30 June, 2015
The Jaguar C-Type, the 1970 Range Rover, Ferrari’s F40, Porsche’s 911 Turbo...
If you were picking your classic car World XI, this quintessential quartet would surely be a shoo-in for selection.
Coventry Transport Museum’s officials seem to think so too.
They’ve chosen this fabulous foursome as exhibits in a Trailblazing Cars of the World display which will helped celebrate the venue’s re-launch earlier this month.
It showcases the most ground-breaking vehicles from the last seven decades.
All four classic machines are automotive heroes in their own right.
Original 1970 Range Rover
This all-terrain vehicle really did blaze a trail across Europe. That it is still in production 45 years later at the apex of opulent sports utility vehicles (SUV) the world over is testament to its enduring success.
Porsche 911
Can you believe that the eternally young 911 is 52 years old? Its Turbo spin-off was the first turbo performance model to please both purists and accountants alike, as it became a commercial success in the top-end of the market. It also paved the way to the car industry’s general acceptance of turbos as a performance-enhancing method.
Jaguar C-Type
This beauty was built in Coventry between 1951 and 1953. Its innovation came in the shape of new disc brakes. These were trialled in the Le Mans endurance race of 1952. You could say they were an unqualified success - the car won the iconic 24-hour contest. Eventually, they replaced conventional drum brakes across nearly every newly-made motor. This helped to save umpteen lives and win countless global races. The original fundamental C-Type concept has never left the model.
