsomadeinBelgium,and wassaid to have beenbuilt to anequal standardasthe Lynxoriginals. Built by Ortoni forclassiccarsalesmanGerardDulait,it was commissionedbecauseDulait feltthatthequalityand waiting listlength fora genuine Eventer were inadequate.Thiscar wasbelievedtobeagenuine Eventer formanyyears,and these facts comeviathe EventerPreservationSociety.

Andthat wasn’ttheonlyareainwhich Lynxoutdid Reliant.Seatsup alateScimitar SE6B couldclaim20cu.ftofcarrying capacity,whichdoubled to 40cu.ftwith theseatsdown. Withalmost 4cu.ftmore withtheseatsinplaceandanextra2cu.ft withtheseatsdown,the Eventer wasmore commodiousthanthe Reliantas wellas beingmoreupmarket.

Thefirst Eventerprototype was presented to thepressin August 1982 –at thisstage,thecar wasnotfullytrimmed, but reactions were stillpositiveandthe firstproductionmodels wouldbebuilt attheendofthe year for1983delivery. Contemporary testerspraisedthecar’s finishand refinement, commentingthatit wasplausiblethatthecarhadleftJaguar that wayinthefirstplaceanddrawing attention to thelackofwindnoiseand rattles. PatrickMotorsGroup wasthe officialsellingpartnerand contributed toward theEventer’sdevelopment

costs,whileSpinkofBournemouthand

approvedagents.

Conversion wasquotedat14weeks–but could take longer -andeachcar was built to anindividualcustomer’sdesired specification.Intwocases,thisincluded theomissionof rearseatsinorder to circumventimportdutyrulesinNorway. Upondelivery,thecustomer wouldbe presentedwith aphotoalbumdetailingthe conversionprocessfromstart to finish.

Over 19 years, just63 Eventerswere produced;thelast conversionundertaken to aJaguarsportXJR-Sin2002.Bythis time, costshadrisen –andtheoriginal £6950plus VATof1983hadbecome £49,500 fortheprivilegeof conversion. While Lynx teasedthe conceptofanXK8 orDB7-basedestateasitsnextproject, neither would come to fruition. SS

Reeveand Stedefordwouldalsobecome

Withthanks to PascalMathieuandthe EventerPreservationSociety

BUYINGGUIDE

X200 S-TYPE

ASTHEnumberof cherished examplesdeclines,the‘X200’ S-Typeisindangerofbecoming afootnoteinJaguarhistory,yet it’soneofthemostsignificant modelsfromthebrand’smodernhistory. Notonly wasitresponsible forliftingJaguar salesoverthe 100,000-per-yearmark for thefirst time,butitalsodemonstrated thepotential forthe companywiththe resourcesofFordbehindit. Yes,the retro stylingputsthecarfirmlyintheMarmite camp,but fewwilldenythatunderthe

curves wasastate-of-the-artcarandindeed theplatform wascontinuedintotheMk1 XF range. Agoodexample still feelslikea verymoderncar todayandthey’recurrently somethingof abargain too.

Plans forasmaller Jaguarmodelhad beeninthe works forsometime,butthe officialannouncementcameinJuly 1995 when Ford announcedthatit wouldinvest £500mintheCastleBromwichplant to build anewsmallermodel. Eventhemighty Ford MotorCompany wouldhave baulked attheideaoffundinganall-newplatform

forsuchalow-volumemodelandthe solution wastousetherear-driveDEW98 platformwhichwasthenindevelopment fortheLincoln LS andFordThunderbird.

ThepopularmisconceptionisthatJaguar wassimplyhandedtheLincolndrawings and told to addsomewoodandleather,but thereality is ratherdifferent.AsNickHull relatesinhisfascinatingtitle Jaguar Design, engineersfromFordwerebasedatJaguar’s Whitleydevelopment centreinCoventry, whileJaguarengineersalso wentover to Dearborn.Theintroductionofnetworked

WO RDS PA UL WA GER

computer systemsmeantthatthe platform wasmuchmoreofacollaborative developmentthanmanyrealise.

AsHull relates,thedifferencesbetween theLincolnandtheJaguararemainlyin theouterskinofthe‘bodyinwhite’but theJaguarengineerswereable to influence theso-calledhardpointsofthedesign.The result wasa lower‘Hpoint’(‘hippoint’ –a termdemotingtheheightofthefrontseat cushion), revisedcrashstructureandshorter frontoverhang. Ford engineerswereaskeen to accesstheJaguarengineers’rideand

handlingexpertiseasthe Coventry teams were to utilisethe Fordresources.

Backin1999, theindustryjournal Design News quotedJaguar’sthen chiefprogramme engineer forthecarDavidSzczupakas explainingthattheidea wastodevelopthe high-costitemslikecrashsafety,suspension layout,fuel systems,transmissionsand climatecontrolin common to achieve worthwhile costsavings,thenendoweach modelwithdifferentrideandhandling characterstosuittheir targetmarkets.

Underneath,the rearsuspension was

byunequal-lengthwishbonesinJaguar tradition,buttheS-Typeabandonedthe practiceofusingthedriveshaftasthe upperlink,usinginstead acastaluminium wishbone togetherwith afifth link tocontrol toeangle.Thewishbones, differentialandanti-rollbar were all mountedonanaluminiumsubframein order to improverefinement.

At thefrontend,theS-Type’ssuspension used aHonda-style combinationof wishbonesandstrut,thelowerwishbone mountingsalsocarriedon aseparate

aluminiumsubframe.Speed-dependent variablepowersteeringassistancewas alsoadded,alongsidemodernelectronic measuresincludingtraction control, electronicbrakeforce distributionand optionalstability control.

Thecar’selectricalarchitecture used alow-voltagedatabus system to communicatebetween various control modulesusingonly asingletwistedpairof wires, reducingthe weightand complexity of atraditional wiringloom.

