Tuesday 6th January 2015

Norman Dewis: Time For Tea?

The Queen has paid tribute to Norman Dewis with a gong, Jag does the same with a little vid of how he earned it

---

The OBE for legendary Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis was well deserved and certainly brightened up our new year's day. To help us appreciate how he earned his award Jaguar has enlisted a few of his friends and former colleagues to speak on film of his achievements. These include Jackie Stewart and Stirling Moss, their admiration for Norman's work and loyalty for Jaguar clear. Having competed alongside them early in his career he could well have succeeded in the more glamorous world of motorsport but instead dedicated himself to less celebrated but perhaps more important work as an engineer.

The perfect accompaniment to an afternoon brew in other words and a chance to lift your mug and salute a previously unsung hero of the British motoring industry.

See here.

[alclark]

Seems a shame for it not to have been pointed out more clearly, but this man has saved more lives than penicillin, thanks to the fact that car's can now stop safely in fractions of the distance that they were at the time. Every single car in the world has disc brakes because of Norman, not to mention his legacy of cars.

He deserves more than an OBE.

I have a bottle of hydraulic oil signed by Norman, in a display cabinet, which means a lot to me.

[dome]

About time he got some recognition!

Sad that on a supposed car lovers website this has attracted such little attention

[Mr Tidy]

Congratulations to Norman.
Sadly the backroom staff don't usually get much recognition, so it is good to see his efforts being recognised!

[CAPITAL]

Congratulations, well deserved.

[Impasse]

dome said:

About time he got some recognition!

Sad that on a supposed car lovers website this has attracted such little attention

The other thread did ok.

[andyps]

Great video and a well deserved honour - the fact that Jackie Stewart and Stirling Moss are prepared to give their time for something like this says a lot about Norman Dewis OBE.

[gareth29]

I remember reading in EVO that for the launch of the E-type in Monaco, he drove a 2nd demonstrator car down to the south of France (such was the demand for the car), through the night, taking less than 24 hours and this before any motorways!

[a8hex]

gareth29 said:

I remember reading in EVO that for the launch of the E-type in Monaco, he drove a 2nd demonstrator car down to the south of France (such was the demand for the car), through the night, taking less than 24 hours and this before any motorways!

Geneva rather than Monaco, and he wasn't able to leave Coventry till 8PM and made it to Geneva by 10 to 10 ready for the start of proceedings at 10.

If you ever get the chance to hear him speak, jump at it, he's a facinating speaker.

He certainly desearves an award, pity it's so rare for a backroom boy to get one.

[sideways man]

Great little film.

Just like to point out,Dunlop was the supplier of said disc brakes. But Norman/Jaguar developed them for use at le mans and then on production cars.

Who said racing doesn't improve the breed!

[jimfoz]

The guy is a living legend and still appears to be going strong (95 this year). Surprising how long this has taken considering the long relationship and warrants Jaguar/Daimler has had with royalty - maybe he kept declining them until now??