New classic car hire site in Bathq

Great Escape Classic Car Hire has extended its network with the addition of a new Bath fleet, located on the edge of the beautiful World Heritage City. The new location adds five of the most popular classic cars for hire to Great Escape's fleet.
The new Bath fleet includes classic cars by Jaguar, Morris, MG, Triumph and Austin Healey. Every car is available to hire by the day, weekend or week at our competitive hire rates, which includes insurance and full UK breakdown cover.
"A south west location has been top of our list for some time," explains Graham Eason of Great Escape. "The Bath fleet is perfect for accessing the Dorset coast and the South West and includes some of the most popular classic cars of all time.
"The new site will operate to our normal high standards for vehicle maintenance and customer service."
To find out about hiring one of Great Escape's new cars in Bath - which include Morris Minor Convertible, Triumph TR6, MGB, Austin Healey 3000 and Jaguar E Type coupe - call 01527 893733 or visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/.

Grace, Pace and just enough Space (For Two) by Matt Nichols
Sir William Lyons had a simple vision for his beloved Jaguar cars during the time he presided; grace, pace and space, and so the question is how do the beautiful 60’s E-Type, rectangular shaped 70’s XJS and retro styled 90’s XKR square up. Well one thing they do share in common is space, or more precisely a distinct lack of it, because all three offer a snug fit for two, with any notion of there being room for plus two more best translated as meaning plus two more bags, perfect then for that weekend getaway.
First impressions
E-Types are stunning cars that draw you in the minute you first clap eyes on them, and so unfortunately for the other two here, win your heart in an instant. Their long slender bonnets that hand over to curving rooflines, for the coupes at least, to then meet with the distinctive and equally curvy rear haunches. It doesn’t get any better and therefore any surprise that the newest Jaguar here, the XKR, takes many of its good looks from its granddaddy, albeit on a physically much larger scale. So what of the XJS a car that spanned the 21 year gap between E-Type and XK8 on which the XKR is based? Well back in the day straighter lines were in, and working on the basis that Ferrari were at it with the Daytona, Aston the same with the V8 Coupe and Jensen likewise with the Interceptor, I don’t think anyone can really criticise Jaguar for doing something similar. Of course looking back now it is all a bit academic with the E-Types being the clear winners of the beauty pageant, XKR second and XJS a distant third.Sat insideWithin the cabin is where everything starts to become a matter of taste and just how snug you want to be. Squeeze yourself into an E-Type and you face two stunningly large dials for engine and road speed with a surprisingly modern looking long row of rocker switches mounted dead centre on the dash between you and your passenger. There is no getting away with one thing though, as comfortable as they are once installed, E-Types are tricky cars to enter and exit from with tiny doors and extremely wide sills. If mobility is at all an issue, the cruel truth is looking at one from the outside may be as close as you get.This is where the later XJS and XKR derivatives come into their own, as both offer far easier accessibility from their more conventional interior design. The XJS is still low slung, but with plenty of room up front for both driver and passenger with pleasantries like powerful heating and ventilation systems and in the convertible, an electric folding roof. The XKR coupe offers similar, this time being more modern again, marred just slightly by the Ford sourced console and switchgear which thankfully falls below your eye-line whilst on the move. Surprisingly all three do share one thing in common; perfectly placed elbow rests either side of the driver, and so time now to hit the road.
Engine and exhaust note
