to drive famous Jaguar DType through Bradford

Famous racing and film cars from Jaguars Heritage collection will drive through Bradford next Thursday (April 24th) to mark the opening of the UKs first purpose built motoring theme conference centre.

Tony O’Keefe Curator of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Museum said: It is not often that people get the chance to see famous cars like this actually driving together. The fact that Sir Stirling will head the convoy in the famous long nose D type that won the 12 hour race at Reims in 1956 will make history in its own right.

Sir Stirling will drive the famous Long Nose D Type Jaguar, 393 RW, from Bradford City Centre, to Albion Mills, Greengates, Shipley to open Speedmasters new motoring conference centre.

The car, which was driven at Reims by Duncan Hamilton and Ivor Beub, came sixth at the Le Mans 24-hour race, also in 1956, when it was driven by Mike Hawthorn and Ivor Bueb,

The cavalcade will also include a Jaguar C Type, NDU 289. It was the C type which brought Jaguar its first victory in the Le Mans 24-hour race. This particular car took part in the 1953 Mille Miglia and has represented Jaguar worldwide. James Hanson and his father John Hanson, the owners of Speedmaster, will drive it.

Jaguar XK120, NUB 120 will follow it. It was the XK120 that, more than any other car, established Jaguars motor sport credentials and NUB was the most successful of the breed. It was not a Jaguar works car, but was privately owned and campaigned by Ian Appleyard from Leeds and his wife Patricia, William Lyons daughter, who acted as navigator. It missed victory in its first ever event, the 1950 Tulip Rally by a quarter of an inch.

Appleyard entered the Alpine Rally in 1950 winning a Coupe des Alpes. The following year they repeated their success in this Rally as well as adding the RAC Rally and the elusive Tulip Rally to their string of victories. The car will contain the Lord Mayor of Leeds.

The Jaguar XKR from the Bond movie Die Another day will be next in line

The film Die Another Day released by MGM Studios and Eon Productions in November 2002 was the 20th film in the James Bond series, the most successful film series of all time. In this film, the hero was once again to be found behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, following the tradition from the 1960s when an Aston Martin was first used by James Bond in the film Goldfinger. In the years in between, many other makes of car have featured in the Bond films.

So while the Jaguar XKR undoubtedly had an important role in Die Another Day, it was the villains rather than the heros car. The Jaguar XKR was the car of Zao, played by Rick Yune. The XKR was seen as an appropriate match for Zao, combining a sleek exterior with a heart of power and ferocity. The car was equipped with a Gatling gun mounted centrally behind the seats, while further armaments included missiles fired through the front grille, rocket launchers in the doors and mortar bombs in the boot.

There were in fact no less than eight Jaguar XKR cars used in filming. Half of these were standard cars with only cosmetic modifications, the rest were rather more special, as they were built on a complete four-wheel drive chassis, apart from having all the weapons systems. The work was done in the Pinewood Studio workshops in England. Of course, from the outside all the cars looked the same, and all were finished in the same metallic light green that was used for the Jaguar Racing Formula One Grand Prix cars.

The reason why it was necessary to re-build both the Jaguar, and Bonds Aston Martin, with four wheel drive, is that these cars featured in one of the most amazing sequences in the film, a dramatic car chase on ice, filmed on location in Iceland in early 2002. For this reason, some of cars were also fitted with Icelandic number plates.

The last car in the historic line up will be the 2001 Jaguar XK8 Shaguar convertible

After twenty-one years in production, the last XJ-S cars were built in 1996. Their replacement was the XK8 sports car, first introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1996, and some times also referred to by its product code of X100. The new XK8 was a typical Jaguar, combining tradition with innovation. The inspiration for the elegant design clearly came from the style of classic Jaguar sports cars of the past, notably the E-type of the 1960s, but interpreted in a modern manner. The car was styled by Fergus Pollock, working under the late Geoff Lawson. The project director was the engineer Bob Dover, who went on to become Jaguars chairman.

Under the bonnet lay the first Jaguar V8 engine. Although the Daimler sister marque had made some excellent V8s in the 1960s, and although a Jaguar V8 design had been under consideration at the same time, this was the first Jaguar production car to be fitted with this type of engine. As used in the XK8, capacity was originally 4 litres, later increased to 4.2 litres. The AJ8 engine was of all-aluminium construction, with two overhead camshafts per bank and 32 valves. Power output was 290bhp.

The Austin Powers films starting with International Man of Mystery in 1997 were comedy spoofs of classic spy thrillers. A Jaguar E-type had been used in the second film The Spy Who Shagged Me in 1999 where inevitably it became known as the Shaguar. When the third Austin Powers film Goldmember was made in 2002, the link with Jaguar was continued as an XK8 convertible was used in this film. Whatever your views of the Austin Powers character, at least he had excellent taste in cars!

The car was used by Jaguar as a press car, and while it was originally blue, it was later re-painted in the Union Jack colour scheme as a replica of the car used in the Austin Powers film, before being handed over to the JDHT.

James Hanson, Managing Director of Speedmaster, said: We thought that it was appropriate that Jaguar were invited to take part in the opening because this year is the 60th anniversary of the XK 120, and our new conference centre will be used in the future to mark historic motoring and motor racing anniversaries and events. The centre will give a huge boost to regional conference facilities by providing a new venue that will attract clients from all over the UK and particularly the north of England.

Tony O Keefe the Curator of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Collection said:It will be the first time that cars like this and such a famous driver have been seen on the streets of Bradford. I am sure that both Sir Stirling and the cars will receive a great reception.

The conference centre will be officially opened when Sir Stirling drives the famous D Type through a ribbon at the entrance to the new building.

Motoring artists Michael and Graham Turner will have a selection of their famous art on display. Michael Turner is one of todays best known and highly regarded motorsport artists, establishing himself as part of the Grand Prix scene in the 1960s. His son Graham has followed in his fathers footsteps having built up a reputation for his attention to detail and technical accuracy, combined with an ablity to convey the speed and excitement of motor racing from all eras.

JARROTTS, the famous picture library who have been commissioned by Speedmaster to provide over 30 images to fill the Great British Drivers feature wall, will also be attending the event.

Established for the nation in 1983, The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust maintains a unique collection of motor vehicles and artifacts manufactured by Jaguar Cars Limited and the many other renowned marques associated with the company.

More than 160 historic vehicles form The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Collection. Many are original, just as they left the factory. Each symbolises a significant milestone in the continuing development and growth of Jaguar Cars and associated companies. Ends

Note to News and Picture Editors: You are welcome to attend the event. There will be opportunities to take pictures of the Jaguar XK120, NUB 120 in the courtyard at the rear of Leeds Civic Hall and a further opportunity to photograph all of cars at the Centenary Square in Bradford before they leave, on route and at the new conference centre. There will be opportunities to talk to Sir Stirling Moss at Centenary Square and at the conference centre. 09.00: Picture call: The Jaguar XK120,NUB 120 and the Lord Mayor of Leeds in the courtyard at the rear of Leeds Civic Hall.

09.20: NUB 120 leaves for Bradford Centenary Square.

10.00 am: The Cars will be on display at Bradford’s centenary square until 11am. 10.30 am: Sir Stirling Moss will be available for pictures with the cars and to sign autographs until 11am.

11.00-11.15 am: The convoy of cars preceded by a police escort will leave Centenary Square in Bradford between 11am and 11.15 and head for the new Speedmaster Conference centre at Greengates Bradford where it is scheduled to arrive at around 11.30 am. 11.30 am approximately: The new conference centre will be officially opened. by Sir Stirling Moss driving the D Type through a ribbon at the new conference centre.

NB: The route that they will follow will be:

Centenary Square (BD1 1HY) Left Channing Way Left Hall Ings Straight on through to Leeds Road junction Shipley Airedale Road Left into Shipley Airedale Road (Dual Carriageway) Right hand lane at next traffic lights Right into Barkerend and immediate left into New Otley Road Proceed and Left into Otley Road Proceed approx 3 miles Otley Road becomes Harrogate Road to Greengates

Traffic Lights Turn Left into New Line Left into Albion Road Left into Albion Mills and Speedmaster Cars BD10 9TQ