Extraordinary Jaguar cars star at Coventry MotoFest 2015

An incredible fleet of Jaguar sports and race cars worth in excess of £40m were responsible for extraordinary scenes on the streets of Coventry this weekend, with heritage racers led by the 1988 Le Mans 24 Hour-winning Jaguar XJR-9LM opening the show at MotoFest 2015. The exciting procession of Jaguar cars driven on the Coventry Ring Road were joined by a unique new Jaguar sports car, as the Jaguar F-TYPE R Bloodhound SSC RRV made its world dynamic debut in Jaguar’s home City.

Jaguar Coventry MotoFest
Jaguar celebrates 80th anniversary with line-up of iconic road and race cars at Coventry MotoFest

This year’s event saw the Coventry ring road closed to public use in order to host a number of live motorsport activities and Jaguar took advantage of the occasion to show of a cavalcade of some of the most iconic race and road cars from its 80 year history.

Winner of Le Mans 24 Hours in 1988 – driving the magnificent XJR-9LM – Andy Wallace, said: “It’s wonderful to be here at the Coventry MotoFest celebrating 80 years of the Jaguar brand, and even more wonderful to be driving the car I won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 27 years ago. It seems just like yesterday actually, but every time you get back in the old girl it’s just a wonderful feeling. What an amazing racing car.” 

Bringing up the rear was a 1938 SS100 flanked by the new Bloodhound F-TYPE. The SS100 was the first car to bear the Jaguar name and was launched in 1935 – 80 years ago this year.

They were joined by the 1984 TWR XJ-S, 1976 Broadspeed XJC Coupé, 1974 Group 44 E-type, 1966 XJ13, 1956 D-type, 1953 C-type and an XK140. A new short film captures the action from Jaguar’s presence at Coventry MotoFest and is available to view and share here.

The Jaguar F-TYPE R Bloodhound SSC RRV was created by Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations and was driven at Coventry MotoFest by Bloodhound SSC Chief Engineer Mark Chapman. Jaguar is a Technical Partner of the Bloodhound project and is supplying engines, engineering expertise and support vehicles for the world land speed record attempt.

Mark Chapman said: “It was hugely exciting to be part of the launch of the Bloodhound F-TYPE, which will be the support vehicle for our team when we go to the desert in 2016. The F-TYPE looks and sounds phenomenal, but crucially, the engine in this car is the one we use to pump the fuel for our Bloodhound SSC rocket that will go to 1,000mph.” 

Several of Jaguar’s MotoFest star cars will also line up together at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (26-28 June), including the new Jaguar F-TYPE R Bloodhound SSC RRV.

Note: Press release courtesy Jaguar cars.

Staff