When you do turn the key it’s the E-Types and XKR that truly deliver. Depending on which model you plump for depends on just how aural your experience is, as the Great Escape Classic Car Hire E-Types come with 5.3 V12 and smaller 6 cylinder engines with and without sports exhausts fitted. Volume levels therefore range from 1 to 10. The XKR has its own glorious sound in the form of a Jaguar V8 power-plant that rewards at tick-over with a distinctive throb giving way to the shrill of its supercharger as the loud pedal is fully depressed. Both are truly inspiring and completely different. The XJS on the other hand is much more ‘grace’ and the sleeper of the three as its V12 is almost completely silent until pushed really hard, with the only noise generated being that of wind passing quickly overhead when the roof is down.
Out and about
If you are after a relaxing and classy jolt around the countryside with something extra on tap if required then the XJS might just be for you. This car by its very nature is grace personified, combined with easy entry and exit as well as a heater so powerful you could probably drive to the north-pole roof down. The XKR takes away some of that grace and replaces it with much more pace, courtesy of its 4.0litre blown V8 that at 370bhp and 387 lbs/ft of torque is enough to see off any hot hatch and most other things up to Porsche, Ferrari and TVR standards. This car is extremely quick on fast flowing roads only needing to slow on tighter sections, largely due to its bulky 1700kg mass.E-Types on the other hand are lithe machines, particularly in 4.2 litre guise, and can be hustled along any road at any speed in relative comfort. The absence of body roll combined with comfort over virtually any road surface is a revelation with the only constraints being the car’s systems, such as the heater and fit of the roof around the windscreen, if a convertible. There is also the mild inconvenience of exhaust fumes being sucked into the cabin in the coupes, meaning a stop every 60 minutes or so is essential to preventing brain fade.
Ownership prospects
This is really a question about available funds, or maybe a gap that needs filling if you have a collection. The good news is that space aside, all three cars fulfil the ethos of grace and pace and so allow you to enjoy Jaguar ownership as its owner intended. E-Types provide the ultimate in classic car ownership in everything that means. Whilst XJS’s are now gaining recognition in their role in providing a basic platform for the later XK8, XKR and Aston Martin DB7 models and respected all the more for that with prices holding firm. XKR’s are now looking remarkable value for money for a car that is quite simply bonkers fast with an uncanny ability to cruise all day long at high speed. Each has something to offer, and so all three are cars Sir William should be, and I’m sure would be, extremely proud of.
Overall
An E-Type offers the ultimate in classic car ownership; the squarer XJS is for those on a tighter budget or for anyone who doesn’t quite bend and flex as well as they used to and the XKR serves as a useful halfway house both in terms of its looks and the investment required whilst providing serious pace to boot.
Driving
E Type - Incredible balance of cross country pace and grace, truly amazing for a 50 year old car
XJS - More grace than pace and so the XJS is by far the most refined of the three here
XKR - A supercharged V8 ensures this car wins the pace race, once the auto-box has done its thing
Engine
E Type -4.2 litre 6 Cylinder DOHC or 5.3 litre SOHC V12
XJS - 5.3 litre SOHC V12 with Lucas fuel injection
XKR - Supercharged 4.0 litre Quad Cam V8BrakesDisc brakes front and rear work well
Handling
E Type - Flat with hardly any roll, can be driven anywhere and rewards at any pace
XJS - Soft and cosy, best driven at a gentle pace
XKR - Comes close to E-Type but cannot hide its 1700kg mass in tighter corners
Desirability
All E-Types are sought after cars, Series 1 convertibles commanding the highest values, with later 2+2 coupes being the most affordable
XJS -Has suffered in the past but prices have now settled with interest on the increase
XKR - Just starting to be of interest now especially when compared to its higher valued cousin, the DB7.
Pro’s
E Type - Instantly recognisable fame
XJS - Accessible to more people and can be used all year round
XKR - Rocketship with some nice E-Type styling cues
Con’s
E Type
Buying: Tricky and potentially very costly to maintain
Renting: None
XJS
Buying: Not so tricky maybe, but still potentially costly to run and maintain
Renting: None
XKR
Buying: Same.
Renting: None
Overall
E Type - 5/5
XJS - 3/5
XKR - 4/5

