By Jamie White – Head of Communications
Jaguar is celebrating its 80th anniversary by once again taking on the legendary challenge that is the Mille Miglia.
Held from May 14th-17th in Italy, Jaguar Heritage Racing will be fielding a team of drivers who will cover more than 1,000 miles from Brescia-Rome-Brescia in nine of the marque’s most celebrated models.
Famous faces from the world of motorsport, TV and music will put their historic Jaguars through their paces on the gruelling route, which takes place over four days starting in Brescia, heading to Rimini, Rome, Parma and then back to Brescia.
Crowds lining the route will get to see examples of historically-significant Jaguar XKs, C-types and D-types hurtling past them.
Five-time winner of the Le Mans 24hr, three-time Daytona 24hr winner and world sportscar veteran, Derek Bell, will make his Mille Miglia debut driving a Jaguar C-type, while Jaguar Vehicle Integrity Chief Engineer Mike Cross will pilot the second second C-type, ‘NDU 289’ with the final C-type, ‘PUG 676’, driven by Royal Automobile Club Motoring Committee Chairman, Ben Cussons.
Driving ‘RSF 303’, will be Jaguar Design Director, Ian Callum. A veteran of the Mille Miglia, Ian drove with US chat show host Jay Leno in the 2014 event – this year he will be partnering up with businessman and classic car enthusiast, Clive Beecham.
At the wheel of a Jaguar MK VII will Charley Boorman, who will be partnered by Bremont co-founder Giles English.
Making for a very glamorous cockpit is ‘OOF 748’ – the XK120 roadster of model and TV presenter, Jodie Kidd, whose co-driver will be male supermodel, GQ columnist and classic car enthusiast, David Gandy.
Host of BBC One show, Saturday Kitchen, James Martin, will be partnered by Bremont co-founder Nick English in the penultimate ‘Long Nose’ Jaguar D-type ever built, registered ‘393 RW’. Completing the trio of D-types will be one of the classic car world’s most respected experts, Simon Kidston.
Completing the Jaguar Heritage team line-up is successful British singer/song-writer Elliot Gleave, otherwise known as Example. Elliot will be driving a XK140 with his father, Michael, as co-pilot. The XK140, registered ‘TAC 743’, was once owned by successful British racing driver David Hobbs.
