Jaguar heads home to Browns Lane for new special vehicles division
JAGUAR is set for a triumphant return to its spiritual home in Coventry so it can produce special high performance editions of its cars.
The newly-created Special Vehicle Operations division is being based out of facilities in Browns Lane, where Jaguar built most of its classic marques such as the iconic E-Type.
Browns Lane was Jaguar’s home between 1951 and 2005; although in 1998, then owner Ford switched most of the car production to Castle Bromwich.
The factory was closed and the site redeveloped. However, while Jaguar switched its headquarters to nearby Whitley, it retained a pilot-build workshop on the site, which is where the new models are being developed.
Six new lightweight versions of the racing E-Type are being produced there by SVO engineers and all are thought to have been pre-sold before production at a price in excess of £1m each.
The facility will also be the home of the stunning new F-Type Project 7 sports car, unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month. The car is the most powerful production model ever made by Jaguar.
The SVO is intended to be Jaguar Land Rover’s equivalent to BMW’s M Sport division and the Mercedes Benz AMG operation. All SVO-badged vehicles are likely to be marketed on the company’s historic racing pedigree and is looks to its past to snare new buyers.
Around 150 highly-skilled engineers are being recruited to work at the SVO, which is being headed by JLR chief John Edwards.
The company has also recruited former Williams Chief Technical Officer, Paul Newsome, who worked with Jaguar on the aborted C-X75 hybrid supercar.
The launch of the SVO has already created a buzz with the industry and racing enthusiasts alike.
Jaguar said that following the unveiling of the Project 7 at Goodwood customer interest far exceeded the intended production run of 250 cars.
The car receives another airing this weekend when it will be revealed to crowds at the Le Mans Classic race meeting. The car will also be put through its paces on the race circuit.
In celebration of the Jaguar D-type’s 60th anniversary – a car which won at le Mans three times and which inspired the Project 7 will also give parade laps to the very first D-type ever built, along with the all-new F-Type R Coupé, both of which featured at Goodwood.
With racing over the weekend split into six grids – each celebrating an era of Le Mans’ history – the Project 7 demonstration laps will take place ahead of qualifying and race sessions for Grid 2. Spanning 1949-1956, this grid will include two Jaguar-entered D-types; drivers are 1988 Jaguar Le Mans winner, Andy Wallace, who will share with Richard Meaden, with Gary Pearson and Chris Harris also in action.