Jaguar E Type 4.2 road test

By Matt Nichols

If you’re struggling to make sense of aspects of modern living then I may have found the perfect tonic for you in the form of this magnificent bright red Jaguar E-Type Coupe. I drove this car on roads I am very familiar and at times get completed frustrated with, and yet I had one of those enlightening moments in this car when suddenly everything made sense. Viewing the world through the tiny windscreen, triple wiper blades and achingly long vented bonnet whilst firmly gripping the thin rimmed wooden steering wheel, I re-tuned into and got Britain once again. The countryside was perfect and able to be enjoyed at 60mph, a speed which also felt just right, as did 30mph which was no longer the unnecessary delay it often feels, but instead an opportunity to absorb some fine architecture and realise that life is good when you’re in such excellent company.

I’ve previously had the pleasure of driving two other E-Types from Great Escape Classic Car Hire and this car confirmed that in the same way bumble bees shouldn't be able to fly with their large bodies and tiny wings but of course they do. E-Type's, being so long and narrow, shouldn't handle and yet they do. In fact the handling is sublime. This red 4.2 Coupe moves from bend to bend with hardly any slack and virtually no body roll. In any other car that would also mean a bumpy ride, but not in an E-Type as all road imperfections are glossed over like Dulux’s finest without any hint to suggest anything was there in the first place. So much so I guarantee you will start to question how that is possible in a car over 40 years old and without a magnetic damper in sight. This coupe also comes with the trademark brakes that although require a firm press and whole leg movement will easily lock both fronts at 60-70mph. Better still the brake pedal draws level with the throttle pedal once depressed and so perfect for a quick sideways flex of your right foot and a cheeky little downshift blip of the engine.

The luxurious red leather interior offers room for your passenger to stretch right out once they’ve made it in through the narrow door and over the wide sill, a gentleman would of course look away, and also provides a splendid place for you both to enjoy the journey ahead. The long bonnet, which is further accentuated by the red paint was fully appreciated by Mrs Nichols at the time of testing, I did of course offer my own theories as to why that might be, but apparently it was definitely just the bonnet she was referring to. There are no rear seats on this strict two seater but there is an attractive and practical hatch, only missing some period luggage for a complete 60’s weekend break experience. Luckily there is still the 40 year old indicators to enjoy, which make a distinguished grandfather clock ‘tock’ noise from the relay located somewhere behind the passenger glove box.I did have one question before driving this car, which is do you need a V12 in your E-Type to make it a real one and I can categorically advise that you do not. The 4.2 litre DOHC straight six in this car is superb, providing a very purposeful growl when you decide to push on or overtake as well as offering such range in capability you realise four gears are all that is required. Better still, whilst on the move you need just one gear, 4th, something that makes a mockery of more up to date machinery with 6, 7 and even 8 available these days. How did we allow that to happen, because in this car I found myself staring in disbelief at the rev counter at times when from 30–70mph at no point did the dial climb above halfway, quite brilliant.

In terms of classic car traits the absence of power assisted steering means that 3 point turns can easily extend to 4-5 which is no issue, except for maybe a slight reddening of the gills if anyone happens to be watching at the time. Some exhaust fumes can make it into the cabin, which was the same as the V12 Coupe I drove, so just keep a window open, and there is a slight knock in the left hand rear of the car as drive is taken up, which I understand to be quite normal. Other familiar E-Type traits include a snatch of synchromesh when going back down from 4th to 3rd gear, something double de-clutching helps smooth once mastered. But these are all minor points and I think now surely regarded as features on a car of this age. Also, if you’ve read other reports and picked up on a minor obsession I have around whether the clock works or not, then all I can advise is remember to wear your watch.

This beautiful and bright 4.2 E-Type Coupe is the first classic I’ve driven and thought seriously that in the right circumstances I could quite easily use every day, and do you know, I think if I did the world would never cease to be a truly wonderful place.



1969 E-Type 4.2 Series 2 Coupe

Driving

Sublime, feeling light, nimble and tight and never crashing over bumps

Engine

Potent 4.2 litre DOHC 6 cylinder unit proves your E-Type doesn’t have to be a V12

Performance

Max Power: 265 bhp @ 5500 RPM Max Torque: 283 lb ft @ 4000 RPM0-60mph: 6.1 seconds

Top Speed: 150mph

Brakes

Superb, a firm press of the pedal means you can, if required, lock the front wheels at virtually any speed

Handling

One of life’s and arguably physics mysteries, how a car so long and narrow can handle so well

Desirability

Series 2 E-Types are the least well loved, which translates into a great opportunity for entry level ownership

Pro’s

It’s an E-Type

Con’s

Buying: OK so it’s not the purists favourite, but make sure it’s a good one and you’ve still got an icon in your garage Renting: None

Overall

5/5

Jaguar Mk2 on John Bishop's Britain

Great Escape Classic Car Hire's 1965 British Racing Green Jaguar Mk2 saloon will feature on John Bishop's Britain, scheduled to air on 6th August 2011. The car features in a comedy sketch written by the comedian to appear in his popular Saturday night BBC1 television show.

We worked with the production team to provide the Jaguar at very short notice. We had to rework our vehicle logistics schedule in order to accommodate the request, fortunately without letting any customers down.

