The 1948 British Motor Show is often held up as one of the worlds most vital when it cae to the British car industry, with the Jaguar XK120, the Morris Minor and the Land-Rover all making their debut in that year. But it could be argued that the 1998 British Motor Show, held in Birmingham 50 years later, was equally important for Britain. Not only was there a new Vauxhall Astra and a new Land-Rover Discovery, but both Rover and Jaguar launched mid sized retro saloons. The Rover 75 story would end in 2005 with the closure of the company, but the Jaguar S-TYPE spearheaded a resurgence in interest in Jaguar as a marque. The Jaguar would be revealed on a raised plinth, flanked by video footage of it and its predecessors. Broadcast by satellite to several world capitals, over 10,000 people witnessed the launch.
And it was an important launch for Jaguar. For 1999 was to mark the end of the two-model strategy adopted by Sir William Lyons in 1968, enlarging Jaguar’s range better to compete in the modernto have its work cut out. Project Engineer Dave Szczupak, was clear that the BMW had always been his target.