Thecar waslaunchedattheBirmingham InternationalMotorShowinOctober 1998 and wentonsalefromMarch 1999.Just threemodels were offered:the3.0V6in standardorSpecial Equipment(SE)trim andthe4.0V8.

InDecember2000attheBolognaMotor Show,aSporttrimlevel wasadded,offering colour-codedexterior,greyveneerinside, stability controland 18-inch‘Monaco’ wheels.TheSport wasavailablewitheither V6orV8power,theV8models featuring theadaptiveCATSsuspensionasstandard.

InMarch2002,theV8 wasenlarged to 4.2litresand a2.5-litreversionoftheV6 wasadded to the range.Theintroduction oftheenlargedV8also coincidedwiththe launchoftheS-Type Rwhichbeliedthe retrostyling with aformidable400bhp punchwhichtookthefight to BMW’s identicallypoweredM5.Intruththe characterofthetwocarswas verydifferent, buttheJaguar wasa credible contender

and wasseenasthebetterpackageby some.PraiseindeedinthefaceofBMW’s famed Mdivision.

Thenewengineline-up coincidedwitha minorfaceliftoftheoriginalX200 forthe 2003model year,whichadded arevised dashboardand centreconsolewithelectronic parkingbrakeand aredesignedfrontgrille whichincorporatedtheJaguarbadge.

Othermechanical changesincluded the replacementofthe Ford five-speed automaticwith asix-speedZFunit,while the3.0V6engine wasuprated to 235bhp andtheignitionnowused aflipkey.

Amoreextensivefaceliftunderthe directionofIanCallumarrivedinApril 2004 forthe2005model year,involving restyled frontand rear valances, revised grille, reshaped rearlampsand areshaped aluminiumbonnetwithout washerjetswhich were nowincorporatedintothewipers.

At thispointJaguarfinallybowed to the inevitableandadded adieseltothe range inthe formofthe2.7-litreAJD-V6unit co-developedwithPSA. Asmoothand torqueyunit,itsuitedthecar very well. TheS-Type wouldbeproducedinthis form until2007whenit wasreplacedbytheXF buttheX200story wasn’t quiteover. That DEW98platformhadproved to besucha successthatit wascarriedover to underpin thenewcar.ItwouldliveonuntiltheXF evolvedintoitssecondgenerationin2015, atwhichpointitembraced Jaguar’snew aluminiumbodyshellstrategy.

THESPECS

TheS-Typeismorecommonly seenineitherSEorSporttrim, but overitslifetimeit was offeredin abewildering variety oftrimlevels.Initially,just standardandSEspecification were offeredontheV6model, withV8carseffectivelybeing to SEspec. By 2005,theline-up includedSEorSporttrimonthe 2.5,3.0, 2.7dieseland4.2V8, with astandardoption available onlyonthe2.5V6and2.7diesel. TheS-Type Rwas offeredinonly onetrimlevel.Hereare themain specifications:

Standard 2.5/3.0/4.0/2.7 1998-2004

SE 2.5/3.0/4.2/2.71998-2004

Spirit3.0/2.72004-2007

S2.5/3.0/2.7 2004-2006

SEPlus2.5/3.0 2003-2006

XS 3.0/2.72005-2007

Sport2.5/3.0/2.7 2004-2007

Sport 200

200-off limited editionof 2.5V6

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Bodywork

The S-Type may be a modern design but it can suffer badly from a very old-school issue: body rot, specifically in the sills. The difficulty for the buyer is that the plastic covers make it difficult to check, with even presentable-looking cars sometimes hiding significant rot so you’ll have to use your judgement here. The online MoT history will help.

It doesn’t have to be the end of the world though, since repair panels are available and if it’s caught early enough the work needn’t be too costly with the bonus that the plastic covers can be popped back on to cover the repair neatly without a big paintwork cost. Having said that though, in extreme cases the rot will have spread beyond the outer panels to the inner sills and even the floors, meaning a big job involving much interior stripdown. It’s thought that post-2004 carssufferlessfromtheissue.

Lesscriticalandmoreobviousrust issuescansurfaceunderthe rearscreen wherewatercan collectunderthesealing rubber,whilethebumpersatbothends canrubagainstthebodywork,withrust settinginoncethepainthasbeen worn

away. The same issue has also been known at the trailing edge of the rear doors.

Elsewhere, it’s common to see S-Types with cloudy headlight lenses which are a simple DIY fix using a polishing kit and a drill, while misted-up lamp units can be sorted by removing the bulbs and drying them out.

If the beam pattern of the non-HID lamps is poor and light output dire, check that the adjusters haven’t broken up. Like the X-Type, when this happens the bulb is no longer held in position, but it’s possible to use a heat gun and plenty of patience to split the lamp unit open and install new uprated adjusters before glueing it closed again with suitable mastic.

If the paintwork at the trailing edge of the bonnet is damaged, check the wiper arms for play and listen for a clonk during

operation signifying wear in the linkage. A complete used assembly is often the cheapest solution.

Engine

The Ford-derived petrol V6s are generally reckoned to be robust units, with problems generally of the irritating rather than catastrophic nature: breather pipes can block, while cam cover and sump gaskets can perish, causing oil leaks.

The V8 is similarly reliable and will also suffer from cam cover gasket leaks. If the engine turns a few times before catching then suspect a failing MAP sensor, which again is an easy DIY replacement. Issues with the breather pipe at the throttle body can cause the ‘check engine’ light to come on, but the most common cause is a failed oxygen sensor

The diesel engine needs more caution, especially on cars which have been driven gently or on lots of short journeys. On the pre-DPF models, the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve can get clogged, while turbo failure isn’t unknown either The MAF sensor can also fail. If the engine doesn’t idle smoothly, it may be a sign of injector issues, while the upper intercooler hose can also crack.

Engines with a particulate filter suffer from the same issues but also add DPF problems into the mix. Issues largely surround the regeneration, which doesn’t happen if the engine isn’t driven hard enough sufficiently often, but most specialists with the right software can get around the issue and manually force the regeneration. Remember, the MoT test now specifically requires a DPF unit to be present, so removing it isn’t an option.