Great Escape Classic Car Hire regularly provides classic cars for television and film companies as well as advertising agencies. Our cars have appeared at The Brits and various films and documentaries for the BBC and Sky as well as numerous magazine and advertising shoots. We have full trailer and truck facilities for simple, reliable delivery and collection and can provide staff during the shoot to prepare and manouvre the vehicles.

The Jaguar Mk2 is for hire in the Cotswolds. It is one of three Jaguar Mk2 cars on the Great Escape Classic Car hire fleet. The company has a range of 50 classic cars for hire from 6 UK locations. For more details visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/ or call 01527 893733.

E Type cover star (again)

For the second time in a month a Great Escape Classic Car Hire Jaguar E Type graces the cover of a magazine celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E Type. This time it is the turn of our elegant white Jaguar E Type convertible V12 Series 3, which features on the cover of Classics Monthly's heavyweight tomb dedicated to the E Type Jaguar's 50th anniversary.
The £10.99 book, which covers the entire history of the Jaguar E Type, buying guides and driving experiences of every single model, has been specially produced to celebrate the E Type's anniversary. The book features a lengthy article on the Great Escape Classic Car Hire Series 3 E Type, with plenty of stunning images and a very complementary write up by Classics Monthly's Deputy Editor James Page. He starts a sceptic and comes away from the experience feeling that perhaps the Series 3 E Type, with its turbine-smooth V12 engine, is the best E Type of them all.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire regularly provides cars to magazines and TV and media organisations for photography and video shoots. We have four Jaguar E Type cars on our fleet including a 4.2 litre Series 2 coupe, a V12 coupe and two Old English White Series 3 V12 convertibles. Each car is available for hire on a self drive basis for weekends, weekdays and weddings.
For more information on Great Escape Classic Car Hire visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/ or call 01527 893733.
View external link

Jaguar E Type cover star

Great Escape Classic Car Hire's 1971 Jaguar E Type coupe V12 for hire in Worcestershire is the cover star of the July issue of Classic Car Mart.
The magazine, which regularly works with Great Escape, chose the dark blue car to illustrate a feature on 'Bargain E Types' to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E Type. The later Series 3 E Type, particularly in coupe form, is relatively cheap to buy compared to its earlier cousins - despite the fact that it features one of the greatest mass-produced engines of all time, the Jaguar 5.3 litre V12.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire provided the Jaguar E Type to the magazine for photographs, which are used prominently on the cover and throughout the magazine article. The car's dark blue finish, black leather interior and sunroof make it a particularly attractive example of the later Series 3 E Type Jaguar.
"We work hard to maintain the high standards of our vehicles," explains Graham Eason of Great Escape, "so it is satisfying that Classic Car Mart felt this car was good enough to feature on its cover.
"2011 is a great time to experience a Jaguar E Type as it is the car's 50th anniversary."
For more information on hiring the Jaguar E Type V12 coupe in Worcestershire call 01527 893733 or visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/. Great Escape Classic Car Hire operates the largest fleet of classic cars for hrie in the UK, including a fleet of 4 E Types ranging from a Series 2 4.2 litre coupe to a late model Series 3 V12 convertible.
View external link

Celebrate the Jaguar E Type 50th anniversary

There can be few things more English than touring the some great British countryside behind the wheel of 7 of the best Jaguar cars ever made. Join us on the Great Escape Classic Car Hire Jaguar Car Rally on 2nd July and you can do just that.
The rally starts from our Cotswolds site in Worcestershire.
The Great Escape Jaguar Car Rally is a unique opportunity to sample 7 different classic Jaguars from the 1960s to 2000s on some of our favourite roads in the Cotswolds. Places are limited to ensure you get as much time as possible in each car. The day includes over 6 hours of driving over 120 miles through some varied A- and B-roads across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Wales.

We have the widest range of classic Jaguar cars for hire in the UK. So we've pulled together an eclectic selection to celebrate the Jaguar E Type's 50th anniversary in 2011, including some of the cars it influenced, as well as its contemporary Jaguar stablemates.
The Jaguar Rally is fully supported by Great Escape with two staff on hand throughout the route. We even accompany the route with one spare classic car.

