Motoring legends mark Jaguar E-type’s anniversary
Wednesday 9th February 2011, 2:25PM GMT.
The 50th anniversary year of Jaguar’s iconic E-type got under way in London when legendary Shropshire test driver Norman Dewis and former world champion motor racer John Surtees unveiled a stunning 1961 E-type which has recently been restored.
Mr Dewis, from Church Stretton, who will celebrate his 91st birthday this year, helped develop 25 cars at Jaguar during his 33-year career with the company.
He was joined at London’s Design Museum by Mr Surtees, the only man to win world championships on two wheels and four.
The now iconic E-type set new standards in automotive design when it was launched in 1961 at the Geneva Motor Show and its influence is still apparent in Jaguar’s modern range.
Standing in front of E-type 77 RW, Mr Dewis said he well remembered being on a test run in the car and getting a call asking him to “drop everything” and drive the car from Coventry to the Geneva motor show so that it could become a press car.
He added: “Coventry to Dover took me two hours and I completed the run to Geneva in just 11 hours I averaged 68mph – it was quite a drive. The E-type took the motoring world by storm and it was great to be its test driver and to be here celebrating the E-type anniversary.”
The car has been loaned by Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth in Shropshire which approached the museum about having an example of the car on display to celebrate the 50th anniversary.
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