Jaguar anniversary to be marked at motoring event

The 40th anniversary of an iconic Jaguar car will be celebrated at this year's Coventry Motofest, according to the organiser.

The first XJ40 saloon rolled off the firm's Browns Lane production lines in October 1986 and stayed in production until 1994. The vehicle was a favourite of prime minsters, with both Sir John Major and Sir Tony Blair using one.

Motofest festival director James Noble said they hoped to assemble a record-breaking number of XJ40s on display in the city's University Square.

"It kind of re-wrote luxury motoring in the 80s, definitely saved Jaguar at a time when it was coming out of British Leyland ownership and went on to become a global success" he said.

Examples of the XJ40 will be coming to the event on 6 and 7 June, alongside the usual Concours D'Elegance, where owners of cars show off their carefully maintained and renovated vehicles in competition at the Coventry event.

"[It is] a competition of beautiful presentation and beautiful design. When they're rebuilding these cars, the get micrometers out and measuring panel gaps, to get them millimetre perfect" said Noble.

However the racing that has taken place on the Coventry ring road in recent years will not be happening in 2026.

"We're working on that with the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile). We want to change what we're doing with motor-sport in the future, so there'll be a bit of a lull while we work on and that and work it all through," Noble said.

He added that the displays this year have been rejigged, meaning the cars that had been displayed on Greyfriars Green near the railway station will move to Broadgate and spread down the High Street.

A display of military vehicles will fill Millennium Place outside the Transport Museum.

"It's going to be rammed; it's going to be brilliant" he said.

Motofest Coventry takes place on the weekend of 6-7 June.

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