Lynx Eventer 001 / XJS Coachbuild

Also known as “Briar Rose”, Eventer 001 started life as a class-B XJS V12. Her public debut was at the Earl’s Court Motor Fair in Oct 1983. Designed with the active leisure seeker in mind, the inspiration came from the MGBGT; both Lynx directors had owned one at some time or another. The lower boot like is the original Jaguar XJS part and the upper, a new steel fabrication using the glass from a Citroën Ami Estate. The side windows are perspex, made to a Lynx design, and the rear seats were enlarged so that two adults could sit in it. However, when folded down, gave a 6ft flat floor area. Eventer 001 is the only one with a sun roof. “A great idea to join the original front section to the new rear,” recalls director Chris Keith-Lucas, ‘but a nightmare in practice.” For legendary, British music producer Rupert Hine (1947-2020), it was love at first sight: “…seeing this stunning-looking fastback car…it was hard to believe it was born out of the least beautiful Jaguar sports car…”. Hine purchased Eventer 001 from Lynx in 1984 and drove her daily for nearly 20 years. Her celebrity passengers have included Tina Turner, Howard Jones, Sir Bob Geldof, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks and Chris de Burgh. Several years later, Rupert moved to France taking Eventer 001 with him, having had her re-sprayed Ecurie Ecosse blue, to match his Jaguar C-type. Unfortunately, when he relocated to the USA in 2000 Eventer 001 languished in a shipping container until 2011 following Rupert’s return to the UK. Eventer 001 underwent a supposedly high quality restoration in 2017, but the reality was catastrophically different has cost many thousands of pounds to put right, with still much to be done. On this journey Rupert’s widow now custodian and keeper of Briar Rose, acknowledges the help of CKL Developments, Cousins Bros, Fuzz Townsend, Hares of Berkshire, Julian Ferraro, Motor Legends, Nigel Evans Cars, Oscars Workshops, Plymouth Radiators, Pride & Joy Storage, Specialist Vehicle Brokers, Stonehenge Recovery and the car clubs, Jaguar Drivers, Jaguar Enthusiasts and XJS who have all been encouraging and supportive of her efforts. She saves greatest thanks to her new partner, Andrew Marshall for his superior knowledge of motor classics and in helping her to understand what it means to own, drive and maintain THE prototype Lynx Eventer 001.