Jaguar World

One of the quirks of this job is a frequently changing pool of project cars thanks to the variety of automotive titles we publish and I was expecting this column to detail the replacement of our much-loved XJ8 by the admittedly alluring spectre of a Bentley Continental GT. No, it’s not a Jaguar but there can be few readers who won’t at least mentally tip an approving nod towards the technology showcase which was the pinnacle of Ferdinand Piech’s ambition... and which in concept forecasts Jaguar’s own future direction. In the event, logistical issues intervened to ensure that the W12-powered behemoth has yet to arrive, but in truth I found myself heaving a sigh of relief. After all, the complexity of the Continental puts even our aluminium-bodied, air-suspended Jaguar in…

IF YOU HAVE A JAGUAR-RELATED NEWS STORY, SEND IT TO JWM.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK AT A press conference on April 19, JLR reaffirmed its commitment to the controversial Reimagine strategy by confirming some initial details of the proposed EV range to be produced under the Jaguar brand. First to be revealed will be a four-door GT, priced at £100,000 and boasting some optimistic figures: power output higher than any previous Jaguar and a range of 430 miles are claimed, while it’s also been reported that the brief includes the ability to add 200 miles of range in 15 minutes. JLR has yet to release official images of the car, which will be built in Solihull on a standalone platform dubbed JEA – Jaguar Electrified Architecture. JLR promises more details later in the year,…

A collection of more than 230 ‘barn find’ classic cars described as “one of the best kept secret car collections in Europe” will form part of a unique auction next month. The gigantic collection was amassed over a 40-year period by Dutch businessman Ad Palmen and was kept in two different buildings and a church in Dordrecht, near Rotterdam. Palmen reportedly maintained the vehicles himself, regularly starting them and even living in one of the warehouses, but had rarely shown the collection to anyone, meaning its existence was almost completely secret. Even many locals were unaware of its presence. The catalogue reveals Mr Palmen’s strong passion for Italian cars, but the 280 lots include a selection of Jaguars ranging from a 1943 MkV, a Mk9 and 1960 XK150 to a…

The ninth Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional, the event for the ‘ordinary’ and ‘mundane’ classic cars of the late 1960s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, will take place on July 29. No, you may not think that any Jaguar deserves to be branded as unexceptional but for anyone with an interest in older cars it’s still a great day out. Returning to Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, there will be hundreds of classics on show, while 50 cars will compete for the Concours de l’Ordinaire. Judges will get to choose the most unexceptional winner in each class, and nominations are now open. Tickets are priced at £25 per car (not per person). Visit hagerty.co.uk/officialevents/hagerty-festival-of-the-unexceptional for further details.…

A new exhibition at the National Motor Museum offers a fascinating look at how the future of the motor car was imagined in the past. The ‘Motopia Past Future Visions’ exhibition will examine how the futuristic concepts of days gone by have become reality, looking at car design, propulsion, including visions from the world of science fiction. It will display landmark vehicles like the Volkswagen XL1 plug-in hybrid and Sinclair C5, as well as a Columbia Electric vehicle from 1901. The exhibition will run until April 14 next year.…

Many classic car owners will be breathing a sigh of relief after it was announced that the building of new smart motorways has been cancelled. The changes to the government’s road-building plans come as a result of pressures on public finances, and in recognition of a lack of confidence felt by drivers. Alongside the conversion of 11 motorways already in action, construction of which had already been paused, work has been scrapped altogether on three further roads listed for revisions. No more smart motorways will be built in future, saving an estimated cost of more than £1 billion. According to campaigners, there have been at least 79 deaths linked to smart motorways since their introduction. Currently, smart motorways either have a dynamic hard shoulder, where drivers can use it as…