MY WONDERFUL JAGUAR
My first introduction to a Jaguar motorcar was at the age of 12 in 1960. My father, a self-employed mechanic and body specialist, was asked to vet a 1956 Mk7 M-type for a friend prior to purchase, and I tagged along. While a deal was being made, I sat in the front seat of the car and made believe that I was the driver. It didn’t seem to matter that I couldn’t see over the bonnet, reach the gear stick or the foot pedals – oh, the imagination of the young! This Jaguar was a large car for its time and had a dashboard like no other, excluding perhaps a Roller, Bentley or Aston Martin.
A deal was struck and it wasn’t long before that Jaguar became a regular visitor to dad’s garage. For me, every such visit meant I could relive my original experience, but this time with the opportunity to shuffle it around the garage grounds, supervised by dad. While my contemporaries kept busy adjusting their bike’s derailleur gears, I was in control of a magnificent piece of automotive engineering: there really was no contest! I’m sure they were bored silly listening to my exploits; even my class tutor asked me to present a 15 minute speech about the Jaguar company. I still have my original notes!
Well, that was the early 1960s and a variety of Jaguars have featured in my life over the ensuing years. These include a Mk8 and 9, a 1965 2+2 E-type, a 1974 XJC V12, a 1967 Mk2 2.2, an X308 V8 3.2 from 2000, a 2006 XK8, and my current daily driver as pictured here – a 2006 XJ X350 V8.
The E-type experience came on my 18th birthday, when a friend allowed me to take his 2+2 for a ten mile spin. That experience never left me and I vowed that one day I would own one. Unfortunately, even the most challenging examples have always been out of my financial reach. So I took a closer look at the XK8 X100 and tried to convince myself that its frontal cues were enough to be an E-type substitute. Maybe, but not the rear. I bought one and, after a year, decided I could no longer tolerate its cramped cabin, poor visibility and access. My sensible head kept telling me I should have a 350, and so I traded it in for the one I have now.
This is the most stylish XJ ever made and has been described with many seductive adjectives, my favourite being 'curvaceous.' Even the most observant would struggle to find an incongruous body line against any chosen vista.
It is, quite simply, gorgeous. It also has performance, poise and control to match. It is packed with useable automotive technology too, which is sited with the utmost consideration for sensible ergonomics. The ancient adage about the wolf’s clothing could not be more applicable either: 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds and a maximum speed of 155mph is not shabby, as a few hot hatch juveniles will testify!
Whether I take my Jaguar for a spin or just ogle its looks on my driveway, it never fails to bring a smile to my face. Surely that's not a bad thing in this current environment?
Ray Ganderton
PS: The spinner is my addition and reflects my desire for an old school look.