Specialists also suggest the correct grade of oil is critical for the DPF engines, as is

the correct level: don’t fill it quite up to the ‘max’ level on the dipstick, since a small amount of diesel may be added each time the DPF regenerates and this will avoid it rising above the maximum.

All the engines use a similar design of coolant header tank which can become brittle with age and fracture at the bleed pipe connection. A replacement part is a sensible pre-emptive solution.

The diesel also has a cam belt at the front and a second belt at the rear driving the fuel pump. The change intervals are 105,000 for the front belt, 150,000 for the rear one or 10 years but many cars will be due at least one belt change.

The catalytic converters on the diesel can also fracture around the flexible mesh section at the mounting flange but it’s possible to repair them by cutting off the brokenelbowandfitting arepairpiece availablefromJaguarwhichisactually listed fortheXF.

Transmission

Thefive/six-speedmanualboxisn’t thelightestshiftaroundbuttheunits areprettyrobust.Thesix-speedZF automaticis asealed-for-lifedesign,but it’sacceptedthatanoilandfilter change ataround70,000mileswillprolongits life.It’sone foraspecialistworkshop andatthesametimeit’s worthchecking theplasticgearboxsump forwarping anddamage.

Theautomaticdieselsuse agearboxoil coolerwhichsharestheengine cooling systemandifthisfails, coolantcanendup insidethebox.Symptomsincludejuddering

under load and if you’re lucky, you can catch it before the gearbox is ruined.

The differential can also leak oil around the driveshafts but the seals are easily replaced.

Brakes

In most cases it’s a regular system with sliding single-piston calipers at the front and the biggest issue will be rusty steel brake pipes and seized calipers which are a DIY job to sort with an exchange unit.

The R uses four-piston Brembo calipers and they’re generally reliable, although if you do have problems new calipers are currently unavailable and used ones are less common, meaning it can be cost-effective to have the unit rebuilt, since pistons and seals remain available.

Perhaps the biggest issue with the brakes surroundstheABS. Afault code forthe frontendwillgenerallyjustbe awheel sensorwhichisa cheapDIYfix,butatthe rearitcangetmoreinvolved.The reluctor ringsarepartofthedriveshaftandtheycan eitherbecomedetachedfromtheshaftor becomedamaged,sometimesas corrosion forcesexpansion. Varioussolutionshave beenofferedinvolvingessentiallyglueing newringsinplacebutthepropersolution is to replacethedriveshaft.

Oncarswiththeelectronichandbrake intheory adiagnostic system is required to settheunit to theserviceposition fora pad changebutthiscanbeachievedbyholding downthebuttonwhileturningoffthe ignition to ensurethebrakeremainsoff. To retractthecaliperpiston you’llneedthe proper tool to rotateitasyoupushitback.

Suspension

Low-speedclonksand rattlesareoften causedby wornanti-rollbarbushes,while woollyhandlinganduneventyrewearcan bedown to wear inthelowermounting bush forthefrontstrut.

Wornbushesinthefront reactionarms canbe feltatlowspeedstop-startsandcan alsocause ashimmywhenbraking.The

nearsidebushcandeteriorateondiesel modelswhenoildripson to it froma fracturedintercoolerpipe.

At the rear,poorhandlingcanbecaused by wornbushesinupperandlowerarms. Anoisysteering columncanoftenbe curedbygreasingthebrassbushesinside the footwell.

Interior

Window regulatorsthatareslowormake agrindingnoisewillbeontheirlastlegs asthecablescanfray andjam inthe mechanism. Replacethemwith ausedpart beforethecablesnaps.

Doorlatch mechanismscanalsofail, causingthe centrallocking to fail.

Iftheheateronlyoffersmaximumhot or coldwithnothingbetween,suspectthe heater valveinthe cooling system.

Values

You’llfindS-Typesat wellunder£1000 butthey’lldefinitelyfallintotheproject category.PresentablecarswithlongMoTs startataround£1500,mostofthempetrol V6automaticswhichatthispricelevel makemoresensethantired,mileydiesels. Moveuptothe£2000markanddiesels withmoresensiblemileagearoundthe 100,000markstart to appear.

At thispricelevelit’sstill amixed bagalthoughmanywillbesurprisingly respectable,butatthe£2500-£3000mark there’s ahuge choiceofcolourandspec. Topwhackforexceptionallylowmileage examplesisaround£7000.

The regularV8startsataround£3000, butthesupercharged Risadifferent marketentirelywithpricesstartingat £5500. PW

THISMONTH’SinstalmentofOur

Jaguarsisbrought toyoubymy 15-yearoldson,Ben,whoissitting hisGermanGCSEmockexamsatthe timeofwriting,ready forthe realdeal nextspring.

As apassionatelinguist myself, Iknow thatthebest waytolearn alanguageis to experienceitfirst-hand,andthereseemed nobetterwayformyeldest to bethrownin atthedeependthan aroadtripduringthe Octoberhalf-term,especiallyas Ihad anewto-meJaguar totake acrossthe continent.

Thedeal wassealedwhenBen’smate Noahexpressedaninterestin comingalong. Hisdadhadjustbought aSapphireBlue X308thatpreviouslybelonged to agood friendofmine,andthe3.2Executivemodel seemedtheperfect companion tomy 4.0 Sovereign foratranscontinentalblast.

Alargetwo-familyAirBnB wasbookedin theenchantingold townofMonschau,just acrosstheborderfromBelgium,and four adults,sixkidsandasmuchluggageas we couldsquashintotheloadbaysof a‘John Prescott’ofJaguarsensued –inother

words,notatremendousamount.

We metin Doverafter aless-than-joyful tripdowntheM11, M25andM2,which led to usbeingparkedup fortwo hours neartheDartford Tunnel –theoneand onlytimein 1200milesofdrivingthat we experiencedanykindoftraffic woes.

