Jaguar's 75th Anniversary Celebrations

Jaguar entered at 2010 Mille Miglia revival event, for its 75th anniversary celebrations. In order to represent the company there were 27 vehicles from around the globe. Actually, the decision was made to celebrate the occasion in an extra special way. Therefore, Jaguar Cars and the Jaguar Heritage Trust sponsored the event; they included XK120, C-type and D-type models for 1,000 mile rally, started from Brescia in northern Italy. That was an amazing event which gave the Jaguar lovers a chance to see preserved Jaguars from the manufacturer’s own collection. You’ll surely surprise to know about some cars that participated in that rally, drove by the Jaguar ‘works team’.

The 1950 XK120 registered NUB 120, a model that is known with one of the best accomplishments of Jaguar in the motorsport world. That vehicle was privately owned and campaigned by Ian Appleyard, with his wife Patricia (Sir William Lyons' daughter). Let me mention here that Ian Appleyard also won the Alpine Rally in 1950-51, the 1951 RAC Rally and the Tulip Rally in 1951.

There was also the remarkable C-type (registered NDU 289), a model that helped Jaguar a lot enjoying its triumph in racing by providing it first victory in the Le Mans 24hour race in 1951. 

Another Jaguar was a 1956 D-type (long nose), registered 393 RW, the penultimate D-type manufactured by Jaguar in March 1956 for the works team. In the same year that car succeeded in winning the Reims 12hour race, driven by Duncan Hamilton & Ivor Bueb, and more interestingly its indicated by the Jaguar Heritage Trust that 393 RW is one of the most original D-types that exist.