Spare a thought for Billy Walmsley. Billy and Willy Lyons set up the Swallow Sidecar Company 93 years ago. But Bill didn't have the same ambition as his partner and left the company just before it became Jaguar, so he could have more time building his model trains. Willy changed the name not because Billy left but because, after World War II, the SS brand didn't have quite the same ring to it.
I'm telling you this because last weekend I decided to help Jag promote itself. As you know, ever since Ratan Tata bought the company in 2008 the firm has struggled with its heritage.
I drove a D-type, an XK150, a racing Mark II and the 2014 XK 5.0 Supercharged V8 R-S GT (only 100 made). Naturally I took a couple of Jaguar instructors in the left hand seat to show them how to do it.
Basically, except for the D-type the old cats were super hard work. The XK150 has a steering wheel that wouldn't be out of place on the Titanic and is about as easy to turn. The D-type is heaven despite the racing clutch and a tight gearbox.