IN BRIEF
- Jaguar, Jaguar Heritage and Coventry Transport Museum celebrate official opening of the all‑new Jaguar Gallery
- First production F‑TYPE presented to Jaguar Heritage
- Unique line‑up of Jaguar heritage sports cars dating from 1930s displayed outside Coventry Transport Museum following historic procession through the city
IN DETAIL
(Whitley, Coventry ‑ 01 August 2013). Jaguar celebrated a historic event in Coventry today with Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ralf Speth presenting F‑TYPE #1 to Jaguar Heritage at the official opening of the new Jaguar Gallery at Coventry Transport Museum.
Special guests at the opening of the new Jaguar Gallery also included Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum, Jaguar Brand Director Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar Heritage Chairman Mike O'Driscoll, Coventry Transport Museum Chairman Joe Elliott and senior representatives from the city of Coventry and the UK motor industry.
In advance of the special ceremony, a unique collection of Jaguar heritage sports cars was driven in spectacular procession into Coventry.
Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director and Jaguar Heritage Trustee, said: "The new Jaguar Gallery is a fitting celebration of eight decades of design and technical innovation in our spiritual home of Coventry, and today's presentation of the new F‑TYPE offers a glimpse into Jaguar's future too.
"We are investing £2.75 billion across Jaguar Land Rover in product development annually, and our Whitley headquarters, just down the road, employs thousands of engineers and designers. All are fully focused on creating the next generation of Jaguar cars."
Mike O'Driscoll, Jaguar Heritage Chairman, said:"The Jaguar Gallery shows Jaguar's development and progress through the years ‑ from the SS products of the 1920s to the present day with the stunning new F‑TYPE. We now have two public galleries, celebrating our rich heritage in making world‑beating automobiles ‑ the Jaguar Gallery here in our home city of Coventry and the Heritage Motor Centre at Jaguar Land Rover's facility in Gaydon.
"These galleries represent fully active collections, and as Jaguar's intention when manufacturing the cars, they continue to be used at iconic race circuits and Concours events all over the world."
Joe Elliott, Coventry Transport Museum Chairman, said: "Coventry Transport Museum is proud to have this fitting new tribute to the City's most famous export in the shape of the marvellous new Jaguar Gallery. Our thanks to Jaguar and Jaguar Heritage for making it all possible, and now the Gallery is officially open we look forward to it being a great success as a new attraction at the museum. It has opened in time for the long summer holiday and will serve to inspire a new generation in our great city."
Led by the new F‑TYPE, the historic procession into Coventry saw some of the rarest and most iconic Jaguar sports cars in a unique convoy through the city's streets. From a 1938 SS100 to a 2013 F‑TYPE, with a further 14 models in between, the procession included record breakers, race winners, a number of 'firsts' and the sports car once voted 'The Most Beautiful Car in the World' (E‑type), denoting a clear bloodline from Jaguar's history to the present day ‑ continuing a long tradition of innovation in design and engineering.
The new Jaguar Gallery at Coventry Transport Museum is titled 'The Jaguar Story ‑ A History of Design and Technical Innovation' and is split into five sections covering: 'The Early Years' (1920s to 1940s), 'The Post War Boom and Glamorous 50s', 'The Swinging 60s', 'Growth and Consolidation' (70s to 00s), and 'Jaguar Present and Future' (2005 and on..).
In addition to the stunning collection of cars covering ten decades of Jaguar and the role of the company in Coventry history, the Gallery also references the many technology and design innovations behind these great vehicles. Contemporary storyboards, film and spectacular imagery complement the sequential journey through the gallery, with historic artifacts to further illustrate Jaguar's rich heritage.
Among the guests at the reception to mark the opening of the Jaguar Gallery was the company's legendary test driver, Norman Dewis, who celebrated his 93rd birthday this week. Norman tested and developed over 25 Jaguar cars in his career, from the C and D‑type through to XJ13, E‑type, XJ‑S, XJ40 and many more. He was presented with a birthday cake at the event, which featured the XK120 that in 1953 broke the production car speed record in Jabbeke; achieving a phenomenal top speed of 172.4mph.
‑ ENDS ‑
Editors' notes
The collection of Jaguar sports cars in the procession included:
1938 SS Jaguar 100 ‑ Sports model introduced in 1935 as part of the first range to carry the Jaguar name. Could exceed 100 mph with the 3½ litre engine. Prices at launch started from £395.
