Andy Wallace drives new Jaguar XJR and Le Mans-winning XJ-R9 LM at Silverstone.

• Andy Wallace drives new Jaguar XJR and Le Mans-winning XJ-R9 LM at Silverstone
• XJR9-LM – one of one million XJs now built – back on track at night for the first time since it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988
• Track session presents benefits of new Jaguar XJ LED headlights in day and night driving conditions
• Wallace discusses new XJR headlight technology, which offers drivers more confidence, safety and performance at night
• New short film captures all the action https://youtu.be/IgMxSkJb058

Legendary racing driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Andy Wallace relived his 1988 victory by taking to the Silverstone circuit to drive the Jaguar XJR9-LM during day and night back-to-back with the new 550PS, 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 Jaguar XJR. Wallace discusses his experiences in the XJR9-LM and the new XJR in an exciting new film available to view and share at https://youtu.be/IgMxSkJb058

Driving at night on the Silverstone circuit gave Wallace the opportunity to test the new LED headlights on the new XJ, which are a first for Jaguar.  “Driving at Le Mans back in 1988, it was so hard to see at night,” said Wallace. “We were travelling at around 240mph and it was too fast to see the road ahead. We used the lights more to catch glimpses of landmarks as they whizzed past, so we knew where we were.

“These days, modern road cars have incredible lights. LED technology allows you to see three times the distance we could back then, while active steer and bend also help target the lights to the places you want to see.

“As a driver, whether you’re cruising on the road or pushing for performance on track, that level of vision really helps to give you confidence and that improves safety, performance and precision. I would love to have had the modern lights we have now on the XJR9-LM.”

Ian Hoban, Vehicle Line Director, XJ said: “The XJ is now more dynamic and distinctive than ever, and taking the high-performance XJR to Silverstone gave an excellent demonstration of how the new LED lighting fitted to the car can benefit the driver.

"But the new LED lights are just one of many impressive new features on our flagship saloon. Delivering even greater levels of luxury and performance, it features our new world-class infotainment system and interior materials and finishes that create an even more bespoke feel."

The 2016 XJ has had a thorough exterior design refresh and the full LED headlights with unique double 'J-Blade signature' daytime running lights are one of the key additions. They are unique in the Jaguar range.

The LED headlights provide a colour temperature closer to that of daylight than the Bi-Xenon lamps they replace, improving visibility and driver comfort and also delivering a significant improvement in energy efficiency.

The most advanced lights ever seen on a Jaguar or Land Rover product, they also accentuate the 'quad lamp' design feature that Jaguar sporting sedans have made their own – a feature that also appeared on the XJR9-LM.

Jaguar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014.

• Jaguar to have an exciting presence at next week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (26-29 June)
• Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations to present first ever new product on Jaguar stand at famous motoring Festival
• The 60^th anniversary of the Le Mans-winning D-type to be celebrated
• Jaguar ex-Works driver Andy Wallace to be reunited with his Le Mans-winning XJR-9 LM
• F-TYPE R Coupé, and new Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake to speed up Goodwood Hill

Long-term supporter of the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed, Jaguar, will be making some noise at next week’s event from 26-29 June with an exceptional line-up of its cars, both old and new.

Visitors to the Jaguar stand at the spectacular automotive show will be delighted to see the first new product from Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations - the new division of Jaguar Land Rover responsible for a range of special product and service programmes for Jaguar and Land Rover customers.

Chiming perfectly with Goodwood’s 2014 Festival theme of ‘Addicting to Winning’, Jaguar will have an extensive selection of its past, present and near-future models at the event, including victorious examples of the racing D-type, XJS TWR and XJR-9 tackling the famous 1.16-mile hillclimb.

Two of the Jaguar Heritage Trust’s significant D-types will be in action as this legendary Jaguar marks its 60^th anniversary.  The original 1954 D-type prototype will be demonstrated, as will the later 1956 ‘Long Nose’ model, to be driven by ex-Grand Prix racer Bruno Senna. Bruno recently covered over 1,000 miles in this car at the 2014 Mille Miglia, with co-driver and fellow Formula 1 star, Martin Brundle.

Other Jaguar Heritage competition racers in action at Goodwood will include the iconic ‘Group 44’ E-type, the Group-A XJS TWR and the 1988 Le Mans-winning XJR-9 LM, the latter being reunited with one of its victorious team drivers; Andy Wallace.  

Away from the competition cars, examples of Jaguar’s new production F-TYPE R Coupé and XFR-S Sportbrake will be publically seen in action at the Festival, with both set for high speed drives up the famous Goodwood Hill. 

Jaguar celebrates successful Mille Miglia

The stars and the Jaguar cars entered into the Mille Miglia 2013 all feature in a new short film now available to watch and share at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBPiuVvjp3M&feature=youtu.be

The 1,000 mile tour, which is a celebration of ‘The World’s Most Beautiful Race’, captures the feedback from the high profile line-up of drivers that accepted invitations from Jaguar to partake in the epic drive event across Italy.

In the seats of three stunning examples of the Jaguar XK120 were driver pairings of Sir Chris Hoy and Andy Wallace; Daniel Day Lewis and Jim Gianopulos and David Gandy partnering Yasmin Le Bon.

The cavalcade of official Jaguar Heritage Racing cars in the event was doubled in size by the entries of three remarkable C-Type sports cars. Driver double-acts in lightweight C-Types included Jaguar Regional Director for Europe Bernard Kuhnt and actress Hannah Herzsprung, Alex Buncombe with Chris Harris, and Salvatore Ferragamo Jr. alongside Michael Quinn – the grandson of Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons.

More than 400 classic race and road cars of unique heritage were entered into the Mille Miglia this year. The record number of entries meant that the Jaguar drivers – of which only Jim Gianopulos and Bernard Kuhnt have previous experience – were jostling on road with some of the most significant sports cars ever built by the world’s most prestigious manufacturers.

Sir Chris Hoy, an Ambassador of the Jaguar Academy of Sport, said: “Being asked to drive with Le Mans winner Andy Wallace in the Mille Miglia was a privilege and I was delighted to take part. It is a technical event that participants take very seriously – I enjoyed its deeply competitive nature and I’m delighted to have made my debut with Jaguar.”

Globally-recognised supermodel David Gandy commented: “The Mille Miglia is an event like no other. It was on my ‘bucket list’ and despite gruelling hours spent on the road each day in difficult weather conditions, the reaction to our car from thousands of fans across Italy and the euphoria Yasmin and I experienced crossing the finishing line made it all worthwhile.”

Jaguar is committed to celebrating its unique, rich heritage as the company continues its recent exciting growth. Bernard Kuhnt said: “Our presence at the Mille Miglia was particularly significant this year as we are launching the new F-TYPE sports car across the world. To bring together the finest Jaguar cars ever made, with some remarkable characters behind the wheel, and to have five F-TYPEs chasing them throughout beautiful Italian countryside was a sight to behold.

“I am extremely thankful to the drivers in our team for spending their valuable time with Jaguar and I am grateful to the Mille Miglia organisers for allowing us the opportunity to enter this spectacular celebration of classic motorsport.”