Jaguar 60th Birthday Spotlight

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A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY Sixty years after its unveiling at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 1961, the team at Jaguar Classic have released the ultimate birthday present to the car: the E-Type 60 collection. words and images by Russ Rocknak

When it was launched in 1961, the Jaguar E-Type caused quite a sensation, and development began in the mid-late 1950s when Sir William Lyons wanted to replace the XK sports car. Jaguar had dominated the racetrack with the C-Type and the D-Type, and it was lessons learned from these cars that would form the E-Type as well as give it its name.

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hen you think of Jaguar’s E-Type, the people behind it that immediately come to mind are, of course, Sir William Lyons himself and designer Malcolm Sayer. However, for anyone who is passionate about Jaguar, three additional names are also legendary when thinking of the E-Type: Frank “Lofty” England, Norman Dewis, and Bob Berry. As a team, they were involved in not just the launching of the E-Type but were also fundamental to its development. Bob was a racer himself and Norman was also a test driver. It was genuine racing experience mixed with passion that was central to the E-Type’s success. Lofty England was Jaguar’s race team manager and he recruited Bob Berry to Jaguar in the 1950s when they met at Le Mans. Berry soon

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Above: Sixty years after its unveiling at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 1961, Jaguar Classic has released the ultimate birthday present to the car: the E-Type 60 collection: The collection consists of six matched pairs in an exclusive anniversary specification inspired by the two famous launch vehicles sent to Geneva in 1961. There are only six pairs in existence.

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became the firm’s PR manager, while Norman was central to the development of the disc brake, a key feature of the E-Type.

The first prototype E1A was built in 1957 but the E-Type really took off with the E2A which was the second development car. While this was a great example of Jaguar developing its cars in competition—as part of the testing of the car, Jaguar entered the vehicle into Le Mans —this pre-dates the launch of the road-going E-Type, which we all know and love today.

Interestingly in the case of the E-Type, it is one of the few car designs that offers both a coupe and a roadster. The car was originally designed as the latter. Officially titled an open two-seater (OTS), the prototype E1A and the subsequent E2A were both roadsters. The fixed-head coupe was designed later.

The E-Type was first presented to the world at the Parc des Eaux-Vives, Geneva on March 15, 1961, which was just ahead of the auto show itself. The magic of its debut is really the story of how it got there. Initially just one car had been taken to Geneva; the auto show car. This was a fixed head coupe that was registered as 9600 HP and which was famously driven overnight from Coventry to Geneva by public relations man Bob Berry. In those days, the show started with demonstration drives for the media—Bob arrived just a few minutes to spare before its official unveiling at the Parc des Eaux-Vives.

The demand from the media to drive this car was tremendous, so Sir William Lyons decided that they needed a second car for demonstration drives. The roadster, 77 RW, was summoned to be the demonstrator, but there was

a problem: the car was once again in Coventry.

Legendary test driver Norman Dewis was told to drop everything and drive it from the factory to Geneva, again overnight. This was totally worth the effort—Jaguar took its first 500 orders even before they left Geneva and that was just the start of the success story. Keep in mind, these cars never went through research and development; nor were they tested, analyzed, and tested again. They were just filled with fresh oil and fuel and sent off on a manic journey to ace the show without a hitch. They even caught admiration from Enzo Ferrari.

When the E-Type launched, it was faster than a Ferrari or Aston Martin for half the price and Jaguar was smart enough to take it to America just a month after Geneva which literally turbocharged demand. Around twothirds (72,000) of the E-Types built in the world between 1961 and 1974 were sold in the US. The E-Type, as many people know, is really an icon of the British ‘60s and in 1996 the type became only the third car to join the Museum of Modern Art design collection.

Only a month after it launched, it won its first race at Oulton Park Circuit in Cheshire.

The driver was a young chap named Graham Hill. The car wasn’t designed specifically to race, but it was fast, well balanced, and had disc brakes and an independent rear suspension. In addition to being used for UK production car racing, Jaguar also used the E-Type for endurance competitions including Le Mans, Sebring, and the Nürburgring. This led to the creation of the lightweight E-Type. Only 12 of these lightweights were built in the early ‘60s,

Above: Sir William Lyons with HP 9600.

Below: Legendary Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis arriving in Geneva with the roadster, 77 RW. Dewis was told to drop everything and drive it from the factory to Geneva, again overnight. Bottom: Once the media saw Jaguar’s new E-Type, the demand to drive the car was tremendous. The auto show car, a fixed-head coupe registered as 9600 HP would need backup, so Sir William Lyons decided that they needed a second car for demonstration drives.

historical images courtesy of Jaguar Classic

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out of a planned run of 18 cars. In 2015 Jaguar had the opportunity to bring the remaining six to life, using all-original chassis.

Enter Jaguar Classic Jaguar Classic’s role is a straightforward one; preserving and restoring their heritage for future generations to enjoy. There are four ways in which they do that. First is their facility, which is over 150,000 square feet, and the largest of its kind in the world. It is home to some of the finest restoration and service capabilities performed by Jaguar experts and specialists.

