July 2025 | Issue 780 | Page(s) 3 | Gaynor Cauter
Welcome to the July issue of Jaguar Driver. As I write this, the temperature outside has just hit 31 degrees and it’s hot… very hot, although luckily, here in Herefordshire, there is quite a breeze to relieve what would otherwise be very oppressive weather. Even my cat (furry not ferrous… or feral) has retreated to the undergrowth for shelter!
The XJ-S continues to dominate the headlines this month, with more to come as we celebrate the model’s 50th birthday. I will admit that I was unprepared for the interest and excitement this anniversary has attracted and I suspect it is fast becoming the car to watch at auction and in the classifieds. It would be good to see what must now qualify as a ‘classic’ Jaguar sell for decent money because a lot of the older cars once seen as investments, are nothing of the sort now. Luckily, I’ve never regarded my Series 1 E-Type as anything but a keeper and to be honest, I don’t much care what it’s worth, but there are a lot of Jaguar owners out there whose fingers must be feeling a bit singed.
I am also amazed at how many people think you can restore a classic Jaguar or Daimler to a high standard and still recover the cost by selling it on. Those of us who have owned these cars for as long as we have will know differently – the hard truth is that to restore, say, a Series 1 to the correct spec can cost upwards of £80-£100k and the market is simply not there right now unless the car happened to have belonged to someone famous, or his second cousin’s first wife… It’s not all doom and gloom though, because in theory, it’s a buyer’s market for anyone hoping to break into classic Jaguar ownership. But only if the sellers accept that they won’t get the price they’d hoped for. If you watch any of the YouTube auction reports, you’ll know that the number of classics – Jaguars included – with Not Sold stamped across them is becoming a common sight.
So, it begs the question – as a seller, should you hang out for what you regard as the car’s true value or accept market forces and drop your price? I’d be interested to hear what you, our members, think.
On a brighter note, we have good news for members in Ireland because as of next month, we will have a new Area 106 Southern Ireland starting up to complement our Area 30 in the North. Sebastian Vidal will be our new Area 106 rep and we will be publishing full details in the August issue once he has got everything up and running. Please support him!
Finally, our next big event will be the Club’s National Weekend and I am delighted to say that our President, Sir John Egan, will be joining us at the dinner. I am told that bar a couple of expensive suites, the hotel rooms are sold out, but there is still space at the dinner on Saturday night if you’re quick.
This year, we unveil our new Wheel Change Challenge – the nearest thing we have to a Formula 1 pitstop – and there will be a fine display of XJ-S for the car’s 50th. That’s it for this month – I hope you enjoy the magazine, full of happy snaps of lovely Jaguars touring the country, and I look forward to seeing you at Whittlebury Park next month.
Gaynor