1953 XK120 ‑ The fastest production car in the world at the time and the first to use Jaguar's now legendary XK engine. Clark Gable was one of many famous owners.
1953 C‑type ‑ Developed from the XK120, the C‑type was fitted with a handsome wind‑cheating aluminium body, designed by aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer. Factory prepared versions of the C‑type won at Le Mans in 1951 (C‑type debut) and again in 1953. Pioneered the use of disc brakes in competition at the 1952 Mille Miglia.
1954 D‑type ‑ Successor to the C‑type and three‑time Le Mans winner ‑ in 1955, 1956 and 1957. This car was the first D‑type prototype built in May 1954 and was taken straight to France for the Le Mans test session where development driver Norman Dewis broke the lap record by five clear seconds.
1957 XKSS ‑ Derived from the D‑type, the road‑going XKSS is among the rarest of Jaguar sports cars with only 16 ever built. Actor Steve McQueen famously chose one for his private collection.
1955 XK140 ‑ Produced from 1954 to 1957, this successor to the XK120 featured revised styling with 2+2 seating and rack and pinion steering for the first time.
1957 XK150 ‑ Produced between 1957 and 1960, this was the last of the 1950s XK series. It was the first Jaguar road‑going car with disc brakes and the three carburetor "S" version could do 135mph.
1961 E‑type Series 1 ‑ Launched in Geneva to worldwide acclaim, the E‑type came to symbolise the Swinging 60s. This car was the first production two‑seater and was famously driven by Norman Dewis in an overnight dash to the Geneva Motor Show to accommodate the overwhelming press demand at the time of the launch.
1969 E‑type Series 2 ‑ Produced from 1968 to 1970, this was the second iteration of the E‑type modified mainly to suit US requirements as well as other general improvements to meet safety and comfort.
1974 E‑type Series 3 ‑ The Series 3 E‑type models were the first to showcase Jaguar's new 5.3 litre V12 engine. This open two seater was the last E‑type made in 1974 after a total production run of 72,500 cars and carries a commemorative plaque bearing a facsimile of Sir William Lyons's signature.
1996 XJS ‑ The XJS was introduced in 1975 and went on to sell well over 100,000 cars during a production life of 21 years. Launched as a V12 coupé only, cabriolet and convertible body styles with a choice of 6 cylinder engines were added to the range later. This car is the last 4.0 litre model produced.
1997 XK8 ‑ Launched in 1996, the XK8 was the first car to use the new Jaguar AJ‑V8 4.0 litre engine which was later supercharged for the XKR version. Available in both coupé and convertible versions.
1991 XJR15 ‑ Produced between 1990 and 1992 as a one series race car it was the world's first fully carbon‑fibre road‑car and it retailed at $960,000 with only 53 made.
1993 XJ220 ‑ Unveiled as a concept in 1988, Jaguar's XJ220 supercar achieved a number of 'firsts' and was produced from 1992 to 1994. Capable of 217 mph and costing nearly £400,000 at launch it attracted many high profile customers. Fewer than 300 were produced and the car was raced at Le Mans.
2012 XK ‑ The latest iteration of Jaguar's all‑aluminium premium sports car and grand tourer introduced in 2005. Available in coupé and convertible body styles powered by 5.0 litre V8 engines ‑ with the supercharged XKR versions delivering 510PS.
2013 F‑TYPE ‑ Jaguar's latest sports car is inspired by the original E‑type concept as a compact high performance 2‑seater featuring a V6 or a V8 engine.
Images and a short film of the Jaguar procession and the VIP reception at Coventry Transport Museum to celebrate the official opening of the new Jaguar Gallery are available at the following URL:
http://www.digitalnewsagency.com/stories/7662‑jaguar‑gallery‑opening‑at‑coventry‑transport‑museum
Dan Connell | Global Brand PR and Communications
Manager
E: dconnel1@jaguarlandrover.com
| T: +44 (0)7880 177307
Conor Twomey |Senior Press Officer | E: ctwomey@jaguarlandrover.com
| T: +44 2476 564125
Alexina Jackson | Press Officer | E: ajackson@jaguarlandrover.com
| T: +44 2476 564124
