Jaguar Land Rover has bought the world’s largest privately owned collection of British classic cars. The collection — amassed over many years by entrepreneur James Hull — includes early Swallow Sidecars and Swallow coach-built Austin Sevens, a diverse range of pre-Second World War Jaguar SS models, 7 XK 120s (including a rare alloy-bodied example), C-Types and D-Types, an XK-SS, 8 E-Types, 30 classic Jaguar Mark model saloons, 19 XJS models, over 20 XJ saloons and a Mark X owned by ‘Mr Jaguar’ himself, Sir William Lyons.

JLR’s newly created Special Vehicle Operations division will build a new Heritage workshop at the Browns Lane, Coventry, site to maintain the Jaguars in the collection. The cars will be actively used to support Jaguar brand events and customer experiences around the world, according to John Edwards, managing director of Special Vehicle Operations.

Mr Edwards said: "We are delighted that Jaguar Land Rover has come to an agreement with James Hull to secure the future of this very significant collection of Jaguar and other British cars.

"We share the same objective as James to keep this unique collection in British hands, and we are delighted that this agreement secures their custody for the future. We look forward to continuing to work with James, as we develop our heritage activities.”

Mr Hull said: “Travelling all over the world to build the collection over the years has been a labour of love, so my primary motivation was not to get the maximum price but rather to secure the future of the collection in this country with the right custodian. I have got to know Jaguar Land Rover well in recent years; they have borrowed cars from the collection for events such as the Mille Miglia and supporting Jaguar in China. They are the perfect custodians to take the collection forward, and I know it is in safe hands.”