Malcolm Gilbert Sayer (21 May 1916 – 22 April 1970) was a British aircraft engineer during wartime and later automotive aerodynamist and designer. His most notable aerodynamic work was the engineering body development and design of the E-Type Jaguar and early style guidelines for Jaguar XJS.

Early career

He worked for the Bristol Aeroplane Company during the Second World War, which exempted him from conscription by way of reserved occupation protection.

Sayer travelled to Iraq in 1948 to work at Baghdad University where he was to establish the Faculty of Engineering, which on arrival he found not to be a realistic venture. – he loathed the term 'stylist',

Sayer's first contribution for a sports racing Jaguar was successful and the C-Type won Le Mans in 1951 and 1953. (Sayer's 1952 long tail with lower frontal nose was not successful) He was responsible for the general layout, body and frame of the C-Type,.

To surpass the C-Type, Sayer worked on development of the D-Type Jaguar, initially using 1/8th scale windtunnel models tested in Loughborough and then on to full-size car tests at RAE Farnborough. The D-Type was one of the most successful racing cars of all time, winning Le Mans in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Scrapped in late 1959, E1A led to the next project (dubbed E2A). Initially not of much interest to Lyons, which further showed Sayer's design bloodline from C-Type to E-Type.

The engineering team later commenced design and development in 1957 for the Jaguar E-Type which was launched to world acclaim in Geneva March 1961, the icon of 1960s motoring. A full team effort, Sayer's drawings were taken by Cyril Crouch to develop in manufacturable steel monocoque, and working closely with expert sheet metal craftsman Bob Blake, with Heynes, Bob Knight, Claude Baily, Norman Dewis and Tom Jones all playing key parts in its development. Sayer was responsible for the overall form of the car, with Lyons overseeing detailing and body engineering led by Heynes to make it suitable for manufacture. Originally designed as a roadster, the fixed head coupé was initiated and crafted by Bob Blake, an expert sheet metal craftsman who had worked closely with Sayer since joining in the late 1950s and would go on to become Jaguar's first Modelling Manager. Even today, many of the design elements associated with the E-Type Jaguar can be found on the company's cars. The long bonnet, haunches over the rear wheels and the stance are all features incorporated into Jaguar's XK8 coupe designed by the late design director Geoff Lawson, which have continued on in the current Jaguar line-up by his successor Ian Callum.

In 1965, Sayer designed the Jaguar XJ13, a mid-engined Jaguar sports racing car that was intended for competition at Le Mans. Cost constraints and a rule change at Le Mans meant the XJ-13 was never driven in international competition, but it exemplified all of the classical Sayer sophistication in aerodynamics as his earlier work. In 1971 the XJ 13 prototype was brought out of storage to help promote the new V12 E-Type when it was largely written off in a major crash. The car was rebuilt in 1972–1973 albeit with changes from the original – losing some of the classic lines in the process.

In 1967, following his work on XJ13, Sayer commenced early style proposals for an E Type replacement, later (XJ27) with modifications to evolve as the V 12-cylinder Jaguar XJS in 1975. The XJS never perhaps achieved the same iconic status as the E-Type, but it was acclaimed for its V12 performance and comfort, luxury and grandeur as a grand tourer. The XJS remained in production for 21 years (1975–1996).

Personal life and death

Sayer married Pat Morgan in 1947, who also worked at Bristol Aeroplane Company. They had three children: daughter Kate (born 1948), son John (born 1953) and daughter Mary (born 1956).

He was a watercolourist and musician,

On 24 May 2008 a plaque was unveiled at his birthplace on Cromer, and another at Great Yarmouth Grammar school.

A blue plaque dedicated to him was unveiled on 28 April 2010 at Portland Place (his last address) in Leamington Spa.

A housing development in Leamington Spa was named Sayer Court after Malcolm was officially opened on 30 January 2017. The name was suggested by pupils at St Patrick's Catholic Primary School and was chosen as the winning entrant in a naming competition that was held across Leamington schools.

'Sayer Court', a new street in Leamington Spa built in 2019, was also named after Malcolm.

References

Further reading

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  • Malcolm Sayer Foundation - a website created by the Sayer family celebrating the life and work of Malcolm Sayer
  • A personal XJ13 blog that contains unpublished and original material concerning the development of the XJ13 prototype V12
  • Designing the XJ13 - includes profile of Malcolm Sayer