Looking Back...XJ40 Sovereign J520 OVC

1992

Alan Jenner joined the Standard Motor Company as an apprentice in 1946, his National Service with the Coldstream Guards being deferred until he had completed his apprenticeship, after which he re-joined the company as a draughtsman, in 1953.

His was a generation where a job was for life, and although he never actively sought to change his employer, The Standard Motor Company became Triumph Cars and eventually he found himself working for British Leyland. As Triumph closed and Sir John Egan was assembling his team in order to move Jaguar forward, down the line, Alan’s boss was given the opportunity to choose his team and one of those he selected was Alan Jenner.

Alan began his time at Jaguar working on the development of XJ40 as part of Jim Randle’s team so it was only fitting that before he retired he had the use of a new Jaguar company pool car, an XJ40 4.0 litre Sovereign, finished in Bordeaux Red with Doeskin hide trim and registered by the company on 1st September 1991as J520 OVC.

1997

Five years later, in 1997, J520 OVC was acquired by the JEC as a prize draw car for the club’s annual charity fund raiser.

Browsing through the family album, Rob and I must have looked at the picture of Rob’s father standing next to his Jaguar on the day of his retirement, many times, and never knew of the significance of this car or what became of it until one day when we were scrolling through some very old JEC magazines looking for something quite different when we came across a picture of the car, and the penny dropped!

In March 1997 a double page spread introduces J520 OVC as the prize draw car for 1997 and describes it in great detail, referring to its former life as a senior managers’ company vehicle in superb condition, with a complete main dealer service history.

1998

A final reference to J520 OVC in the JEC magazine of January 1998 reports on the handover of the prize, by Joe Greenwell of Jaguar Cars, to the winners. At the time, they were planning to move to Spain and said they would probably take the Jaguar with them.

Checking the DVLA website, there is no export marker on the car, the last V5 was issued on 13th July 2001, tax expired on 31st July 2001and there is no online MoT history. Sadly, I think this one has passed on.

“The last V5 was issued on 13th July 2001, tax expired on 31st July 2001and there is no online MoT history. Sadly, I think this one has passed on.”

Story taken from Xclusively Jaguar Magazine - August 2020 issue.

Read the full issue here.