Jaguar Car Rally Fleet
The rally will include these superb Great Escape cars.
Jaguar E Type V12 convertible
Jaguar Mk2 3.8
Jaguar XJ6 coupe
Jaguar XKR
Jaguar XJS V12 convertible
Jaguar E Type V12 coupe
Jaguar E Type 4.2 coupe

Car Rally Package
The rally package includes:
Drive all 7 classic Jaguars
120 mile circular touring route to Welsh Borders and back
6 hours driving
Lunch
Fuel
Insurance
Light breakfast on arrival
Briefing notes
Start time 9am, finish approx 6pm
VAT at 20%
Prices
Places on the Jaguar Car Rally are strictly limited - when they're gone, they're gone. You can book a single driver's place for £345 or a two driver car for £590.
To book online visit our Online Shop. Alternatively call 01527 893733 or email graham@greatescapecars.co.uk

Our E Type at The Brits Awards 2011

A White Jaguar E Type convertible from Great Escape Classic Car Hire was star of the show at The Brit Awards 2011 when it appeared on stage with Paloma Faith and Cee Lo Green to close the show. The car was part of the British-themed Awards ceremony held at the O2 Arena in London on 15th February and attended by music industry gliterati.
Great Escape supplied a white 1972 Series 3 E Type convertible finished in white wth a black leather interior for the show. The Jaguar E Type, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2011, was the obvious choice to close the celebration of British music and culture.
The Jaguar E Type used on the stage is available for self drive hire by the day, weekend or week from Great Escape's site in Worcestershire, near the Cotswolds. The company also has an identical E Type for hire in Yorkshire from Harrogate.
"We are very pleased to be associated with such a high profile event," explains Graham Eason of Great Escape. "The E Type looked fabulous on stage, received a lot of positive comments from the artists and even a standing ovation from the backstage crew when we took it off stage."
Great Escape delivered the car to the O2 Arena in London on the 14th February at short notice. They provided a driver in full time attendance to assist with manouvring and cleaning the car.
"We do a lot of work for TV, film and production companies," adds Graham, "so we have the experience necessary to ensure everything runs smoothly even with very big events."
Great Escape Classic Car Hire is the largest classic car hire company in the UK, operating a fleet of 50 classic rental cars from 6 UK locations. For more details call 01527 893733 or visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/.

V12 Dilemma

It's a tough choice that has surely agitated many over time. Was the Jaguar V12 engine better fuel injected in the XJS or carb-fuelled in the E Type? Ok, maybe it isn't one of those chicken and egg lying-awake-at-night conundrums but surely finding out is more fun. Which is why at Great Escape Classic Car Hire we've created the V12 Dilemma weekend (and not the Chicken & Egg Dilemma Weekend).
Our V12 Dilemma, which is available to buy online in our shop or by calling 01527 893733, puts you behind the wheel of a Jaguar E Type convertible and Jaguar XJS convertible for the weekend - 24 hours in each car. We provide the route and accommodation, you just turn up. In the year of the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E Type there can't be many better ways to sample the best Jaguar engine ever made.
The V12 Dilemma is available from Great Escape Classic Car Hire's Cotswolds base. The cars are a 1973 Jaguar E Type V12 convertible in Old English White with manual gearbox and a 1988 Jaguar XJS V12 convertible with automatic gearbox.
To find out more visit the Great Escape shop or call 01527 893733

E Types proves it's retro cool

When Easy Living needed a cool 1970s convertible for its retro 70s fashion shoot the Great Escape Classic Car Hire Jaguar E Type was the obvious choice. 50 years after its launch the Jaguar E Type remains one of the most popular and beautiful classic cars of all time. And the Great Escape car's white and black colour scheme fitted the style of the photography perfectly.
The feature appears in the February 2011 issue of Easy Living and includes a series of full page fashion images shot in London last summer. We provide cars regularly for photo and film shoots so we were able to pull together a schedule and plan the logistics at very short notice to suit the magazine's tight deadline. The car was delivered to the shoot in central London with a driver who attended for several days, including an extension to the schedule which we were able to handle. The driver assisted during the shoot with moving the car into and out of shot.
Easy Living magazine was very pleased with Great Escape Classic Car Hire's participation and praised our driver, who helped out on location over and above his job description.
"It is always great to see one of our cars featuring in a high quality fashion shoot," explains Graham Eason of Great Escape. "The E Type is a beautiful car and looks great on camera. Our customers are always interested to see the car they're driving featured in high profile TV and advertising work."
For more information on the Great Escape Classic Car Hire Jaguar E Type convertible for hire call 01527 893733 or visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk.
View external link

