[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/londons-walkie-talkie-building-melts-jaguar-xj\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/londons-walkie-talkie-building-melts-jaguar-xj\/","headline":"London's 'walkie talkie' building melts Jaguar XJ","name":"London's 'walkie talkie' building melts Jaguar XJ","description":"This morning, breakfast TV greeted me with the news that a skyscraper had melted a Jaguar XJ. Slow news day, I pondered, but then started to recall tales of small children burning random things with magnifying glasses before gaming devices were invented, so decided to look at this with a little more intent. It was the bright light from our unusually decent summer reflecting onto the Jaguar from the \u2018Walke Talkie\u2019 in the financial district of London that caused the […]","datePublished":"2013-09-03","dateModified":"2013-09-03","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/jaguar-xj-melted-wing-mirror.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/jaguar-xj-melted-wing-mirror.jpg","height":300,"width":300},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/londons-walkie-talkie-building-melts-jaguar-xj\/","about":["LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":413,"keywords":["20 fenchurch street","city of london","jag","jaguar","land securities & canary wharf","london","martin lindsay","melted","skyscraper","walkie talkie","XJ"],"articleBody":"This morning, breakfast TV greeted me with the news that a skyscraper had melted a Jaguar XJ. Slow news day, I pondered, but then started to recall tales of small children burning random things with magnifying glasses before gaming devices were invented, so decided to look at this with a little more intent.It was the bright light from our unusually decent summer reflecting onto the Jaguar from the \u2018Walke Talkie\u2019 in the financial district of London that caused the damage on Thursday afternoon. The wing mirror, badge and side panels had all been damaged by the sun\u2019s rays.In a further development, Eddie Cannon, a heating engineer, claimed that his own Vauxhall Vevaro van had been damaged in a similar way with a partially melted dashboard.The Fenchurch Street skyscraper is still under construction and part of its design has the outside clad in double and triple-glazed aluminium, and it is this extremely reflective nature of the building that has seemingly caused the problem.Apparently, the Jag was only parked up under the glare from the \u2018Walkie Talkie\u2019 building for just under an hour, but as we all know from those childhood exploits with a magnifying glass, it doesn\u2019t take long to heat something up channelling the immense power of the sun.The developers, Land Securities & Canary Wharf say they are looking into the issue, and City of London has agreed to close three parking bays in the vicinity as a precaution while the situation is investigated.It would seem that the unique angles of the building, which is wider at the top than the bottom (it\u2019s also been nicknamed the pint glass), is reflecting the sun directly into a specific area down below on sunny days. Indeed, nearby workers had apparently already nicknamed the building the \u2018walkie scorchie\u2019 before the melting Jaguar hit the news.Land Securities & Canary Wharf say they have apologised to the owner of the Jaguar, Martin Lindsay, and agreed to pay the repair bill for the overly heated Jag, which is estimated to come to \u00a3946 – potentially a tiny sun spot in the great scheme of things compared to the potential cost of fixing the problem itself.The slightly amusing aspect of all of this is that it seems as if the power of the sun has surprised the residents and workers of London, which I guess in itself is really no surprise when you live in the UK.Images – dailymail.co.uk"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"London's 'walkie talkie' building melts Jaguar XJ","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/londons-walkie-talkie-building-melts-jaguar-xj\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]