Ourfirstpitstop,moreorlesshalfway to MonschaufromDunkerque, wasthe AtomiumontheoutskirtsofBrussels. Built forthe 1958 WorldExpo,theallalloystructureisdesigned to represent thestructureofanatomandis afabulous

visitor experience with incredible views across the Belgian capital from the top ‘ball’, and it’s just five minutes from the motorway so well worth a pit-stop if you’re traversing the lowlands.

As for Monschau itself, its ancient streets aren’t the easiest through which to thread a tanker-sized luxury saloon car, but it’s well worth the effort. It has to be one of the most stunning towns in Europe, unspoilt by modern progress and with the most amazing selection of restaurants and pubs.

The Eifel Forest in which it sits is a truly wonderful part of Europe not a natural choice on the tourist map, but truly enchanting and well located for exploring both western Belgium and northern Germany, much to the delight of my motorsport-mad youngster who twisted my arm (not that it took much of a twist) to take the Jaguar to both Spa Francorchamps and the legendary Nürburgring.

The original plan was to do a lap of the world-famous Nordschleife in the in XJ, but when we arrived at the Ring it was closed to thepublic foramanufacturer testday instead,so we settledinoneoftheviewing areasandspent athoroughlyenjoyable afternoon watchingdisguisedprototypes beingputthroughtheirpaces.

Craig’sX308(left)andNick’s(right)atSpa Francorchamps

SpaMuseumishome to awonderful collection of racingmachinery

Sadly,amodelistheonlyJaguaryou’llfindatthe Spa FrancorchampsMuseum

Monschauhas to beoneofthemoststunning townsinEurope

Spa wasmorejust totake alook,as youcan’tdrivearoundtheGPcircuit,but theold forest roadsmakeupmuchofthe ‘old’Spacircuitand were greatfun to drivearoundintheJaguar convoy,with anotherhighly recommendedpit-stop inthenearby townof Stavelot.Inthe basementof StavelotAbbey you’llfindthe Spa FrancorchampsMuseum,andwhile theonlyJaguarpresentis ascale replicaof the2002JaguarF1car,it’sstill afabulous experienceforanypetrolhead.

Close to StavelotistheruinedSanitorium duBasil, aformertuberculosishospital andlatterlymentalhospital, agrandearly 20th centurypalatialbuildingthat’sslowly being returned to nature.BothNoah’sdad,

Nick,and Iloveabitof urbanexploring,so we decided to payaquickvisit –onethat turnedintoa two-hourexplorationofa fascinatingbutcreepybuildingthat youcan drivestraightuptoand wanderaroundthe remainsof –atyourownrisk,of course. BeingHallowe’en week, we decided to leave beforedark.

We alsomanaged to pack in aday trip to Cologneandanafternoonaboardthe Hohes-Venn RailbikeinArdennes,where specially constructed‘bicycles’canbe riddenalongtheabandoned railtrackthat used to ship coal to Germanyand wood backtoBelgium –hardworkonthelegsas it’soneofthe fewpartsofBelgiumthat’s hilly,but afantasticfamilyexperience.

TheSanitoriumDuBasilisaneeriebutfascinatingruin, well worth avisitif you’renot easilyspooked.

Theviewfromthe topofthe Atomium –canyou spotbothJaguars?

AboardtheDFDSDover-Dunkerque Ferry –muchquieterthantheCalais routes,notably cheaperand wonderfullystraightforward

If you’replanning to go touringin your Jaguar,Ican’t recommendtheareahighly enough.It’slessthan fourhoursfrom eitherCalaisorDunkerqueso youcanget thereonone tankofpetrol,evenin a4.0 V8,andthesceneryisfabulous,asisthe localhospitality.

As formyX308?I’dlovetosay it was utterlyfaultlessbuttherewasoneblotin its copybook.As we leftBelgium,itdecided to throwmeintomildpanicbythrowing up aLowEngine Coolant warning.I immediately stopped at the first service station to check the levels, only to find the coolant reservoir as full as it was when I left Cambridgeshire 24 hours earlier A little wiggle of the coolant level sensor restored temporary order, but the warning would continue to flashonandoff fortheentire week,especiallyoverbumpy roads.

The coolantlevelsensorisseeminglya commonissueonallJaguarsofthiseraasit plugsintothebottomoftheexpansion tank and‘drops’withage,soI’vegot anewone onorderandwillfill youinonmyprogress onthenextupdateforX388VVW –acar that Ihavefallen forhook,lineandsinker.

Inthemeantime,thatmeanseither my launch-specS-Type3.0manualorsimilarly early Y-plateX-Type3.0is forsaleasthe X308hasasserteditsstatusas akeeperand Idon’thave thespaceortime forthemall –theXJisjustsuchalovelycarthat Ican’t imaginenotowningit.If you’reinterestedin either,dropmeanemailatcraig.cheetham@ kelsey.co.ukasI’dmuchratherwhichever one Isellgoes to anenthusiast.

We’lltaketheoneontheleftplease…..

Also in the ‘Ring car park was this lovely early Audi 100

TheMotleycrew of bothJaguarsstandbefore another20th Centuryicon –the AtomiuminBrussels

Aweek away forafamily of fiveisa challengeanda half foranXJluggagearea!

Nürburgring was closed for a manufacturer test day, but prototype spotting was a lot of fun!

Just amile away fromtheNürbrgringentranceis theoldcastle of Nürburg–well worth avisit!

Thedriveway of theAirBnBattractedlots of attentionfromadmiringlocals

THETIMING beltalongwith itstwoidlerpulleysandsingle tensionershouldbe replaced every 112,000milesor tenyears ontheXF’s3-litreV6dieselengine.That’s alonginterval forarubberbeltandeven the coolanthas alonglifeoften yearsor 160,000milesbeforeitshouldbe refreshed.