And they're off

It's been a sad old weekend for us here at Great Escape Classic Car Hire. First off our trusty 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee gave up the ghost when the head gasket blew. It's towed virtually every one of our classic cars for hire this year, covering 10,000 miles in the service of delivering and collecting cars for customers all over the UK. It became more than a workhorse, more of a trusted member of the team. Sadly it's not worth repairing it so it's off for spares or repair via Ebay.
Then on Saturday we despatched our 1994 Jaguar X300 XJR and 1984 Ford Capri S to new owners. We love both these cars but decided to move them on. Both cars have been popular but we like to keep our fleet fresh - and with space at a premium we had to do some brutal cutting. So until we move to our new unit early next year we won't be replacing these cars. But expect some exciting new additions in the first quarter.
It is a shame for these cars to go as the Jaguar XJR is a real sleeper classic - brutal performancecombined with genuinely cossetting luxury. All for a bargain basement price. They can't stay this cheap for much longer. Same with the Ford Capri 2 litre S. Every Capri fan wants a 2.8 but we'll let you into a secret - in terms of bangs for your buck, the 2 litre is hard to beat. We really like the woofly urge of our Ford Capri Brooklands for hire but the 2 litre is wonderfully chuckable and light. And not much slower than the 2.8.
So congratulations to David and Martin the new owners of the XJR and Capri, we hope you enjoy your purchases. We did.

What happened to our motor industry?

Earlier this week here at Great Escape Classic Car Hire we spent a day at Studley Castle in Warwickshire to attend the AGM of the Historic & Classic-car Hirers Guild (HCHG). Afficionados of the British motor industry will know that Studley Castle was British Leyland's conference and management training centre from the 1960s to 2005. This got us thinking about our illustrious indigenous car industry, particularly as I'm currently reading Back from the Brink, Michael Edwardes' riveting story of his time at British Leyland.
This book should be proscribed reading for anyone in the motor industry. I got chatting by email to a friend of mine who has also read this excellent book. He produced the following succinct and - I think - very accurate assessment of what Edwardes did right and, perhaps only hindsight can we say this, wrong. Here is it, thanks Anthony Griffiths.
Edwards wins you over with his backs-to-the-wall portrayal of devotion to an impossible job. It got me questioning my leftwing beliefs, especially over the Red Robbo saga, particularly as any right-wing South African suspicions I may have harboured were allayed by his increasing dislike of Thatcher.
And to a certain extent, his strategy was correct. Confront unions, update working practices and decentralise management. Revitalise sales to stabilise BL, and convince government to finance future investment (more brinkmanship!). Protect the 'meat & drink' of the company, and sell off or close down the rest. Thus Austin Morris is saved, Jaguar and Land-Rover sold, and MG and Triumph (Acclaim excepted) wound down. His strategy works very well up to the early '90s, by which time Rover's revised Metro, 200/400, 600 and revised 800 are set to serve the company well for the forseeable.
However, what Edwards failed to predict (and perhaps could never have predicted), was that to survive beyond the next Millennium, BL would have to be big and global (eg. Ford) or small and specialist (eg. Morgan). With the Austin and Morris names irrecoverably damaged, the whole range was rebranded Rover. But rather than enhance the former Austin-Morris range, this tactic diluted Rover. Then BL was caught in the middle: a brand too weak to expand, yet too common to be specialist. It was a British firm with insufficient overseas presence to court one of the big players, yet with a history of volume production not seen as a traditional cottage industry.
With the benefit of hindsight, Edwards was right to preserve Jaguar and Land Rover, should have kept the stronger brands of MG and Triumph, but ditched Austin and Morris. I think the company might have survived as a selection of small-scale traditional British firms. Alex Moulton's 2000 bid to take over and rebrand Rover as The MG Car Company (which I hated at the time but now see as commercially sound) tends to support this.
But thirty years ago, although Austin and Morris reputations were dead in the water, their factories were still considered key to national prosperity. Thus many jobs and vulnerable Midlands Parliamentary seats lay in the balance. To close the factories was unthinkable. The company was therefore propped up, and the inevitable decline delayed as long as possible.
The rest is history. Honda was called upon for help, which it did, but cannily creamed off the royalties. Sick of bailing out BL, the Tory Government gratefully passed Rover to British Aerospace. Rather than investing in new models, British Aerospace cannily sold at profit to BMW. BMW underestimated the investment required (abandoning the 600 due to royalties now payable to Honda), and took the company into ill-advised retrofest. With the 'English Patient' doomed, Pheonix were tasked with providing life-support, but in the end supported their own lives and the company died.
Unfortunately, the most successful aspect of this saga, is that the UK managed to kill its enormous car industry without blame being attributable to any one individual!



