NZ Festival of Motorsport Books
Neil Hart – Whitianga
B Venni – Morrinsville
Tony Avery – New Plymouth
Keith Robertson – Manukau
Will Neal – Papakura
Neale Faulkner – Auckland
Spark Jaguar XK120 Roadster
Robert Tudor – New Plymouth
Greenlight Muscle Cars
Stephen Tuck – Hamilton
AutoArt Lotus Cortina
Robert James – Auckland
Last weekend’s Goodwood Revival event opened in the UK with an array of pre-1966 Jaguars playing a key role and an estimated 140,000 spectators visiting over the three day event.
On static display and racing in anger on the Goodwood Motor Circuit, vehicles ranging from the elegant SS100 right up to the rare E-type Lightweight models celebrated Jaguar’s sports car heritage.
A full speed practice session took place ahead of the E-type race on Saturday. Comprising a grid of some 30 examples of the E-type, the session saw a hard-fought battle between the Lightweight shared by Gerhard Berger and Adrian Newey and the E-type (also a Lightweight) of Emanuele Pirro and Desiré Wilson to claim pole. Despite the substantial value of the E-types taking part the speed was incredible with a time of 1-minute 24-seconds and 102.2 mph being recorded by the pole car.
Tony O’Keefe, Curator at Jaguar Heritage, commented: ‘It’s been an incredible first day at the Goodwood Revival – a truly unique event and a fitting place to celebrate 50-years of the E-type. I’m grateful for the support shown by private owners in entering their valuable cars in the races as well as putting them on display – Jaguar has a wonderful heritage, kept alive by the enthusiasm and passion of the owners.’ Read the rest of this entry »
UK-based Bonhams Auctions has just announced the results of its Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia Auction at the Goodwood Revival Meeting last weekend.
The highest-profile sale was the very rare ex-Sir Robert Ropner ‘Semi-Lightweight’ E-Type Jaguar (pictured). This stunning Jag was sold for an undisclosed sum and will be staying in the UK. Total sales for the Bonhams event exceeded £6.5million.
The Ropner Semi-Lightweight has a fascinating history and can trace its lineage to the batch of 12 Grand Touring competition cars known as the ‘Lightweight’ E-Types.
The car was unique in this specification. Sir Robert Ropner, a north-eastern shipping company magnate, was a good customer of Jaguar and, in consultation with their Chief Engineer, Bill Heynes, a tailor made special order car was produced incorporating many Lightweight features. The Jaguar featured a production-type steel-skinned monocoque chassis with weight-saving aluminium bonnet plus numerous other definitive racing ‘Lightweight’ features. Read the rest of this entry »
SPR limited has supplied us with two 1950s British sports cars to feature this month. Both are from their 1:43 Spark range, and both are beautifully modelled in resin with numerous photo-etched metal components, such as wipers, grilles and body trim. Because they are open top vehicles, Spark has made an extra effort with the interiors, and both are fully detailed.
Our first feature model is a cream 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster. This sensational successor to the SS100 was launched in roadster form at the 1948 London Motor Show, and was produced until 1954. Its ‘120’ name referred to the 120mph (193kph) top speed (faster with the windscreen removed) which made the XK120 the world’s fastest standard production car at the time of its launch. Spark Models has captured the XK120 perfectly in miniature, with its distinctive rear wheel spats, standard steel wheels, and absence of external door handles. Other 1:43 XK120 models soon to be released by Spark are the 1953 cabrio; the modified speed record ‘bubble-top’ that achieved 172mph on a closed dual carriage way near the town of Jabbeke in Belgium in 1953; and the #15 XK120 that raced at Le Mans in 1950. Read the rest of this entry »
In the same week as the Jaguar C-X16 concept makes its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show (read news), its E-Type sports car ancestors will be taking to the track at the Goodwood Revival.
