The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust gathered the great and good from the world of historic vehicles together on Wednesday 3rd May within the Committee Room at the Royal Automobile Club’s Headquarters on Pall Mall to unveil the conclusion to an exciting new project that promises to give access to the Trust, in a new and innovative way.
Working with Andrew Nahum, curator and historian, Peter Grimsdale, author and TV producer and Painting the Cave (a specialist in creative digital technologies) the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust has devised a new and original virtual journey through the life and work of one of Britain’s greatest carmakers and designers, Sir William Lyons.
Uniquely, in the motor industry, Lyons combined the roles of company boss with that of chief stylist. He was personally responsible for the dramatic shapes of the cars he built, which won worldwide admiration.
This is the first exhibition devoted to his work, showing how his unique eye for style evolved from motorcycle sidecars to dramatic racing and road cars. It is also the first vehicle museum experience to be originated online. From the first SS sidecars to the Jaguar E-type, it gives a vivid 3-D tour in virtual space through Lyon’s life and his creations.
This ground-breaking online exhibition journey draws on the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust’s collection of vehicles and archives, exhibited at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon and the Coventry Transport Museum. This virtual exhibition gives new access to some of its precious treasures.
Matthew Davis, Managing Director of Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust said,
“We have one of the worlds’ greatest car collections, but no museum of our own, so it seemed appropriate to launch a virtual museum that will be accessible to all, with an exhibition celebrating the life and work of Sir William Lyons – the man that made Jaguar”.
Asked what the aims were to communicate the existence of this fantastic concept to wider audiences, Matthew Davis MD of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust said,
“Reaching the general public and in particular younger audiences remains the big challenge and key aim of this project. However, we will be working closely with the Jaguar clubs to make it available to those who share our deep passion for Jaguar.”
The current plans will see the initiative lasting for an initial 12-month period with a view to a further review and possible expansion in the future. Suggestions from the press launch audience included the addition of further multimedia such as talking heads videos and simulations of driving some of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust vehicles.
For the team from the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club who attended the launch, it was an exciting evening to see the launch of a new concept that will bring the heritage and engineering alive, plus crucially, tell the stories of those who made it happen. This immersive digital experience is ideal for new audiences who are looking to access our transport heritage in innovative ways. We are looking forward to putting our support behind growing this virtual capability of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust so that all members of the JEC with an enthusiasm for Jaguar get to see what an enjoyable and informative resource it can be!
The exhibition is free to all and can be accessed at www.sirwilliamlyons.com using PC, laptop, smart phone or tablet.
