Put up for sale for £100million, Jaguar has bought this collection of rare and antique cars
Jaguar Land Rover has purchased the largest-known privately owned collection of British classic cars in the world – including an SS100, a rare alloy XK120, early E-types and a MK X owned by Sir William Lyons.
130 Jaguars make up the bulk of the 543 car collection amassed by British enthusiast James Hull.
A brand new Jaguar Heritage workshop at the historic Browns Lane, Coventry, site will maintain the Jaguars in the collection – this new facility will also offer Jaguar warrantied servicing and restoration of the company’s classic models.
The collection contains 130 Jaguars, with some extremely rare models
This acquisition is part of an increased commitment by Jaguar Land Rover to protect and nurture the rich heritage possessed by both brands.
It follows the recent creation of Special Operations, which has been established to develop and oversee heritage and the creation of special vehicles, such as the recently announced Jaguar Project 7. The Project 7 is a limited edition F-TYPE, which takes its inspiration from the legendary D-type.
The Project 7 name refers to the seven outright Le Mans victories scored by Jaguar and is highly appropriate given this is the 60th Anniversary of the creation of the D-type.
The Jaguar Heritage business, part of Special Operations, recently announced the build of six perfect recreations of the original, race-bred Lightweight E-type that was created in 1963.
The new Lightweights will hand-built by highly skilled Jaguar craftsmen in a new Jaguar heritage facility at Browns Lane, less than a hundred yards from where the original cars were assembled in 1963. This new facility will utilise those same skills to offer Jaguar warrantied servicing and restoration of the company’s classic models.
The collection which has been painstakingly assembled and restored by James Hull, British car enthusiast, entrepreneur and philanthropist, has at its core over 130 Jaguars.
These include early Swallow Sidecars and Swallow coachbuilt Austin Sevens, plus a full and diverse range of pre-war SS models, 7 XK 120s – including a rare alloy-bodied example, C- and D-types, an XKSS, 8 E-types, 30 classic Jaguar ‘Mark’ model saloons plus 19 XJS models and over 20 XJ saloons with interesting and famous previous owners.
The majority of these cars are in truly outstanding condition, many having fascinating histories behind them. The collection also features many other iconic and famous British cars and models.
James Hull commented, “Travelling all over the world to build the collection over the years has been a labour of love and a life’s work, so my primary motivation was not to get the maximum price but rather to secure the future of the collection in this country with the right custodian.
“I have got to know Jaguar Land Rover well in recent years and they have borrowed cars from the collection for events such as the Mille Miglia and supporting Jaguar in China. They are the perfect custodians to take the collection forward and I know it is in safe hands.”
