A day out with a load of old Jaguars

[samoht]

Way back in year one of the pandemic, the online racing group 27Racers organised a 100-mile enduro at Le Mans in the E-Type in memory of Norman Dewis, the famous test driver who raced one of the prototypes across Europe overnight for display at the Geneva show. One of the group is a PR exec at Jaguar (SVO), and he arranged for the prize for the podium finishers to be a visit to Jaguar Classic and a chance to drive a real E-Type.

History records that I did not, in fact, finish on the podium; I think my tyre strategy left me on old rubber at the end and finding one or two gravel traps. Notwithstanding this, the constraints of geography and time meant that not all the winners could make it, and Mike got down the list as far as me.


We started with lunch at a garage-themed cafe, pretty decent. Joe's Yaris, my FD, and Mike's press fleet F-Pace SVR. Lewis is a bit younger and came with his dad in his mum's car (not pictured).


Next was a look around the Jaguar Heritage collection at the British Motor Museum. This is open to the public, but made a good activity for us, I honestly hadn't realised what was here.

XK120


Bond Baddie car


Totally production-looking XJ40 estate, which apparently came fairly close to being launched


The original XJ220 show car with the racing V12 engine


R Concept, love this (Ian Callum)


RD6, ditto


Remember the long string of 'will they, won't they' "F Type" stories, scoops, rumours and concepts?


Project 7, with Project 8 and CX-75 either side


XJR-9 Le Mans winner




Then we went to Fen End, JLR's development test track. And got to drive an E-Type around it, with a kind and helpful instructor in the passenger seat






The one I drove is an early model - flat floor and external bonnet latches. That also means it's the 3.8 engine with the four-speed 'Moss box', which is known to be fairly cantankerous. Having said that, I found this (doubtless very well maintained and set up) example ok. I mean, I graunched a few changes, but it felt like a bit of familiarity and you'd be able to work out where to put the revs to make each new gear go in smoothly. It arguably wasn't much harder to get in or out than my RX-7; the ergonomics weren't great, with the wheel at an angle, but was workable. The steering was less heavy than I'd expected, only had to get the car rolling to be able to turn fairly easily.

The engine is fab, really tractable and torquey low-down - no wonder they put it into light tanks. Not scary-fast, but fast enough for the car I think. We got up to about 70. It was quite noisy tho, and only some of that was the gale blowing over the screen, the engine seemed like it would be a fairly constant companion at a motorway cruise. It felt reasonably secure in the modest cornering I was able to attempt, not sure how it'd feel approaching the limit.

Very cool, although I think if I was in the market I'd want a coupe, and a later dropped floor one, I felt sat rather high in this behind the not very tall screen. I'm still finding knots it put into in my hair!


After this was a ride with one of the staff driving a lightweight E-Type. This was actually a 2014 'Continuation' car, so a new build but made almost precisely as the originals were, and thus qualified for historic racing. Unfortunately I missed getting pics. They reckon the 3.8L XK straight six is making 390 bhp on 105 octane leaded fuel, pushing just around a tonne with alloy panels and engine block. This was quite an exciting ride, the way it pulled from around 4,000 rpm up to the 5k that was being used as a maximum in third gear was really eye-opening. I was laughing for much of the ride
Seemed to have plenty of grip, too, felt good cornering. Only slight oddity was that the driver had to blip the throttle on the way down the box, but wasn't able to heel and toe so had to come off the brakes for each downshift - I think the throttle is a bit low for this, the instructor in my car said on his own E-Type he's put a pedal extension on to make it easier.

And then there was the D-Type; I didn't get a ride in this but others did. Somehow it sounds like you think a Spitfire does, although Merlins don't actually sound like this being larger and slower revving, it has that sense; quite distinct from the other cars despite being the same basic engine.







And then I got back into my RX-7 to drive home, and felt how light and slick the controls are, and yet it still captures most of what's good about the E-Type, the proportions, the torque, the FR balance.

My first time driving a car older than I am. I don't think I need to own a classic like this, but it certainly is a lot of fun to have a chance to drive one occasionally. I feel very lucky to have had this chance, and to see, hear and ride in the cars - one could almost have imagined we were taking part in a testing session prior to Le Mans, back in the day, with the different cars around in various states of tune.

[Cam]

Supreme.

[XHawkeye]

Very nice

[Dicknose]

Amazing!
Yeah I think owning one is a different experience.

[Rare White Ape]

The XJ40 Estate looks like the sort of thing that David Gilmour would drive to get his groceries if Dark Side of the Moon wasn't the cultural landmark album we all know and love.

[Phil_SS]

Wow, what a great experience. Being able to drive a classic like that but in an environment where some numpty isn't going to pull out in front of you must have made the experience so much better.

That XJ40 is awesome. Wish they had made it.

And of course the Silk Cut. *chefs kiss* It is the race car of my teenage years and I probably would have had a restraining order placed against me if I was that close.

[samoht]

Yeah, was great to have a bit of space to try and get a hang of the car, and also to build up some speed without worrying about what might be coming the other way etc, especially as getting one's foot from throttle to brake took a bit of thought, with the former being a lot further down the footwell!

Got some pics thro from Mike, so a few more just of the Lightweight racer I had a ride in:

[George]

Very cool! Thanks for taking the time to share all those pictures.

Is that a chrome (or polished metal) XJ-6 to the right of that very cool wagon?

[samoht]

It's a bit of a lucky and random stroke of good fortune, so happy to share pics

The shiny car I'm fairly sure is the polished aluminium XJ https://www.jaguarheritage.com/car/2...lished-saloon/

Basically with Ford's cash, Jaguar decided to switch to aluminium construction to cut weight, however this technical boldness was (mis)matched with rather conservative styling, resulting in a radical, expensively developed all-new car that looked just like the old one. I assume in an attempt to draw attention to the fact that it's actually cutting edge, they prepared this show example with the alloy panels polished rather than painted. This was 20 years ago, so I think a bit before the more recent fad for chrome wraps.

[dodint]

Neat.