The Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine Podcast

Episode 54: Reviving a heritage brand - Ridgard Seats

Bob Ridgard was one of motor racing's innovators. A driver himself, racing MGs and even a Chevrolet Camaro, he moved to the UK from South Africa in the late - 60s and began developing seats for club racers. His seats went on to be used by the likes of Stirling Moss and works teams like the BMC / BL operation in Abingdon. Ridgard Seats were inextricably linked to the development of driver safety in motorsport through the decades. Bob sadly passed away, but now his business is in new hands. We meet the new lady at the helm, Sam Browne - a pretty handy racing driver in her own right. Plus, we induct another motor racing hero into our Hall of Fame, this week it is Patrick Head, ex- Williams F1 and a figure head in motorsport whose love for cars came from his father racing Jaguars in the 1950s. Tom Robinson explains how preparation is going for the next round of Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club Racing ahead of Castle Combe this weekend.

Episode 53 - From F-type to Formula Woman

At our recent track day at Blyton Park, one car on track was driving with particular purpose. This was because it was being driven by Emma Price, an F-type owner and member of the JEC who has entered herself into Formula Woman. In this podcast, we get to meet her, talk Jaguars and find out more about what brought this engaging young lady into the world of Jaguars and Motorsport. It's an inspirational story with some positive encouragement for anyone wanting to follow in her footsteps. Plus, we induct another motor racing hero into our Hall of Fame, this week it is John Watson, ex - Group 44 and TWR Jaguar driver and someone who was once the ONLY British driver in F1. Tom Robinson explains how preparation is going for the next round of Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club Racing ahead of Castle Combe in a fortnight's time.

Episode 52: How to build an XK180

The XK180 cost £1million a piece when Special Vehicle Operations created them for the 1998 Paris Motor Show. It was a concept car that celebrated the then 50th anniversary of the XK engine. Keith Helfet, who designed the XK180, also designed the Aston Martin DB7 and had the iconic outline of the D-types in mind. An inspirational concept car then and one that you can imagine Jaguar fans like us would like to own - Neal Mugglestone was one such enthusiasts and on this episode we find out how and why he built his! Plus, we induct another motor racing hero into our Hall of Fame, this week it is Derek Warwick.Tom Robinson explains how preparation is going for the next round of Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club Racing ahead of Castle Combe in a fortnights time.

Episode 51: Esta - Jane from EJ Draws teaches us how to sketch the perfect Jag!

This week on the JEC Podcast, we talk to Esta - Jane from EJ Draws on Automotive Art and how she forged her own path into a career in Automotive engineering. In this interview she not only shares tips for other young women aspiring to enter the world of engineers but also teaches our podcast host Wayne Scott how to draw a Jaguar perfectly! (it doesn't go well)... Plus, we induct another motor racing hero into our Hall of Fame, this week it is the design legend Tony Southgate. Tom Robinson explains how preparation is going for the next round of Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club Racing and what he has discovered in the strip down after Donington.

Episode 50: Matthew Davis, MD of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust & Summer Jaguar Festival preview

This week on the JEC Podcast, we have a preview of this year's long-awaited Summer Jaguar Festival which is just a month away.We speak to Matthew Davis, Managing Director of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust about his recent induction as a novice into racing with the JEC championship including how his first race ended before it had began - in a ball of flame! Plus he gives us the background to his own passion for Jaguar and what the Trust has in store for fans of Jaguar over the next year. Plus we induct another motor racing hero into the Hall of Fame, this week it is the recently departed John Sprinzel. Tom Robinson explains how preparation is going for the next round of Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club Racing at Castle Combe after a disastrous round at Donington Park, listen to find out what happened!

Episode 49: Did he make it? XJR economy challenge results

This week on the JEC Podcast, we announce a very special ex-works and ex- Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-type that you can see at the Summer Jaguar Festival.Plus, we speak again, (one month on) to David Jenkin who has now completed the XJR economy run he undertook for charity. Did he make it? We hear how he got on and how much he raised for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Plus we induct another motor racing hero into the Hall of Fame, this week it is Max Mosely. Tom Robinson explains how preparation is going for the next round of Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club Racing at Donington this weekend!

Episode 48: X300 Daily Drivers - why the 90s XJ6 is a brilliant classic car

The 90s Jaguar XJ6s are still an incredibly affordable whilst practical and luxurious route into Jaguar ownership. They represent an era of Jaguar when retro styling was all the rage, but previous quality concerns had been addressed by an injection of Ford derived cash. Today, online auction sites and classifieds are full of XJ6s looking for new homes - so why should you buy one? Motoring Journalist Sam Skelton joins us to explain and he should know - he has two of them! Plus we induct another motor racing hero into the Hall of Fame and Tom Robinson explains how he testing is going for the next round of Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club Racing at Donington.

Episode 47: Jaguar Police Cars with Mark Jones

On this week's podcast, we have a fascinating insight into a little known part of Jaguar's history as we hear from retired Chief Superintendent Mark Jones on Jaguars in the Police force. In this conversation we discover whether the legend of Mark 2s being used by Bank robbers was true or not, how the Police used to tail development drivers onto the motorway out of Browns Lane to make sure they were behaving, what models Jaguar supplied to the force and how they were chosen plus the relationship that Jaguar had with the Police force. We also ask Mark about how he has seen crime on the roads and road safey change over the decades. This is a MUST listen for every Jaguar fan and keen motorist.Plus we induct the unsung hero of racing Archie Scott Brown into the Hall of Fame and Tom Robinson explains how he is preparing for the next round of racing.

Episode 46 - Ralph Hosier talks Jaguar engineering

Ralph Hosier has been in print and on television for over 15 years. He previously worked on Special Vehicle Projects and Jaguar Land Rover and now runs his own engineering company alongside his many TV and media engagements. Ralph has a real passion for the engineering that underpins modern life. Here we discuss life at Jaguar, the future of engineering and how to encourage the next generation of craftspeople into the engineering sector. This is a fascinating interview with many great insights into the industry. Plus, Richard West inducts another Jaguar legend into the hall of fame as we examine the career of Ian Callum and Tom Robinson shares how Silverstone's Race 2 went earlier this month.

Episode 45: An economy run challenge with an XJR and reviewing racing at Silverstone

David Jenkin is taking on a Top Gear style challenge to raise money for Great Ormond St Hospital GOSH.The plan is for David to drive from the BP garage in Banstead, Surrey to Inverness (586 miles) on a single tank of fuel in his 2007 Supercharged Jaguar XJR. For those that don't know, the car is a 4.2 litre petrol V8 which is Supercharged to 400BHP and normally returns just 15.4mpg. To complete the challenge David Jenkin will have to return over 32.4 average mpg to even reach the destination goal (at the very least on fumes). How do they plan to do it? Why are they doing it? We find out on this podcast. Also we speak to Dave Goddard, the official BARC commentator for a review of the last weekend's racing at Silverstone for the opening round of the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club Championship. Plus, Richard West inducts another Jaguar racing legend into the hall of fame as we examine the story of Duncan Hamilton and Tom Robinson lets us into our Silverstone went last weekend.