Jaguars head to Beaulieu

More than 300 Jaguars made the trip to Beaulieu at the weekend for the first Simply Jaguar event. A total of 319 cars visit the National Motor Museum in Hampshire, with classics ranging the 1940s right up to the present day.

The oldest car of the show was a 1949 3½ litre Mk V, which looked impressive in its silver paintwork. Meanwhile, an immaculate 1970 XJ6 4.2-litre Series I only had 34,000 miles on the clock.

Almost every variation of the Mk II was present, from an original gold 2.4-litre example to a Mk II with a 4.0-litre V8 engine. There were last-of-the-line 240s and 340s, and even examples of the Daimler V8 250 and Jaguar 420 derivatives. Also on show were modern Jaguar X-type, S-type and XF saloons.

Club stands on the day came from the Dorset, West Sussex and Isle of Wight branches of the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club.

People's Choice winner Steve Varden with Beaulieu's Reuben Rhodes-Leader.

There were also some great cars for sale, including a fully-restored 1966 Series 1 E-type roadster (offers in the region of £80,000).

Visitors and owners were asked to vote for their favourite car of the show in the People’s Choice Award. The overall winner was Steve Varden from Wolverhampton with his supercharged XKR-S.

Runners-up were Malcolm Watson with his race-prepared 1963 E-type low drag coupe, featuring striking aerodynamic bodywork, and John and Helen Bowen with their XJ8 Sovereign.