More than 250 people were thought to have attended. Photo / Peter Davies
More than 250 people were thought to have attended. Photo / Peter Davies
There was a hum of activity and excitement at Classic Flyers Museum on Saturday as 75 Jaguar vehicles were on show for all to see, celebrating 100 years of Jaguar origins.
Jaguars of all sorts were proudly on display, with owners happy to chat with the crowd of around 250 and share the cars' backgrounds.
Jaguar Drivers' Club Bay of Plenty's club captain Noel Harris said everyone had a great time and they were lucky with the beautiful weather, and that they had also been receiving new member enquiries from the show.
"It is a really great group and it's not all about cars - it's about people having a great time and building good friendships."
Harris owns five Jaguars, and said he had a passion for them because it was an iconic brand worldwide as a leader in manufacturing and design.
The event also included a book launch and signing of 'Classic Jaguars in New Zealand: Grace, Space, Pace' by Richard Waugh and contributors.
The event celebrated 100 years of Jaguar origins. Photo / Peter Davies
Harris said author Waugh sold about 65 copies of the book and was very happy with that result.
"The book launch was all about classic cars in New Zealand, and it's only the second book to be produced about Jaguars in New Zealand, so that was quite special."
Jaguars of all sorts were proudly on display. Photo / Peter Davies
Tauranga's Tony Johnson, a Jaguar Drivers' Club BOP member, said the earliest model at the show was a motorbike with a Swallow sidecar made in 1931. The newest was a 2022 iPace electric SUV brought along by event co-sponsor Ebbett Prestige.
Johnson said the brand started in 1922 as Swallow Sidecars, with the symbol 'SS', and began with making sidecars before going on to make cars. However, in 1939, the brand name was changed to Jaguar. The oldest car displayed that was not a sidecar was a 1935 SS1 Tourer, owned by Gisborne's Bill Harding.
"We had all sorts of Jaguar cars there and it was very bubbly," Johnson said. "We had wet weather all week and weren't sure how many would turn up, but more and more Jaguars came along.
"We were delighted to have so many."
He said there were more than 250 people who attended, and that it was a great opportunity for the public to get up close to the cars and talk with the owners.
Author Richard Waugh. Photo / Peter Davies
Johnson's Jaguar XK140 was one of the cars featured in the book launched at the event.
Other owners with cars featured in the book included Te Puke's Bruce Hutchinson with a 1936 SS Jaguar 2.5L saloon, and Tauranga's Jock Speedy with his 1955 XK140 Fixed Head Coupe.
Johnson said it felt great to have his car featured and that he enjoyed talking with people about it whenever they showed an interest, so was chuffed to get to share its background for the book.
"Mine came out in 1955 and was one of the fastest sports cars you could buy back then, it was quite something."
And what was it that he loved about Jaguars so much?
"For me, I hope others can share in my passion for Jaguars - they have lovely style, are curvaceous, go very well, and are quick with a lot of torque. They are attractive cars to look at, as well as being practical.