We’refollowingthetimingbelt swap andalsothe waterpumpwhichmeans refreshingthe coolant. Access to allof thesepartsisatthefrontoftheenginebay (andthefrontoftheengine),butthereare numerous components to removefirst. We alsodiscover afewproblems,such

WO RDS &P HO TO GRAPHY

RO BH AW KINS

Jaguar World's technicaladviceservice

Edited byRayIngman

Sportbrake spacesaver

QIhaverecentlypurchased a2019XF Sportbrake3.0Sandamgenerally veryhappywithitanditslevelof equipment.However, Iwas horrified to discoverthatinsteadofanyformofspare wheel,ithas a‘tyre repairkit’ comprising asmall compressorand apot ofgoo to injectin aflattyre.

In my experience,lowprofiletyres suchasthe255/35x20sfittedtomycar, oncepunctured, rarelysurvivedriving to thenearestsafespaceinarepairable condition.As Itowquiteextensivelyand don’t want to bestuckina layby,my questionis:cananyformofsparewheel befittedinthe rearunderfloorareaof my car?

Trawlingtheinternet forumshas provided conflictingopinions,some advisingthat araisedbootflooris required –whichwould negatethe

largeflatareausabilityofthe loadspace.WhilstI’m‘here’, Ihave asupplementaryquestion:Inthe tailgateisaneatlittle compartment tocontain awarningtriangle -agood idea,asinevitablyonestoredunder thefloorisinaccessiblein ahurry due to thepresenceofluggageor similar.However,thepreviousowner haspresumably keptit,causingme aproblem –Icannot find atriangle smallenough to fitthe availablespace. Hoping forpositiveanswers! Alan Wilshire

ACoincidentally,wehave recentlyencounteredthe exactsameproblem,so we canprovide adefinitiveanswer! Many forumsconfuse your‘X260’ aluminiummodel(2015 on)with

STAR QUESTION

the earlier steel bodied ‘X250’ (2012 15) version, both simply dubbed Sportbrake hence the disparity in information.Also some of the facts are confused with the XF saloon variant. Due to the location of the battery and other components, it’s not possible to house a full-size spare wheel beneath the loadspace floor but a space saver option is available and will fit beneath an unmodified floor A replacement foam insert is required (part number T2H36106) which retails at around £125 but can often be found less expensively online.

You will then require a space saver wheel to match the rolling radius of your existing tyres this information can be found on the tyre data sticker inside the driver’s door shut. (In your case 135/80x18). Again, these spare wheels can be found widely in unused condition. The PCD is common to many other models including the XE and F-Type.

Remember,youwillalso requirea jackandwheelbrace,eithergeneric orfactoryoriginal,thelatterhaving theadvantageoffittingneatlyinthe dedicatedcut-outsinthe foaminsert.

Movingon toyoursupplementary question, youare beingharshonthe previousowner –Jaguaronlysupplied thetriangleasstandardtomarketsthat had alegal requirement forthem.The requiredunitisindeedanunusualsize, being containedin asquare section plasticbox,thepartnumberisT2H7754 andat£26ishardly abargain,butat leastitstowsneatlyandaccessibly.

XKR FobbedOff

QIown a2003XKRandwhen operatingthe‘remote’ keyfob, Ihavetostandrightnext to the driver’sdoororthe rearglassantenna. Ihavere-programmedboth keyfobsand alsotried anew fob,(whichwasobviously programmed tomy car)but to no avail. Ihavesearched foranswers and found someonewithexactlythesamemodel year carwiththeexactsameproblem.Hehad twosuccessivesecurity controlmodules fittedandbothtimes,theyinitially worked, buttheproblemeventually returned Ihavelocatedthe controlmoduleburied inthe reardriver’ssideunderthefuse boardbut am reluctant to goanyfurther forfearofcausingmoreproblems.Does theantennacablerun to the topofthe rearscreenandifthe controlmodulehas anearth,whereshould Icheckthis? Iam

desperatetoresolvetheproblem,having spentloadsofmoney recentlysortingthe suspensionandsteering.Manythanksif youcanhelp.

Jon Willcox

AThesecurityantennalocationisin theoffside Cpostofa Coupeand onthe convertibleitissituated adjacent to theoffside rearquarterlight. Theearthingpoint forthesecurityand lockingmoduleisneighbouringthebattery anditsintegrityand conditionshouldbe checked. Additionally,the controlmodule connectionsoften corrode;thepinscan disintegrateandhencefailinternally.

As atestofsignalstrength,trythe headlamporboot releasebuttonsata distance.Ifthese work correctly,the remote istheculprit;thelogicbehindthisisthat thesebuttonsgetless wearthanthedoor unlockfunction.Thereare cheap testers availablethatmeasuresignalstrength. However,anothersimple testoption is to

E-typePropshaftproblem

QWhilstinvestigating aseverevibration, my V12E-Typehasbeendiagnosedas havingsufferedpropshaftuniversal jointfailure– Iasked my specialist to go aheadand replacetheoffending component but washorrifiedbythesizeofthequote! Apparently,itisnecessary to removethe rear suspension to effectthe repair;isthistrue?

JackLayton

AYourspecialistdoesindeedliveup to thetitleandis correctintheir assertion.Anotheroptionis to removetheengineandgearboxassembly to gainaccess fromtheotherend.

The rearsuspensionmethodisthe mosteconomicoptionbutbearinmind thatitiswise to programmeinanyother elementofplannedmaintenance– for

obtain aconvertibleaerialcable,(these retail foraround£50) -plugitintothe moduleand feeditoutexternallyviathe bootseal.Animprovementintransmission will confirm ashieldingissueand to cure thiswill requirethe systematic checking allotherearthsandpowersources.Any anomaliescangiverise to signal corruption thateffectivelyshieldsin afashionakin to the‘StarshipEnterprise’s’cloakingdevice.

instance a clutch change or differential reseal to amortise the labour cost over more than the one operation. Referring to the propshaft: we obviously recommend that both UJs are replaced but prior to that, the sliding spline should be checked for wear. If found to be present, a brand new, balanced shaft will be the most practical solution.

