KWE Previous Years News

EMS has been very successful over the last few years, racing classic XJ saloons in the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club championship. This race series has become very popular with wheel to wheel racing and a friendly, open atmosphere. Nearly all types of Jaguar road car are represented from XK120s to the new S type saloon, but the majority of grids are XJ6s and XJSs. There is nothing so awe-inspiring as a field of V12 XJSs hurtling into the first corner.....

KWE has taken up the opportunity to join the other sponsors of EMS and we can be seen on the front wings of the bright yellow EMS saloons. We fully expect to be seen on the podium at every race....!

In the February 2006 issue of Jaguar World Monthly, KWE's digital, mapped ignition system was featured in a 5 page head to head comparison test by Jim Patten.

The article revealed that a standard 1985 4.2 litre XJ6 achieved 16mpg over 40 miles of mixed driving, while the accompanying KWE car fitted with 3Di ignition managed over 20mpg - a 20% improvement!

More importantly, the modified car felt much more powerful. To quote Jim Patten: "What most impresses, though, is the performance differential. After all, that's why Paul Roach developed the system in the first place; he was anxious to maximise access to the power already there in the XK engine, but not always attainable. Releasing it electronically is a revelation."

We are fortunate to be able to offer for sale one of the very few manual gearbox 4 litre late XJSs. Click here for more.

Started in 2004, this complex restoration and upgrade is finished and the car has been delivered to its patient new owner!

Apart from our standard suspension renewal and handling upgrade, V12 intensive service and interior renewal, the car has had a unique high performance multipoint emulating LPG conversion affording higher power than on petrol and with two tanks to provide over 350 miles range.

Additional items include front and rear parking sensors, integrated satellite navigation, 7 speaker DVD/CD changer audio system, iPod connection, modified mid console to include analogue clock, deleting trip computer and reduced switch count.

In conjunction with Paul Roach Jaguar Specialists Ltd, KWE offers all 4.2 litre Series 3 owners a Digital Ignition system. The unit dramatically improves fuel consumption, power and torque. Our own tests show that power is increased by 10% at 3200rpm while fuel consumption improves by 25 - 35%. Read more...

The Festival of Speed seemed quieter in the Exhibition areas this year, but we're grateful for the many visitors to our stand and for their admiration of our cars!

As usual, every visitor said they thought the Series 3 XJ was the best saloon Jaguar ever made - for looks inside and out.

Our Top Gear-featured XJS got a lot of attention and again there was general agreement that the model is destined to be a classic - possibly even outshining the E type! KWE, of course, sets out to make these excellent cars reliable and practical for renewed everyday use.

As of 6th June 2005 KWE is operating from larger premises at the same site. Directions to us are very similar and our phone and email addresses remain the same.

Due to substantial increases in business and the opportunity arising to take on better premises, KWE has moved its entire operation to premises twice the size of the previous. At last our visitors will be able to sit down! For the first time we have a sales area housing our demonstration cars under the same roof as our workshop. You will be able to drive our cars and to see how they are built. Extra equipment has been installed to cater for the additional demand for our cars.

Our new address is: 241, New Greenham Park, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG19 6HN

In February our V12 XJS was selected to be part of a revamped set of Top Gear programmes due to be broadcast on Discovery Channel in the United States. James May and Jeremy Clarkson discussed the car's merits once more...

In a recent article by Michael Hanlon of the Daily Mail, a KWE XJ12 was very favourably reviewed....

The article describes the beauty of the design and the driving pleasure. About the Series 3, Hanlon writes (with apologies to BMW):

"....Our last posh review car had been a swanky BMW convertible. Shiny and new, it had all the buttons, went like the clappers, looked utterly glam, yet for some mysterious reason was rather unlovable (like, one suspects, many BMW drivers).

Martin Buckley's article on KWE for the Daily Telegraph accurately described the company's success in making the Series 3 saloon suitable for modern driving, and the core values of the car itself: the looks, the airy interior with such good visibility, the superb suspension and the potent 4.2 litre engine.

Response to the article has been immense, seemingly re-awakening the discerning public's affection for this Jaguar and sharpening people's interest in running these excellent cars as daily drivers and Company cars.

For the full article, click on:

KWETelegraph
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Top Gear

BBC Top Gear featured our XJS on Sunday 13th June,
and again on "Best of Top Gear" on 8th August!

Top Gear presenter and noted motoring journalist James May explained how KWE rebuild the XJS and improve its handling and performance. The XJS is a popular car with the Top Gear team who recognise both its visual appeal and performance as one of the great sports tourers.

The car featured is an Arctic blue 5.3 litre V12 first manufactured by Jaguar in 1989 which has covered only 47000 miles since new. The car is still in the process of being re-engineered by KWE and will serve as the company's K-S demonstrator.
James was clearly impressed by the car, "It feels like no other XJS I've ever driven; this one feels fantastic!"
"(KWE) turn it into the car it should have been." "A brilliant idea." "This V12, this is just fabulous!" "A World Heritage Car - this is it." "And the best thing is, they do the same thing to the Series 3!"

Jeremy Clarkson was also impressed by the car, "The best thing is - it mooned me with its beauty!"

Well, we can add little to that, other than that the price, and cost of ownership, is substantially less than an equivalent car available new today.

Read more...

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The Day went very well with some excellent Spring weather adding to the enjoyment and speed in corners. The Goodwood Motor Racing track is always a delight with some fast and technical sections. The KWE cars did very well with no problems over many 15 minute sessions. Top speed achieved was over 125mph down the Lavant straight - not bad considering the need to drag the two ton supercars down to 40 for the sharp right hander at the end! As all our cars are fitted with adjustable dampers it was easy to set them up for trackday conditions as well as having extra pressure in the tyres.

Our customers all had a great time and much enjoyed being shown how to do it properly by Howard and Simon of European Motorsport, who had brought one of their race-prepared XJ6s. They were both impressed with the KWE road cars, both of which have power-enhanced V12 engines. With all but one of our customers attending it was a magnificent sight to see so many KWE cars in one place. There was much talk of starting a KWE Owners Club!