Keeping the Jaguar Passion Alive!

15th June 2017

Jaguar Land Rover Classic opened the doors to their new Classic Works facility in their historic heartland of the West Midlands. The new £7million plant in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, was opened on 14th June 2017 and the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club were one of the lucky few invited along to this exclusive launch.

Classic Works brings together all the Classic operations under one roof, comprising 54 workshop bays and strip down areas, a dedicated engine shop and space for 480 vehicles. The new facility offers customers an opportunity to turn their classic barn find into an authentic “reborn” Jaguar or Land Rover, complete with reconditioned and restored parts taken from the original. The attention to detail and the skill of those involved in this work was something to behold!

Our people, their knowledge and their skills are at the heart of Jaguar Land Rover Classic. Tim Hannig, Director of Jaguar Land Rover

Learning from the Master

These skills were developed through JLR’s ground-breaking work on the development of the New Original Lightweight E-Type, when six chassis numbers were unearthed and the “missing six” were recreated. This then lead on to a dedicated team painstakingly re-building the XKSS, nearly 60 years after they were lost in the infamous Browns Lane factory fire. All the re-built cars are tested by Chief Test Driver, Jaguar Le-Mans winner Andy Wallace, prior to delivery, following on from the tradition started by Norman Dewis back in the 1950’s. Andy said, ”It was great to get some tips from the Master!”

Serviced and sorted

As part of the tour we were taken to see the Owner Services on offer. You can have a complete engine build, health check or servicing of your Classic. We spotted 5 XJ220’s in the workshop. Not something you see every day.

Heaven Must Look Like This

The star attraction of the Classic Works for any Jaguar Enthusiast has to be the collection housed within the new facility. There are 700 cars in the collection, ranging from an original SS to the stunning concept car the C-X75, used in the James Bond film Spectre. They also have original Land Rover’s and Range Rover's to complete the collection.

If you get a chance to visit the plant, then it’s well worth it. Whether you own a top level concours Jaguar, or are like many of us, just a well-loved family Jaguar, the one thing we came away with from the visit is the passion for the marque no matter which model. As Sir William Lyons would say “The car is the closest thing to creating something alive”. We couldn’t agree more!

Tours will start from September 2017 and more information on booking will be released shortly, so watch this space.

It’s like the best sweet shop in the world for the Jaguar enthusiast. The history and story of each model is what makes this so special. If only I had my cheque book… Graham Searle, General Manager, Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club