Fromthe archives

Snapshotsfrom 100years ofJaguar

Thismonth’strawlthroughthearchives takesusbacktotheJaguar productionlineof 1962,whereinaneerysimilarity to carproduction in2022,thereappearstobeverylittleactivity.William Lyons wasa famouslyhardtaskmasterso youcouldassumethatthe workerswere on abreakorthattheshot wastakenlateatnight,butmorelikelyis thatit wastaken to illustratethestrikeinFebruaryofthat year.Lasting twoweeksandinvolving4500 workers,it wasreckonedatthetime thatthestrikehad cost thefirm£1.5mandhadalsomeantithad to surrenderexportspacein50ships tocompetitorsowing to the reduced production.Thisinturn wassaidtohavejeopardised apotential £22.5mexportorderfromAmericancustomers.

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CURRENT LISTINGS

JAGUAR S-TYPE

JAGUAR S-TYPE

JAGUAR XJ6

2002, £2,750. Jaguar S Type Sport, Manual Gear box. Jaguar Racing green with sand leather, MOT june 23. Owned for last two years, high mileage. Well maintained. Reluctant sale due to moving home. Please call 01726815324, South West. 116802

JAGUAR XK8

1997, £500. Jaguar XJ V8, M.O.T failure near side subframe,ankerpointsneedspaintsroopboottops of doors, good leather. Please call 07936059591, East of England. 116871

JAGUAR XK8

1998, 11500 miles, £24,000. 1998 XK8 –Convertible. 11,500 genuine recorded miles, Antigua blue with oatmeal leather. F.S.H as new condition. Comes with arden-hardtop and tonneau. Please call 07860229194, East Midlands. 116942

111000 miles, £6,950. Only 75 left on the road now. 111,000 miles. Lots of history. 9 months MOT. Very useable car but hasn’t been getting much use up here in the Highlands. Very fast and smooth car for someone wanting an emerging classic for not a lot of money. Please call 07761 473122, Scotland. 116944

JAGUAR MK II

1962, £7,995. 1962 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 manual with overdrive. For restoration. In storage since 1994.Interesting history. The car appears to be complete. V5 and heritage cert. Please call 07931 360396, North West. 116967

1996, 81000 miles, £4,250. 1996 p reg jaguar xj6 executive in metallic black with grey leather interior mot till October 2023. Only 83000 miles. One previous owner. No rust. Very clean and original. Please call 07904 429655 , Greater London. 117205

JAGUAR S-TYPE

2002, £1,750. Modern Classic, rare 4.2 V82 Owners from new - Service History - near immaculate interior - no rust - Wax Oiled.

12 Months MOT. Buyer Collects. Please call 07932723242, Yorkshire and the Humber. 117005

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JAGUAR XJ6

JAGUAR MK II

JAGUAR XJ

1971, £17,995. 1971 JAGUAR XJ6 Series I 2.8 Auto. Finished in immaculate Old English White with black hide. Now fully recommissioned and ready for the road again. Only covered 60,000 miles. Free delivery to England, Wales or to any UK port. International transportation can be arranged. Please call 01485 541526, South East. (T) 116614

JAGUAR MK 10

1989, £24,995. 1966 JAGUAR MK10 4.2 AUTO. Finished in Opalescent Blue with Dark Blue Hide and excellent Walnut Veneers. Ony 3 owners from new and 58,000 miles. MOT’s dating back to 1991 and complete tool kit. Stunning looking car. Free delivery to England, Wales or to any UK port. International transportation can be arranged. Part exchanges of both classic and modern cars welcome. Please call 01485 541526, South East. (T) 116615

JAGUAR XK8

£11,995. This stunning XK8 Coupe is finished in immaculate Jaguar Meteorite Silver with unmarked Doe Skin Hide. Only 35,000 miles from new with a Full Jaguar Service History. 9 Main Dealer up to 34,000 miles in 2018 and 4 specialists annual stamps to the current mileage. Please call 01485 541526, East of England. (T) 116620

1962, 85463 miles, £25,000. This car was subject to an older restoration, it was then treated to new inner and outer sills in 2016. The engine is strong with good oil pressure, the gearbox selects nicely and the overdrive engages nice and smoothly. Please call 01925 756000, West Midlands. (T) 116657

JAGUAR XKR

2001, 61000 miles, £17,500. Exceptional GT, Swallows are proud to offer this 2001 Jaguar XKR Convertible in extremely lovely condition and with low mileage. With raising prices, this would make a very sound investment as a high days and holidays/collector car. Please call 01934750319, South West.

115041

JAGUAR XJS

1995, 86421 miles, £14,500. 1995 Jaguar XJS 4. 0 litre Celebration in sapphire blue metallic with oatmeal leather interior. The car has a long Mot until March 2023 and only done 86000 miles from new. The car has 2 keys and fobs and is in very good condition for its age being 27 years old. This is an excellent and desirable low mileage example of the collectable final edition ‘Celebration’ model, produced in very low numbers to mark Jaguar’s 60th anniversary. Please call 07818093055, East Midlands.

115403

1997, 93499 miles, £3,750. It’s the 3. 2 litre it’s the best AJ16 engine. It’s in a rare colour Antigua Metallic Blue, I’ve always looked after it, it had all coils and plugs changed 6, 000 miles ago by Surrey Jag Centre. The dimple alloys are excellent. Bodywork is good no dents no rust. IPlease call 07905688767, South East.

115893

JAGUAR XJ

£21,995. 2015 65 JAGUAR XJ-L PORTFOLIO

LWB. Finished in Dark Sapphire Blue with Ivory hide piped Dark Blue. Complemented with rich oak glass trim. Specs include Meridian Sound System, Panoramic sunroof, electric heated and cooled memory seats, 19inch aleutian alloy wheels. Business tables to rear seats (an expensive optional extra)Please call 01485 541526, East of England. (T)

116220

JAGUAR XJ8

2011, £2,750. Herewith 5 photos of my Jaguar XJ8 Sovereign 4 ltr. 2000 automatic, 116,600 miles. Immaculate outside and in. Service and maintenance records including recent replaced fuel pump. Garaged continously since purchased by me on 26.11.2011. Drives beautifully. Selling as only need one car. Please call 07920 263036, South East.