The British Leyland saga is fascinating and sad. Here in Worcestershire we're surrounded by plenty of businesses either run by ex-BL employees or former suppliers to 'the Austin'. We are consistently impressed by the knowledge and sheer commitment of individuals - whatever history may suggest, this wasn't a company manned by a majority of disinterested employees. We've added several British Leyland cars to our fleet including two Jaguar XJ6 cars for hire and the UK's largest fleet of MGBs.

Great Escape with Sky TV

Great Escape Classic Car Hire recently took part in a macabre re-enactment of a brutal 1970s murder. Of course, it was all for the cameras and no animals or people were harmed. The film shoot for Sky TV's Crime and Punishment documentary channel told the story of a brutal 1974 murder of a young London man.
The producers were after authenticity and required a Jaguar XJ6 saloon as driven by one of the gang. Great Escape has the only non-white Jaguar XJ6 for hire in the UK and we were only too happy to help. We again provided the car at short notice, taking a brief by phone and email and delivering the car to central London the following day for the all-day shoot.
The Jaguar XJ6 was used to film the gang capturing the victim, arriving and leaving the murder scene and loading the 'dead body' into the back of the car. Fortunately the Jaguar's capacious boot and interior space was perfect for transporting the gang and the body, perhaps something the original criminals were aware of when they chose the big cat.
While William Lyons, who designed the Jaguar XJ6, may not rate this appearance as the pinnacle of the classic Jaguar's career, we felt the car helped the create a period feel to the film, particularly with its Sable and green colour scheme.
To find out more about the Jaguar XJ6 for hire in Yorkshire click here.

Wales in a classic car

When my wife Janine and I decided to organise an 'away day' to plan 2011 for our classic car hire business Great Escape, Wales was the obvious destination. Although many of our customers head towards the Cotswolds from our Worcestershire HQ, the few that venture westwards come back with tales that have often tempted us.

So we booked ourselves into the superb The Drawing Room near Builth Wells for dinner bed and breakfast. This B&B is a real find, located just 90 minutes from our Worcestershire base in the heart of the Welsh Borders, it offers real home comfort and superb food in its small restaurant.

With the easy part done - choosing the B&B - I was left with the hard job of selecting a classic car to take. Strange as it may seem for someone who is in and out of classic cars all day, I very rarely get to drive the cars in my leisure time. We are usually hurrying from location to location to deliver cars or organise repairs, hardly the stuff of classic drives.

So I was faced with an unusually tough choice. In the end it came down to two cars - either my mint Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti or my equally good Daimler Sovereign Coupe. With poor weather forecast and feeling knackered from another week hussling classic cars, I chose the Daimler.

The Daimler Sovereign is essentially a Jaguar XJ6 coupe with nicer seats. One of 1,500 4.2 Sovereigns made, this car is Regency Red (memorably described by Jeremy Clarkson as 'the colour of a vet's arm') with a tan interior. Many customers tend to overlook this car, favouring instead the Jaguar Mk2 and E Type, but anyone who does chance upon it absolutely loves it. The Daimler is quite easily the nicest riding car I have ever driven and is effortlessly stylish - there is something novel and entertaining that never quite wears off about dropping all four windows and experiencing the 'pillarless effect.'

So we packed up the Daimler and hit the road, travelling to Builth Wells via Witney, Leominster, Ludlow and Brecon and arriving a couple of hours later. The road were quiet but endlessly entertaining, even in a big old barge like the Daimler, Despite featherlight steering, the car handles beautifully. The roads around Herefordshire and the Welsh Borders are generally quiet but constantly amaze with oustanding scenery and an endless variety of dips, turns and straights.

Suitably rested and planned-out we hit the road the next day, stopping at Hay on Wye and then on to Symonds Yat before returning home to meet some customers.

All in all, a very relaxing and hugely rewarding journey of just a couple of hundred miles. So if you're planning a trip in one of Great Escape's classic cars, go West!

