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THE JAGUAR #04

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| A charged-up drive of the New All-Electric Jaguar I-PACE in Portugal’s Algarve | The inside line on the creation of the revolutionary I-PACE | Reinventing a classic: meet the E-type Concept Zero | Fifty years of the iconic XJ saloon | Exclusive interview with tennis star Johanna Konta | Can supercomputers revolutionise art? 

JAGUAR

JAGUAR XJ: 50 YEARS OF AN ICON 1968 SERIES 1 1968 was a year of political and societal change, with people worldwide seeking greater freedom of deed and thought, summed up culturally well by The Beatles’ White Album double LP, which featured thought-provoking songs like “Revolution 1” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Written at an Indian retreat for transcendental meditation, the music and the hippie lifestyle of the musicians became the trademark style reference of an entire generation and was reflected in the psychedelic colors and organic shapes of everything from furniture design to contemporary art. Meanwhile, in the late sixties Jaguar made its own quantum leap with the introduction of the XJ Series 1. The XJ shape was another Sir William Lyons masterpiece and Jaguar Chief Vehicle Engineer Bob Knight’s work on development set new standards for ride and refinement. The 1968 XJ Series 1’s excellent proportions and engineering execution was thus perfect for its equally successful and forward-looking clientele. A few years later, a 5.3 liter V12 engine was offered from 1972 in the follow-up XJ12. The XJ12 was Lyons’ crowning achievement; Jaguar could now claim to have one of the fastest production four-seater in the world with a maximum speed just short of 140 mph*. *Always follow local speed limits. 72 THE JAGUAR

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES/MIMI HADDON; JOHN PRATT/KEYSTONE/GETTY IMAGES; DOUG WILSON/CORBIS/CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES; MARK MADEO/FUTURE PUBLISHING VIA GETTY IMAGES “ A SHAPELY TWO-DOOR COUPE WENT ON SALE IN 1975 AND HAS SINCE BECOME A COLLECTOR’S ITEM” 1973 SERIES 2 More stringent US crash safety regulations were a factor in the development of the Series 2 launched in September 1973. To comply, a higher front bumper was created, and the smaller orange indicator lamps placed below it differentiate the 2 from the 1 clearly from the front, but the bigger change was a completely revised interior. A shapely two-door coupe version went on sale in 1975 and has since become a collector’s item among Jaguar aficionados due to its slightly sportier profile and simple exterior. In In that same year, a 19-year-old Bill Gates with Paul Allen formed a new technology company called Microsoft and launched the first computer software program, the Altair BASIC. Big things followed... THE JAGUAR 73

 

JAGUAR

THE JAGUAR MAGAZINE

 

JAGUAR MAGAZINE celebrates creativity in all its forms, with exclusive features that inspire sensory excitement, from seductive design to cutting-edge technology.

The latest issue features a range of inspiring people: from Luke Jennings, creator of Villanelle, one of the most interesting television characters in recent times, to Marcus Du Sautoy, who ponders whether artificial intelligence is on the brink of becoming creative. Out on the road, we visit the US to explore the foodie heaven of Portland in a Jaguar I-PACE, take a Jaguar XE to the south of France to get a photographer’s viewpoint of the charming town of Arles, and much more.

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