Jaguar Land Rover's new Special Operations (SO) division isn't just about knocking out rare, high-powered versions of production cars - it has a far wider remit than that. Therefore, SO has announced the launch of the Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience.
Opening at a 200-acre testing facility in the UK, visitors can drive some of the icons of Jaguar's history - such as the C-Type, the D-Type and, yes, the E-Type.
Most of the beautiful old classics lined up for this venture will be being driven by the public for the first time, given Jaguar recently bought more than 500 British heritage cars from a private collector.
There are a variety of packages on offer but to give a few examples, first up is the Jaguar Experience, which ranges from around €119 to €314. This involves anything from passenger rides to driving alongside a seasoned professional, in machines including the XK150 or Mark 2 saloon, or even selected pairings like Series 1 and Series 3 E-Types. Customers can also drive old versus new, such as an E-Type against the current F-Type.
The Le Mans Experience (around €942) is well worth a look, as it gives you half a day of driving the C- and D-Types that dominated the 24-hour endurance race in the 1950s. Anyone opting for this package gets to drive an XKSS and F-Type R Coupé, as well as having lunch thrown in.
One of the top packages is the Grace and Pace Experience, for €2,512. This is a full day of driving Jaguar Heritage legends, from post-war racers and road cars up to the modern-day range. Punters on this one will also get the chance to try out creations from Special Operations, while chauffeur-driven transfers in classic Jag saloons will take guests to a lunch venue. All very nice.
Anything else?
Get in early enough and you will be invited to exclusive guided viewings of the 'Perfect Ten' exhibition, installed for a limited period following its starring role at the London-based Jaguar XE launch. These ten cars are some of the rarest Jags going, including an SS100 and the one-of-a-kind XJ13.
You can find out more about the experience days by visiting www.jaguarheritagedriving.com, emailing [email protected] or calling +44 333 577 0156. You can watch the 'Perfect Ten' being selected by a distinguished panel of people in the video below: