“It looks quite straight doesn’t it?” I blurt out, “Oh, and it’s a manual gearbox too, you don’t see many of those.” I know I’m hooked, he knows I’m hooked. Thud! As my jaw hits the ground, I am now trying to contain my excitement, summoning my best casual body language as I walk around the car again a second time in as many minutes. He has sadly passed away and his son has asked us to make it ready for sale.” However, sitting alongside the Daimler is a car that truly captivates me – a dusty but straight 1980’s Jaguar XJ-S.Īs if on autopilot, I find myself walking round, noting just how good its Malcolm Sayer-designed body looks under the film of dust. Polished wood and woven tweed are à la mode Edward Turner was a motorcycle engineer who worked with Ariel then Triumph, and would rise to become Chief Executive of BSA Group’s Automotive Division, made up of BSA, Ariel, Triumph, Daimler and Carbodies (the London taxicab company). They are famed for their 2 ½ litre Turner V8 engines that meant they could give a 3.4 Litre Jaguar Mk II a run for their money. There, tucked away in a quiet corner of the building, sat a gorgeous late model Daimler 250 V8 saloon. He lifted the counter desk top, we walked through the back door of the office and he lead me into the busy workshop. For me it will always be a vehicle that you aspire to, something that has desirability, pedigree, a side-serving of motorsport heritage and sufficiently limited availability to keep demand bubbling away.Īt this point he told me he was something of a classic car fan too, and suggested I take a look at a British classic tucked in the corner of their workshop. “Depends who you speak to,” I replied, before attempting to pin down the definition, which is rather like trying to keep hold of a fish out of water. The garage owner had spotted my Hagerty Drivers Club jacket when I was paying the bill and a conversation ensued around old cars.

Last September I took my daily-driver Volvo XC70 for a routine service at the local marque specialist – AR Mills in Oxfordshire – and before I’d even settled the bill I’d bought the car of my dreams. 2 February, 2021: How I bought a Jaguar XJ-S by accident

He will defend the reputation of the Jaguar XJ-S until he is blue in the face – a sight to behold that prompted one new team member to dash for the CPR kit.

Hands-on or hands-off? Hands-on – it’s an XJ-S, after allĬharlie Patterson is Client Service Advisor Assistant Manager for Hagerty. Current condition: Approaching the finish line

Interior lighting overhaul v6.6