Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Centre A Century of Motoring History on Display

6 January 1999
Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Centre A Century of Motoring History on Display
    DETROIT, Jan. 6 -- A century of motoring history went on
display today at the opening of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Centre in
Coventry.  The new centre, located alongside the main reception area at
Jaguar's Browns Lane Plant was officially opened by Jaguar's Chairman and
Chief Executive Nick Scheele.
    The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust is custodian of a unique collection of
Daimlers, Lanchesters, Swallows and Jaguars -- ranging from the oldest
surviving Daimler built in 1897 to the prototype of the XJ220.
    Many of these cars will be on permanent display on the Museum's 600 square
metres of floor space.  On an elevated mezzanine gallery, which was donated by
Unipart, is one of the world's most comprehensive collections of art devoted
to Jaguar and its products.  The art gallery features paintings by Turner,
Nockolds and Crosby, many of them depicting Jaguar's famous motor sport
victories.
    Over 150 square metres of archive space is located on the first floor of
the museum building.  Historic records dating back to the earliest days of the
company are stored in purpose-designed racking.  The Archive Centre also
houses the Trust's photographic collection of over 100,000 negatives and
images and includes several thousand original glass plate negatives.
    Although not open to the general public, the JDHT archive will have
special facilities available to motor industry students and historians.
    A number of the centre's interior features will receive funding from the
various clubs linked to the JDHT.
    Declaring the new JDHT Centre open, Nick Scheele said: "The Jaguar Daimler
Heritage Trust now has a permanent and purpose built home for its outstanding
collection of vehicles.  These cars are our heritage.  They trace the history
of Jaguar, and through our Daimler and Lanchester marques, they reflect the
development of the British motor industry from 1897 through to the present
day.  They are also a unique tribute to Sir William Lyons' powerful influence
on twentieth century automotive design."
    The new centre officially opened its doors to the public on the weekend of
the 7/8th November at the time of the Classic Car Show at the National
Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

    Further Information:  Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, 01203-202035.