There are 54 workshop bays which service all manner of Jaguars, from XJ8s to D-Types. Second, they restore E-Types back to reborn factory specification and build new D-Type and C-Type continuation cars from scratch. These vehicles are created to the highest standards of quality and authenticity, which ensure that they keep Jaguar’s rich past, and the heritage of the Jaguar brand remains aligned with the marques future. They provide genuine Jaguar parts to thousands of customers worldwide who in turn help them care for their vehicles the very best way.

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Third, Jaguar Classic houses a collection of over several hundred classic vehicles. And finally, fourth, they have their Works Legend program, which essentially gives customers a chance to buy the most exceptional classic Jaguars on the market.

Diamond Anniversary The Jaguar E-Type celebrates its diamond anniversary, securing its position as Jaguar’s most enduring and unrivaled symbol. Sixty years after its unveiling at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 1961, the tal-

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Above: Jaguar’s 3.8liter engine, a specially developed close-ratio 5-speed synchromesh manual gearbox and upgraded cooling system with alloy radiator.

Right: You’ll see the Type 60 logo in the hood ornament, the fuel cap, and clockface. Each car has a custom-designed center console, crafted by prominent artist and world-leading engraver Johnny “King Nerd” Dowell.

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Thank you Motorcars Incorporated In a very special nod to the E-Type’s launch, Dean Cusano, President of Motorcars Incorporated, arranged a press day to celebrate this rare pair of cats at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut. Set on August 17th of 2021, the Tuesday before The Dream Ride Experience, located in Farmington, Connecticut, Cusano’s intentions succeeded as the media got to train their camera lenses on these cars’ easy lines before they made their public debut at The Dream Ride Experience shortly after. I am sure Norman Dewis would have been happy with the relaxed timeline to get his OTS to the show this time around—and being chased by a D-Type certainly would have made for a spirited run. press day images (this spread) by Josh Sweeney/SFD the Jaguars shown are courtesy of the Hometown Foundation, Cheshire, Connecticut.

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ented team at Jaguar Classic has released the ultimate birthday present to the car: the E-Type 60 collection: six matched pairs in an exclusive anniversary specification inspired by the two famous launch vehicles sent to Geneva in 1961.

There are only six pairs in existence. The E-Type 60 editions were built using existing 1960s chassis, a 3.8-liter engine, a specially developed close-ratio 5-speed synchromesh manual gearbox and upgraded cooling system with alloy radiator. There are also subtle nods to modernity, including the Jaguar Classic entertainment system with satellite navigation and Bluetooth connectivity, a stainless-steel exhaust system, and an electronic ignition.

The exclusive anniversary specification of six 9600 HP-inspired fixed-head coupes are finished in a unique metallic grey paintwork with smooth black leather interior and the six roadsters (77 RW inspired) don a unique green paintwork and a green leather interior. They also feature the Type 60 logo which you’ll see in the hood ornament, the fuel cap, and clockface, all designed in collaboration with Julian Thomson’s team. In fact, the attention to detail demonstrates how this project has been a labor of love for Jaguar’s designers, engineers, craftspeople, and partners.

Exquisite detailing features everywhere, including the incredible engravings on the console, keep one’s eye moving along to find these unique accents. Each has a custom-designed center console, crafted by prominent artist and world-leading engraver Johnny “King Nerd” Dowell. It celebrates the epic road trips undertaken by Norman Dewis and Bob Berry to get to the 1961 launch.

In the coupe, the engraving is stylized to map

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the route taken by Bob Berry with an overhead sketch and the words, “I thought you’d never get here.” That was the reaction of Sir William Lyons to Bob’s arrival just minutes before the unveiling.

For the roadster, the engraving tracked the route taken by Dewis on his last-minute drive to Switzerland with a sketch of the car and this time his instructions to Norman, “Drop everything, and bring over the open top E- Type.” These consoles also have an exclusively designed, color matched leather cover that serves to protect the engraving or simply acts as a special surprise when lifted.

Also included for the new owners of the E-Type 60 collection pairs, Jaguar Classic has set up a once in a lifetime E-Type pilgrimage from Coventry to Geneva in the summer of 2022. This will be an incredible experience supported by Bremont Watch Company, which will be including a rally timer with each pair of vehicles. Tod’s is providing driver-focused shoes and accessories and Bennett Winch is providing coordinating luggage. Jaguar Classic is also working with Glenturret Whisky, which is launching a limited-edition E-Type single-malt. Meanwhile Bremont has also created limited edition watches inspired by the Type 60 collection utilizing the colors of these special vehicles. In total, 120 will be manufactured with 60 pieces in green and 60 in gray.

With this latest effort by Jaguar Classic, I am sure that the initial E-Type team of Sir William Lyons, designer Malcolm Sayer, Frank “Lofty” England, test driver Norman Dewis, and PR manager Bob Berry are collectively happy with their successor’s passion in keeping their heritage alive and well. They might even be happy with the addition of an electronic ignition.

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Above: Thoughtful details like the clockface with the Type 60 logo were all designed in collaboration with Julian Thomson’s team.

Below: Dean Cusano and his team at Motorcars Incorporated made the trek to show at The Dream Ride Experience with more than enough time to spare. The spirit of Sir William Lyons, designer Malcolm Sayer, Frank “Lofty” England, Norman Dewis, and Bob Berry, continues to endure through these special-edition Jaguars. The team at Jaguar Classic certainly knows how to celebrate.

Cheers!

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