116242

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JAGUAR XJS

JAGUAR E-TYPE

JAGUAR E-TYPE

1987, 69600 miles, £11,000. For sale is this beautiful Racing Green example that has been in one family ownership since 1987, bought first by my dad and then passed on to me.This excellent GT has been regularly driven on trips to France, Isle of Wight and the Midlands during the last few summers, but now it is time to pass it on to a new owner for more adventures.Please call 07934405250, Greater London. 116251

JAGUAR XJS

1994,£34,950. 1994 LHD Jaguar XJS Convertible 6.0 V12 in Unusual Spindrift white with tan leather hide trim, brown piping and contrasting tan roof. Stunning V12 model with lots of features such as Cruise control, trip computer, heated rear window, unmarked diamond cut and polished jaguar 5 spoke alloys with gold inlays. Please call 01435 863800, South East. (T) 115762

JAGUAR XJS

1962, 30000 miles, £139,995. The bulk of the extensive service record has been retained and collated by Mr Lees who acquired the car in 2012. In his tenureship it was kept garaged as part of a collection of interesting cars and used by him for enthusiast meets and sunny days runs. Please call 01798 874477, South East. (T) 116676

JAGUAR E-TYPE

1995, £32,500. Jaguar XJS Convertible 6.0 V12 LHD. It is Fitted with 20 spoke diamond cut polished wheels and many other Jaguar extras as well as the usual refinements. Some include, headlight jet washers, half wood wheel, 6 CD stacker, inlaid wood, space saver spare wheel, heated lumber support seats. There are 2 sets of keys present with 2 remote fobs., Please call 01435 863800, South East. (T) 115764

1962, 10009 miles, £169,995. Series 1 Roadster 3.8. Petrol, Manual, Old English White. Retaining its original colour combination of Old English White (Cream) with a contrasting biscuit interior and black hood and hood bag. This fine example has a 5 speed Getrag gearbox, a desirable option enabling high speed cruising. The car presents wonderfully today both inside and out. Please call 01798 874477, South East. (T) 116675

JAGUAR E-TYPE

£114,995. This stunning RHD matching numbers Jaguar E-Type Series One 4.2 FHC has arrived with us from one of regular customers in Devon who has owned the car since 2017.The E-Type has been covered 4500 miles over this time, many of the miles over on the Continent in the Barcelona area. Please call 01944 758000, Yorkshire and the Humber. (T) 115283

JAGUAR E-TYPE

1973, £119,995. According to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate that accompanies this extraordinary E-Type Series 3 V12 Roadster this car was supplied in September 1973 by Henlys of Manchester. It is a two-owner car with 75,000 miles recorded, which we believe to be correct. . Please call 01798 874477, South East. (T) 116681

1974, £129,995. A stunning UK supplied vehicle which has been the subject of much recent work. Recent invoices totaling nearly £30,000 demonstratet keeper. Please call 01798 874477, South East. (T) 113107

JAGUAR TYPE S

£3,450. S-Type 3.0 V6 SE Automatic. Radiance red with Sand leather interior and wood trim with matching wood steering wheel, cruise control, Bluetooth adapter, six CD player, electric foldback dimming/heated mirrors, memory electric seats and much more. Please call 07808584391, South East 115244

JAGUAR TYPE S

JAGUAR E-TYPE

JAGUAR XK

1999, £14,995. 1999 JAGUAR S TYPE 3.0 SE AUTO ONLY 14,000 MILES. This stunning time warp S Type is finished in immaculate and totally originalJaguarSeafrostwithunmarkedSandHide. Kept in a carcoon when not in use and over winter months. Has an Electric Sunroof and comes with the original Jaguar wallet containing handbooks, service book and 2 sets of keys. As near to new as you can find museum/collector investment. Please call 01485 541526, East of England. (T) 116217

JAGUAR S-TYPE

2006, 89000 miles, £2,950. 3.0 Litre V6 XS Limited Edition,automatic,metallic black,black leather upholstery,last owner 10 years,MOT February 2023,excellent condition. Please call 07714263355, Scotland. 113649

JAGUAR E-TYPE

£139,500. S1 4.2 ROADSTER. Genuine RHD, with factory hard top. Modified engine and 5 speedo gearbox, high ratio diff, steering and suspension upgrades. Please call 01909 733209, East Midlands. (T) 113130

£107,500. S2 Roadster. Restored and re-trimmed car, including new hood. This was a really sound LHD car that we sold a few years ago. We have done the mechanical side of the restoration in house here, including full rebuild of the engine, gearbox and back axle. Please call 01909 733209, East Midlands. (T) 113131

JAGUAR MK V

POA. Details to follow please call for more information. Please call 02476 313139, South East. 116555

JAGUAR XK150

1959, £185,000. XK150S Roadster. This is a genuine “S” with a “T” prefix chassis number, not an SE model with triple carbs as many are. Excellent car. Was LHD 3.4 is now a RHD 3.8 with the correct cylinder head. This is a very correct car with the original chassis, which has never been damaged or welded. Please call 01909 733209, East Midlands. (T) 113133

All matching numbers. 3.4 litre fresh built engine with HD8 2” carbs. 5 speed LT77 gearbox Front and rear disc brake conversion with servo assistance. Power steering Electric fan All Aluminium. Bucket seats. Extended pedal box. Scooped out rear bulkhead affording extra space. Trim by MCT. Please call 02476 313139, South East. 113625

