When Oak Bay resident and Jaguar owner Janet Morningstar drove past Capilano Volkswagen in Vancouver years ago, a particular car stuck out from a sea of Bimmers and Benzes on the lot: a Jaguar X-Type stationwagon.
She liked it so much, she just had to have it.
“It didn’t look like your typical BMW… I loved it as soon as I saw it,” she said, adding that she wanted a station wagon specifically for extra carrying capacity and use it for skiing. “It’s all wheel drive, so it was perfect for the ski hills.”
Morningstar’s tastes for a luxurious and comfortable stationwagon are certainly not misplaced, as the X-Type’s chassis rides on one of Jaguar’s most refined platforms. Under that hood is a smooth and quiet 3.0-litre dual-cam V6 with 235 horsepower and a five-speed transmission that sends power to all four wheels when traction is scarce.
“It’s the nicest car to drive. It’s really comfortable and haven’t had a whole lot go wrong with it.”
Certainly, a worthy combination for someone who wants to travel comfortably long-distance, on any surface.
But Morningstar’s Jag bug didn’t stop there, because it bit her again two years ago during the Jaguar Club car show at Windsor Park, where she bought (on impulse she adds) a British Racing Green Jaguar XK8 convertible, easily one of the prettiest cars on the road.
She drives it all year, except in the wet.
“I think it’s one of the most elegant cars.”
As it turns out, Morningstar bought into more than just a car, but into a community of passionate Jaguar owners.
Gregory Andrachuk, owner of four Jaguars, knows a few things about Jaguar fever. In 2002, he and five other Jaguar owners founded what is known as the Jaguar Car Club of Victoria. Membership quickly grew from there, and remains a very active car club to this day, with 150-plus members.
“Owning a Jaguar is a disease of which you want no cure… it becomes an obsession,” Andrachuk said.
For the last few weeks Andrachuk, among other fellow members, have been tying together this year’s 13th annual Jaguar Club Car Show, which will be held in Windsor Park on Saturday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This year’s event will also feature a Concours d’élégance, in which some cars will be judged on condition and authenticity according to the rules of Jaguar Clubs of North America. In addition to that, Jaguar Victoria will have a display of all its current models out on the field, just for that extra bit of eye candy.
Andrachuk highlighted that all Jaguar owners are welcome to bring their cars on the field.
“You don’t have to be a club member to have your Jaguar on the field. We want every Jaguar in Victoria on that field, whether it’s clean or not, new or old, regardless of condition.”
There will be some curiosities showing up too. The show’s featured model this year is the Jaguar XJS, and there will both a Daimler-Jaguar limousine (not related to Mercedes-Benz Daimler) as well as a Jaguar Hearse.
Any donations by visitors to the show, along with all proceeds, will be given to Victoria Hospice.
Visit vijaguars.ca for more.
octavian.lacatusu @oakbaynews.com
