Wednesday 31st December 2014

OBE for Jag legend Norman Dewis

New Year's Honours recognition for ex-racer, record breaker and legendary Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis

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OK, so James Corden got one too. But the OBE awarded to 94-year-old Jaguar stalwart Norman Dewis is much more deserving in our eyes. Sit-com stardom and a queasy on-screen bromance with Gary Barlow versus co-driving Stirling Moss in the 1952 Mille Miglia in a C-Type, setting land-speed records in the XK120 on a Belgian motorway, signing off the E-Type chassis and walking away from an absolute monster crash in the infamous V12-powered XJ13? Sorry Corden...

Youthful Moss and Dewis at the Mille in '52

Dewis is also a bit of a legend in person too, a regular fixture at motor shows and events like Goodwood, twinkly eyed, mischievous and typically sporting some manner of country and western themed clothing. Black-tie for Dewis means bootlace and embroidered lapels, not dicky-bow and dinner jacket. Arguably he deserves a gong for that alone.

But his achievements as a driver are, by any stretch, 'proper' and Jaguar's press release celebrating Dewis's OBE makes for impressive reading.

"Norman Dewis OBE developed no less than 25 significant Jaguar cars and is widely regarded as Britain's greatest test driver," it reads. "His automotive CV is remarkable: he developed the multiple Le Mans-winning C-Type and D-Type racing cars, the pioneering XK140 and 150 sports cars, the classic 2.4/3.4 and MkII saloons, plus the MkVII and MkVIIM models, the legendary E-Type (including the Lightweight E-Type), the XJ13 mid-engined prototype, the world-class XJ saloons, the XJ-S and the 'XJ40' models."

With the XJ13 that nearly killed him

Then there's the motorsport.

"Dewis was also co-driver to the British racing hero Sir Stirling Moss in a C-Type in the 1952 Mille Miglia and, in 1953, set a 172.412 mph production car speed record in a modified Jaguar XK120 on a closed section of the Jabbeke highway, Belgium. He also drove a 190mph works D-Type in the dramatic 1955 Le Mans 24hr race and competed in the famous Goodwood Nine Hours in the 1950s."

Jaguar reckons Dewis completed over a million test miles (at an average speed of over 100mph!) in his 33-year career and makes particular note of his work developing Dunlop disc brakes for use on Jaguars, a feature that contributed to success on road and track. And he's still contributing today, helping with Jaguar Special Operations, the newly opened Brown's Lane heritage workshop and driving experiences and projects like the 'new' E-Type Lightweight.

A worthy honour then and one we suggest you raise a glass to at some point tonight as you toast the new year.

Additional photos: LAT Photo

[dbhenshall]

Great result for clearly a stella guy. Good to see the queens list going to some or not just celebrites who suppport (very) worthy causes.

[carinaman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsKi5HaQ1-I

[V8 FOU]

Fantastic! Well deserved.

And No Sir John Surtees, then?

Who the fk is this Corden bloke? Never heard of him.......

[carinaman]

V8 FOU said:

And No Sir John Surtees, then?

I'm reading Tom Rubython's Shunt. I wonder if it's the 1976 durex sponsorship and ITV showing the British GP at Brands a week later, that may not have been entirely helpful to the BBC.

[Hooli]

Someone worthy in the honours list at last.

[randomeddy]

Was he the guy that delivered an E-type when they needed another one for the launch/show?

[RenesisEvo]

An incredible list of achievements and a life-long dedication to one brand, worthy of recognition.

I had a chance to look around the 'Jabbeke' XK120 earlier this year, very interesting machine.

1952 Jaguar XK120 "Jabbeke"; by Renesisevo, on Flickr

[Integrale Tim]

Yes Randomeddy... He drove overnight from browns lane and delivered the second car to the geneva show... He's a true legend and a really nice bloke to boot...

[esv683]

Norman at Prescott still up for it

[EXKAY120]

[EXKAY120]

Good ol Norm sitting in my car at Goodwood last year, a great guy !

[Impasse]

Oh honestly, all these photos are far too PC. This is better. Good lad!

[LewG]

Well deserved, a true British hero.

[Bebee]

Read it in my local paper tonight, the Shropshire Star, front page news.
He's a local man to me, well deserved and long overdue.

Edited by Bebee on Wednesday 31st December 23:21

[Leins]

Great news, well deserved.

Can't understand the glaring omission that is (Sir) John Surtees either though

[GFWilliams]

I had the pleasure of meeting Norman a few years ago at a Jaguar event and what a lovely and amazing bloke he is! So many interesting stories to tell!

Well done Norman, well deserved!

[DJRC]

Dewis is a legend. And a thoroughly cracking chap. Always worth saying hello to when you bump into him.

[GavinPearson]

I am glad that he was awarded it, but it comes 30 years too late.

Britain should do far more to recognise the achievements of those in industry.

[Vanin]

Jabbeke 1998 celebrations.




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Prototype Jaguar, with Norman standing next to the XJ13 and a 220 behind


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Norman standing in front of our XK120 in the main square at Bruges



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Norman still pulling the birds in his XJ13

Edited by Vanin on Friday 2nd January 19:44

[sideways man]

Well done that man. Agree about the'20 years too late comments'.
The first pic of him and the xj13 is just car porn. Wish that had made it into production, as it even beats the e type for looks, imho.