JAGUAR XKR

2012, £34,995. In lovely condition and finished in Polaris White with Warm Charcoal Interior, this example benefits from a Factory Body Styling Kit, 20 Inch Kalimnos Alloys in Gloss Black and contrasting Red Calipers. To be supplied with a fresh 12 Months MoT, and 120 Point Pre-delivery Inspection, six months warranty included. Please call 01798 874477, South East. (T) 116677

JAGUAR E-TYPE

POA. This is an original right hand drive 4.2 roadster. It has an excellent large history file going back some 25 years. We have had commissioned from Martin Robey a brand new body shell which

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JAGUAR E-TYPE

JAGUAR S-TYPE

JAGUAR XKR

1973,68700miles,£52,000. E type 2+2 V12 with manual gearbox in maroon in very good condition comes with MOT. Classic fabrication stainless steel exhaust wire spokewheels this car has been owned for the last 25+ years. And is for sale for genuine reason comes with all service paper work and jaguar books and is offered at a price to sell. Please call 07740682692, East of England. 111926

JAGUAR F-TYPE

2017, 11000 miles, £46,995. Engine and MPG, CO2 emissions: 234g/km. Please call 01442 833311, South East. 114879

JAGUAR F-TYPE

2015, £36,995. F type jaguar 5 litre v8. March 2015. Ultimate black metallic, stunning condition. 46,750 miles with full-service history. Please call 01487842168, East of England. (T) 116665

2006, 81000 miles, £4,295. S Type 2.7 diesel Sport 2006 With factory body kit. Grey with unmarked black leather interior. Just had MOT with no advisories. No corrosion. Near perfect and drives like new. Service history. New cam belt. Gear box serviced. New tyres. Please call 07956843084, East Midlands. 115366

JAGUAR S-TYPE

2002, £2,750. Jaguar S Type Sport, Manual Gear box. Jaguar Racing green with sand leather, MOT june 23. Owned for last two years, high mileage. Well maintained. Reluctant sale due to moving home. Please call 01726815324, South West. 116802

JAGUAR XK8

1997, 88000 miles, £7,500. Full MoT. Please call 01695 579669, North West. 116180

£18,995. 2003 JAGUAR XKR 4.2 CONVERTIBLE Purchased by the previous owner in 2004 from Lancaster of Reading and serviced by them, 5 stamps in the service book. Now covered 60,300 miles. Unfortunately due to ill health the car has had very little use in recent years. Please call 01485 541526, East of England. (T) 116215

JAGUAR XK8

£5,950. Jaguar XK8 Convertible, First Registered in June 1997, only 5 owners in total and well cared for. Finished in British Racing Green Metallic, Cream Leather interior, Black Soft Top, All the usual Jaguar Refinements. Please call 01274 561098, Yorkshire and the Humber. 113362

JAGUAR XF

2013, £12,000. Stunning XF Full Service History. 2 Previous Owners. Please call 01492 870150, Wales. (T) 116595

DESPITE IAN APPLEYARD dominating the Alpine Rally throughout the early Fifties with his cream XK120, registration NUB120, since the Monte Carlo Rally’s rules at the time demanded cars over 1½ litres had to be four-seaters, it meant he had to ditch the sports carinfavourof aMkVIIinstead.

ForhisfirstMontein1952, Appleyard ordered abrandnewexample, registered PWN 7, butdue to poor weatherhe, togetherwithhis co-driverwife, Pat (who wasalsothedaughterof chairman ofSir William Lyons)finished alowly 53rd.He wouldusethecaragain for that year’s Tulip RallyinAprilwhen hecamehome astrongsecond.

WithAppleyardbecomingmore involvedwithhisfamily’s Leeds-based motorbusiness,hecameclose to not enteringthe 1953MonteCarlo Rally. ButitseemsbyNovembertheprevious yearhe’dhad achangeofheartwhen hewrotetoJaguar’snew competitions manager,MortimerMorris-Goodall, asking forPNW 7tobeprepared

for the French event. “The car is at present non-standard in a number of ways,” he explained, “as the Tulip Rally regulations permit anything.”

He sent another letter a month later, this time to Jaguar’s engineering director, Bill Heynes, recommending a reconnaissance for the rally. This resulted in a full ‘factory service’ for the 19 Jaguar entrantswhichincluded co-operation fromthe company’sofficialagents bothintheUKandabroadplusthe availabilityof aworkscar forapractice runaroundthe ColdeBrausmountain circuitduringthefirst weekofJanuary.

Aswiththeother 102British competitors,Ianand Patleftfor Monte CarlofromGlasgowbeforeheading directly to Doverand aferrythat would take themacrosstheChannelandonto the continent.Butdue to Franceenjoying unseasonablymild weatherthesnowand icethatusuallyhamperedtheentrants wasn’t aproblemandofthe404starters, 253 reachedMonacounpenalisedwhich includedtheAppleyards. StirlingMoss, who wasdriving aSunbeam-Talbot, describedthe conditionsas,“tooeasy”.

And so the braking and acceleration tests were the only means of selecting the top hundred that would progress through to regularity test around the Col de Braus. Due to Ian’s precise driving, the Appleyards finished second behind Sydney Allard in his P1

To prevent the competitors from taking the timekeepers by surprise and passing the checkpointswithoutbeingspotted, theorganisersdecided to paintthefront wingswithwhitewashablepaintasseen inthisimageofAppleyard’sMkVII.

The averagespeed aroundthe50-mile circuit wassetat29mph yetdespite thesnowy weatheron topoftheAlps, Appleyardfinishedsecondoverallbehind the Ford Zephyr ofDutch driver,Maurice Gatsonides. With Cecil Ward finishingfifth inhisoutclassedMkVplusotherMkVIIs cominghomeineighth, 15thand22nd places,it wasa tremendous result forJaguar.

It wasalsoAppleyard’sfinalpodium finishinhisMkVII. Followingever moresporadicappearancesover thenextthree yearswith anew XK140(RUB 140),he retiredfrom competition forgoodin1956.

MkVII finishessecond on1953Monte CarloRally