Coventry Motofest 2015

Coventry Motofest 2015

The first Coventry Motofest was held in 2014. It was such a great success that the organisers decided to hold another one in 2015. But not just more of the same, a bigger, better Motofest, with more stands and more sponsor participation.


Motofest is advertised as a three day event, this year from 29th to 31st May with the ‘mega’ day being the Sunday. I went along on the Saturday because the weather was forecast to be better on that day and so it turned out. Sunday afternoon’s weather was quite good too.


I didn’t go to last year’s event so it was all new to me. The first thing that struck me was Jaguar’s involvement. Coventry is Jaguar’s home city of course although it does not make cars in the city now. However, it has been recently announced that Jaguar have set up a ‘Heritage Workshop’ on the old Browns Lane site in the city. The plan is to restore customers ‘historic’ cars and also to build new versions of Jaguars racing models. The first of these is a ‘Lightweight E Type’ In this way the company’s connection with the city is strengthened. Jaguar have realised, as did Mercedes Benz (the Mercedes – Benz Museum Stuttgart – fantastic!) before them, how important it is to utilise its illustrious past as a unique and valuable marketing tool.


I don’t want this to be seen as a piece of Jaguar advertising, I have no connection with the company whatsoever; in fact it is one of the few U.K. car manufacturers that I haven’t worked for. The reason I have spent so long on talking about Jaguar is just a reflection of how big its presence was at this year’s Motofest. I was impressed and felt proud, as an Englishman, that we can not only look back upon great achievements in the past but we can look forward to a great future too. Thank you Mr. Ratan Tata.


I can see Motofest becoming a regular feature on the U.K. motoring calendar as Goodwood Festival of Speed and Cholmondeley Pageant Of Power have. 


This Jaguar involvement is reflected in the photos I took –

1965 Rover BRM Gas Turbine engined Le Mans racing car

Jaguar Display

1937 SS Jaguar 100 2 1/2 Ltr. ( note Jaguar is the model name not the Manufacturer’s name as it was to become later.)

1948> Jaguar XK140

 1951> Jaguar C Type

 1956 Jaguar D Type (long nose) Winner of that years’ Reims 12 hour race.

1966 Jaguar XJ13 (the only one!)

1974 Jaguar E Type group 44 (USA) Racing Car

1988 Jaguar XJR9 Winner at Le Mans (I was there!)

Private (mostly) Owners’ Cars

Sunbeam Alpine seen on the road

 Triumph Stag Owners Club Display

 1953 Armstrong Siddeley Whitley

 1939 Triumph Dolomite Coupe

1964 – 65 Sunbeam Alpine Series IV

 1965 – 68 Sunbeam Alpine Series V

1974 Piper P2

 1964 Gilbern GT

 Modified MG GT

1954 – 57 Jaguar XK140 

 1999 Lotus Esprit V8

????? Can’t help you with this one, is it a one off special or a kit car?

 1913 Ford Model T Speedster

 1954 Standard 8

1957 – 60 Standard Pennant

1930 Standard Teignmouth

1945 – 52 Riley RMA 1 1/2 Ltr. Saloon

 1946 – 54 Triumph Renown

 1970 – 80 Peugeot 304 Cabriolet

 1986 – 94 Peugeot 205 1.9 GTi                                                                   (This car has recently been completely restored by the students at Peugeot’s Coventry based Academy)

 1945 – 52 Humber Super Snipe

 1966 – 79 Hillman Hunter

 1955 – 58 Sunbeam Rapier Series 1

1965 – 67 Sunbeam Rapier Series V

 1970 -74 Lancia Fulvia Coupe

 Marcos Mantula Spyder

 1953 – 55 Triumph TR2

 Climax CR1

 1934 Standard Speedline

 1965 Alvis TE21

 1965 Triumph Spitfire GT Le Mans spec.

Links –