Monday 22nd July 2013

Chris Froome wins yellow ... Jag

Pedalling a bike across France for three weeks in searing heat does have its benefits

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Tour de France winner Chris Froome's next ascent of Mont Ventoux in yellow may prove to be even faster and more exciting than his dominant win on stage 15 of this year's Tour. And a bit less sweaty. That's because Jaguar - whose mean looking XF Sportbrakes give Team Sky the edge over the Skoda dominated 'caravan' in the coolness stakes - has given him a celebratory F-Type liveried up with a special Tour winner's livery.

F-Type's small boot not an issue with team support

The V6 S (the connoisseur's choice!) has been wrapped in a specially adapted yellow and black version of the Team Sky livery and presented to him on his victory in this year's Tour. And, yes, keen pedallers though some of us at PH may be, the idea of ragging an F-Type up Ventoux does appeal more than riding a bike up it. And offers the seed of an idea. Hello, is that the Jaguar press office...?

Froome's customised F-Type should at least help him stand out in his Monaco home and sees him join a list of pro cyclists with an appetite for fast cars, including McLaren 12C owner Mark Cavendish (also customised in ... 'Cavendish Green', natch) and occasional Radical racer Chris Hoy. And should prove as entertaining in all those coastal tunnels as it will on the hairpins up into the mountains.

[Sources: McLaren, Tour de France official site]

[PascalBuyens]

Pfuh.. it's only a V6.

(not jealous, honestly)

[soad]

Nice work.

[loudlashadjuster]

Good for Jag, supporting home teams & riders is excellent publicity for them and the F looks superb.

Chapeau!

[Andy ap]

FROOOOM! sorry for the dailymail like tag.

[MiseryStreak]

Why not a V8? The cheapskates! It's like presenting Sebastien Vettel with a middle of the range Canyon after his championship win! Froome has the best 'engine' in the road cycling world right now, surely he deserves the best engine in his prize car?

It's not as though the V6 S isn't a lovely car and I'm sure he's very pleased with it, but compared to the costs of his Tour so far, why skimp on a few quid and gift him with the middle of the range one?

Edit: I've just worked it out, it's so people can buy a V8 and say to their neighbour "Yes, it's quicker up Mont Ventoux than Chris Froome..."

Edited by MiseryStreak on Monday 22 July 15:50

[VladD]

MiseryStreak said:

Why not a V8? The cheapskates! It's like presenting Sebastien Vettel with a middle of the range Canyon after his championship win! Froome has the best 'engine' in the road cycling world right now, surely he deserves the best engine in his prize car?

It's not as though the V6 S isn't a lovely car and I'm sure he's very pleased with it, but compared to the costs of his Tour so far, why skimp on a few quid and gift him with the middle of the range one?

The V6 S is alledgedly a better daily driver than the V8, so maybe they want him to drive it lots to advertise their product.

[FWDRacer]

Don't bring that type of common sense in here.

[Vocal Minority]

The V6 would be my choice personally. By far the more sonerous beast to my ears.

Nice to see Jag being switched on with the publicity

[Digger]

Maybe he was given the choice?

[Blown2CV]

british cyclist, british team, british team, british car prize... left-hand-drive and french registered. Genius.

[loudlashadjuster]

Blown2CV said:

british cyclist, british team, british team, british car prize... left-hand-drive and french registered. Genius.

He lives in Monaco, so not as daft as it appears.

[carinaman]

loudlashadjuster said:

Good for Jag, supporting home teams & riders is excellent publicity for them and the F looks superb.

Agreed well done JLR! It seems more tasteful than the celebrity fest that was the Evoque launch, and the Andy Murray bandwagon we saw a couple of weeks ago.

Lets see if some of the criticism by the Monkey can be dealt with for the mid-life refresh or with 'personalisation' options?

[Zumbruk]

Blown2CV said:

british cyclist, british team, british team, british car prize... left-hand-drive and french registered. Genius.

They may well have asked him first?

[NRS]

loudlashadjuster said:

Blown2CV said:

british cyclist, british team, british team, british car prize... left-hand-drive and french registered. Genius.

He lives in Monaco, so not as daft as it appears.

It's also a French race he's gone and won, :P

[carinaman]

Genius as in Johnny Foreigner watches the Tour de France too? Do Americans follow bicycle racing after Armstrong's outing?

[Blown2CV]

loudlashadjuster said:

Blown2CV said:

british cyclist, british team, british team, british car prize... left-hand-drive and french registered. Genius.

He lives in Monaco, so not as daft as it appears.

fair play wasn't aware of that... however monaco?! Lot of money in lycra and sweat.

[SuperHangOn]

IIRC one of the Jag team cars broke down on the TDF - this resulted in Froome being forced to break a rule by eating too late in the stage and was docked 20secs (if you believe the excuse)

They owe him the car

[Tomatogti]

SuperHangOn said:

IIRC one of the Jag team cars broke down on the TDF - this resulted in Froome being forced to break a rule by eating too late in the stage and being docked 20secs (if you believe the excuse)

I suspect this may have been a more acceptable reason (to all except JLR!).

[DodoRacing]

Having suffered up the Mt Ventoux on a bicycle myself, I think the winner of a TDF stage there at the end of 242Km racing, well deserves it!

[Ved]

"also customised in ... 'Cavendish Green', natch"

Huh?

EDIT:

Origin of NATCH

by shortening & alteration from naturally
First Known Use: circa 1945

Well, that's a new one on me.