The Goodwood Revival is all go for this weekend and will have a special emphasis on the E-Type which celebrates its 50th 
anniversary this year. The thousands of spectators who attend the UK event will witness a very special 45-minute Fordwater Trophy race made up of a grid of E-types, including a handful of the dozen rare lightweight models, built between 1961 and 1966.
The huge Jaguar line-up is complemented by an array of well known drivers including Gerhard Berger, Jochen Mass, Adrian Newey, Andy Priaulx, John Cleland, Andy Wallace and Rowan Atkinson.
Charting the history of Jaguar sports cars will be a display taking in the SS100, the XK120 and XK140, the D-type and, of course, the E-type. Throughout 2011 the anniversary has been marked in various ways including a convoy of E-types travelling through London, Geneva, San Francisco and New York, a 28-metre sculpture towering over the Goodwood Festival of Speed, a record-breaking 767 privately owned examples taking to the Silverstone Circuit and exclusive E-type race meetings. Read the rest of this entry »
Jaguar has unveiled its latest concept car, the C-X16 before its official debut at next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The concept is already touted as being a likely future production model that will sit below the XK in Jaguar’s current range. This concept is to spawn Jag’s affordable two-seater sports car that will fight Porsche’s Cayman.
Built to be a true driver’s sports car, the C-X16 is the smallest Jaguar in terms of length since the 1954 XK120. The concept rolls on a shortened platform of the next generation XK’s aluminium chassis structure and has a perfect 50:50 weight distribution between its axles.
Under its traditionally long bonnet the C-X16 packs a hybrid powertrain that includes a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with 280kW of power and 450 Nm of torque. The conventional engine works in with an electric motor generator integrated into the eight-speed automatic gearbox that transfers power to the rear wheels.
The electric motor generates an additional 70kW of power and 235 Nm of torque from a 1.6kWh battery pack mounted behind the seats. The battery pack is charged through a brake energy regeneration system. This “Push to Pass” hybrid boost system is operated through a steering-wheel mounted button allowing for instant acceleration. Read the rest of this entry »
Jaguar has landed in NZ the updated 2012 version of its luxury flag ship – the XJ sports sedan. With new equipment and pricing for 2012 the XJ apparently allows for greater personalisation and flexibility of use, with the first models available in New Zealand now.
Starting from $155,000 while retaining the same level of specification, the new XJ now offers the Rear Seat Comfort pack. This feature allows the electric adjustment of the backrest recline angle, four-way lumbar support and a massage function. Increased comfort is also provided by new winged headrests and rear seat footrests. The Rear Seat Comfort pack is standard on the long wheel base Supersport model and an option on the others in the XJ range.
There are new interior colour combination for 2012, available with both the Premium Luxury and Portfolio trim levels. There’s a Jet/Ivory option that features ivory seating with contrast jet stitching, piping and upper surfaces while the headlining is available in either colour, according to customer preference.
“An XJ should be the ultimate in comfort, design and refinement. The bespoke interior changes incorporated for the 2012 model make it an even more special car to drive or be driven in,” said Paul Ricketts, the brand manager for Jaguar New Zealand. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s time to get down to your local magazine store for a fresh dose of NZ Classic Car magazine because the September issue has just reached the shelves around NZ. The new issue is packed with brilliant feature articles, news and event reports, all to keep you up-to-date on NZ’s thriving classic car scene.
For this month’s issue we head south and take in some of the finest metal the South Island has to offer. Our cover car is a freshly restored 1968 Triumph TR250 from Dunedin with a smooth six-cylinder engine and a fascinating back story. Other feature cars include a immaculately restored 1924 Studebaker Light Six from Kaikoura and a John Coombs inspired 1964 Jaguar Mk2. Regular contributor Trevor Stanley-Jobin looks back at the purchase and restoration of a Mk2 Ford Escort and we have a special feature on Christchurch-based car painter Adrienne Barnes. There’s an Autmobilia themed article that examines the motives behind our love of the automobile and our Motor Man Donn Anderson pays tribute to the talented Mike Hailwood on the anniversary of his death. Read the rest of this entry »