Great Escape stars at Jaguar Drivers Club event

Great Escape Classic Car Hire's beautiful Old English White Jaguar E Type convertible was one of the star attractions at the recent Jaguar Drivers Club national event held at Althorp House in Northamptonshire. The car was provided by Great Escape for the Footman James stand as part of a competition giveaway by the insurer involving a weekend prize package developed by Great Escape.
Footman James ran the competition exclusively for Jaguar Drivers Club members to win a weekend away, with accommodation, in one of Great Escape's fleet of classic cars based in the Cotswolds. The competition winner received their prize at the show and the E Type was paraded around the show ground.
"We have developed a unique range of weekend getaway packages through our Getaway Driver brand," explains Graham Eason of Great Escape. "We were able to provide Footman James with a complete weekend package prize involving our cars and our local accommodation providers.
"We are very pleased to be associated with Footman James and the Jaguar Drivers Club."
For more details on the Jaguar E Type for hire from Great Escape, click here or call 01527 893733. For more details on The Getaway Driver click here.
View external link

The Jaguar XJS rocks

The Great Escape Classic Car Hire Jaguar XJS V12 convertible has been chosen by up and coming heavy rock band Jett Black to appear in the video for its new single 'Two Hot Girls.' The band wanted a four seater convertible that would fit the retro 1980s style they were looking for and the classic Jaguar fitted the bill.
The band collected the Jaguar from Great Escape's base in Worcestershire and used it on set in London overnight.
Great Escape supplies a lot of cars to TV, film, production and advertising companies for music videos and photo shoots but the Jaguar XJS is usually selected for traditional English roles. This is the first time that its quintessentially 1980s style has been used to effect. The Great Escape Jaguar XJS is best known for its role in the 2009 first series of Antiques Road Trips on BBC2.
A Jaguar XJS convertible also features in Swift Cover's current advertising campaign with Iggy Pop, so clearly its rock credentials are on the up.
You can find out more about the Jaguar XJS here and Jett Black here. The Jett Black video for Two Hot Girls will be out in about 6 weeks.

Jaguar XJ6 hits the mean streets of London

We took our 1974 Jaguar XJ6 saloon down to London again recently for a film shoot for a Sky crime documentary. The script called for a large 1970s saloon to transport the criminals and our low slung Jaguar XJ6 four door saloon fitted the bill. Our Sable car is identical to one driven by Arthur Daley in Minder so while this project was perhaps not as glamorous as the fashion shoots that the car has recently appeared in, it does at least express another aspect of the character of William Lyons' evergreen saloon.

The Jaguar XJ6 arrived in London very early at the production team's offices just off Oxford Street. The Jaguar turned heads in the rush our traffic with several drivers winding down their windows to find out more about the sleek, low-slung coupe-like saloon. The car performed faultlessly on the 3 hour journey, despite the heavy traffic.

From the production offices we headed out to White City where the shoot took place. The Jaguar featured in virtually every scene. The script required the actors to load a body wrapped in carpet into the boot of the car. While this isn't something that the Jaguar design team anticipated when they developed the car we can confirm that the boot is perfectly sized for the purpose, although we hope no customers will put this to the test.

The Jaguar XJ6 Series 1, 2 and 3 is one of the most enduring and popular cars that Jaguar has ever made. Launched in 1968 and in production until 1992 the Jaguar XJ6 established a design style for Jaguar that remained in use until the launch of the current Jaguar XJ. The car was designed to resemble a coupe but with four doors and is arguably one of the most beautiful and fully resolved saloon cars ever made. Despite the cars undeniable good looks and high standard of fittings - including a walnut dashboard - like many previous Jaguars the XJ6 suffered a mixed reputation due to unreliability and overselling. Like the Jaguar Mk2 before it, when new the Jaguar XJ6 proved popular with aspiring people on both sides of the law thanks to its upmarket image cut with a dash of panache. The image of the second hand Jaguar XJ6 was epitomised by Arthur Daley in the TV series Minder. While the Jaguar XJ6 still retains an image of faded glamour it is fast becoming recognised for its style and engineering excellence. Alongside its elegant looks this is probably one of the best riding cars ever made.

Great Escape Classic Car Hire provides cars for TV, film and advertising projects on a weekly basis. To find out more visit our TV, Film and Advertising home page. Or call 01527 893733.