Ian Callum, Brian Johnson and Lord March pick 10 top Jaguars

Thu, 11 Sep 2014

An automaker with as rich a heritage as Jaguar is bound to create a few experts along the way... and some divergent opinions, too. So on the eve of the debut of the new XE, Jaguar brought together three experts to whittle down the long list of classic Leaping Cats to just ten.

For this gargantuan task, it brought in Ian Callum (who, as the company's chief designer, knows a thing or two about Jaguars), Lord Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox (the Earl of March and founder of the Goodwood Revival) and Brian Johnson – who may be better known as the frontman of AC/DC, but also a classic car enthusiast, collector and racer in his own right.

So what did the designer, the nobleman and the celebrity choose? The SS100, XK120 (namely number NUB 120), the C-Type that competed at the 1953 Mille Miglia, the D-Type that won at Reims, the Mk II sedan, the E-Type that served as the Geneva show car, the one and only XJ13, Sir William Lyons' personal XJ6 S1, the ETCC-pec TWR XJS and the 1988 Le Mans-winning XJR-9.

Strikes us as a solid list, and you can watch the trio narrowing down their choices in this video clip.

New Film Previews Jaguar's 'Perfect Ten' as Selected by Lord March, Brian Johnson and Ian Callum, for New Jaguar XE Launch

IN BRIEF

- The 'Perfect Ten' models from Jaguar's rich heritage have been chosen to celebrate the global launch of the new XE model at Earls Court, London
- The 'Perfect Ten' is made up of the most important and iconic Jaguar cars, as selected by an expert trio of knowledgeable enthusiasts; Lord March of Goodwood, Brian Johnson of rock band AC/DC, and Jaguar's Director of Design Ian Callum
- All 'Perfect Ten' cars will be presented at the world premiere of the Jaguar XE at Earls Court on 08 September.
- The film is now available to view and share at http://youtu.be/Evq7wcq09H0

IN DETAIL

The world debut of the new Jaguar XE at Earls Court, London, will be supported by a specially commissioned film and display of what a trio of notable motoring enthusiasts and experts consider to be the 'Perfect Ten' of Jaguar's rich and diverse brand heritage.

Accompanying the important new XE model will be a film and display of the 'Perfect Ten' Jaguars, spanning the decades, from the celebrated SS100 of the 1930s, through to the legendary C, D and E-types of the 1950s and 60s, and on to the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 of 1988.

This 'Perfect Ten' of Jaguar's past glories has been carefully chosen to help celebrate the launch of the new XE model by a trio of well-known and acknowledged motoring enthusiasts, consisting of AC/DC lead singer and car enthusiast Brian Johnson; the founder of Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival, Lord March, and Jaguar's Director of Design, Ian Callum. The film of their 'Perfect Ten' thoughts may be viewed and shared at http://youtu.be/Evq7wcq09H0

This proud parade of Jaguar's history is represented in film by significant examples of well-known and popular Jaguar models; as follows:
1. SS100: Jaguar's first 100mph production car.
2. XK120, registration NUB 120: Perhaps the most famous XK120 in the world. Driven by Ian Appleyard and Pat Lyons (daughter of Sir William Lyons) to numerous rally wins in the 1950s, including the Alpine Rallye des Alpes in 1950 and 1951.
3. C-type, registration NDU 289: Original entry in the 1953 Mille Miglia, and one of just 54 cars built.
4. D-type, registration 393 RW: This penultimate D-type won the 12 hours race at Reims driven, by Hamilton and Bueb, and was sixth at Le Mans with the same driver pairing.
5. MK II: A great example of the legendary sporting saloon for which Jaguar has become globally renowned, and the genesis of the brand-new XE.
6. E-type, registration 77 RW: The Jaguar 'Works' press car, famously driven overnight by Norman Dewis to Geneva for its Motor Show debut to great fanfare. This was the first production Jaguar to reach 150 mph, and is the earliest surviving E-type Roadster.
7. XJ13: Only one example of this car was built, being the first Jaguar to use the V12 engine. The XJ13 was built for - but never raced at - Le Mans, and was designed by Malcolm Sayer.
8. XJ6 S1: Car of the Year when launched in 1968, this particular XJ6 was Sir William Lyons' personal car.
9. TWR XJS: Tom Walkinshaw was very successful in motorsport for Jaguar in the 1980s and returned Jaguar to the podium with the racing version of the legendary XJS winning the European Touring Car Championship.XJR-9. Tom Walkinshaw won Le Mans in 1988 with this very car, in one of Jaguar's seven victories in the famous endurance race.
10. XJR-9: Tom Walkinshaw won Le Mans in 1988 with this very car, in one of Jaguar's seven victories in the famous endurance race.

Commenting on his perfect Jaguar, Lord March said: "For me it has to be the D-type. Way ahead of its time, the D-type looks as good today as it did when it was first revealed 60 years ago, and I really can't wait to see a grid full of D-types racing at this year's Goodwood Revival in mid-September to mark this landmark anniversary in style."

Brian Johnson, the AC/DC singer commented: "The Jaguar C-type takes some beating for me. Its purity and speed are exceptional today, and must have been simply mind-boggling in the early 1950s!"
Jaguar's Director of Design Ian Callum agrees: "The shape of the C-type has a simplicity and purity that have rarely been bettered, and have helped form the beauty and elegance of so many subsequent Jaguar models. It's a gem."

By Noah Joseph