---
title: William Heynes · HICONIUM
description: William Heynes in the HICONIUM register — 2 files carrying their credit.
canonical_url: https://hiconium.dev/people/william-heynes
image: https://hiconium.dev/og/people/william-heynes.png
---

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> On this page: [Central-tub architecture](#central-tub-architecture) · [Engineering leadership](#engineering-leadership) · [2 files carry this name](#2-files-carry-this-name)

![William Heynes](https://hiconium.dev/_derived/images/people/william-heynes/portrait.jpg.w1920.q75.webp)

People

# William Heynes

Jaguar chief engineer and technical director

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Born | Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, 1903 |
| Died | 1989 |
| Nationality | British |

Ahheynes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The record

Jaguar chief engineer credited in the register for D-Type structural engineering and the XKSS.

William Munger Heynes joined SS Cars as Chief Engineer in 1935. His Jaguar work included the C-Type, D-Type and E-Type; he retired in 1969 as Vice-Chairman and Technical Director.

The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust credits the D-Type's structure to Heynes and chassis engineer Tom Jones, with Malcolm Sayer designing the bodywork around it. Jaguar made the XKSS as a road-going D-Type, carrying that competition-car basis into the register's second credit.

### Central-tub architecture

The D-Type used a central tub, a front spaceframe for the engine, gearbox and front suspension, and a rear axle fixed to the rear bulkhead. The Heritage Trust attributes this structure to Heynes and Tom Jones.

### Engineering leadership

Jaguar test-development engineer Norman Dewis worked under Heynes on the C-Type, D-Type, E-Type and production saloons, placing the racing cars within a wider engineering programme.

The house

[![Jaguar](https://hiconium.dev/images/marques/full/jaguar.svg)](https://hiconium.dev/manufacturers/jaguar)

Credited through Jaguar, Jaguar Cars.

In the register

## 2 files carry this name

- [Jaguar D-Type Chief engineer · Jaguar 1954–1957 €7.5M 1954–1957 €7.5M Rating 97.0](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/jaguar/d-type)
- [Jaguar XKSS D-Type structural engineering · Jaguar Cars 1957 €12M 1957 €12M Rating 98.0](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/jaguar/xkss)

The files above are the register's own record of this name. [The people index](https://hiconium.dev/people) holds everyone the register credits.

Sources

- [leamingtonhistory.co.uk](https://leamingtonhistory.co.uk/william-munger-heynes-1903-1989/)
- [jaguarheritage.com](https://www.jaguarheritage.com/e-type-evolution-exhibition/)
- [brdc.co.uk](https://brdc.co.uk/notice-of-death-norman-dewis-obe-1920-2019/)
- [media.jaguar.com](https://media.jaguar.com/news/2016/03/jaguar-build-iconic-xkss-worlds-first-supercar)