two of the most famous E-Types in the world have taken part in a special birthday run to celebrate the opening of the 31st Geneva Motor Show on March 17th1961, when the E-Type was unveiled to the public for the first time and described by the media as a sensation.
The run was organized by one of the world’s leading restoration companies, Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, who have restored more famous E-Types than any other company.
1600RW: Chassis Number 4, Lofty England’s E-Type, the first E-Type ever sold and 1VHP the very first right-hand-drive production Jaguar E-Type Fixed Head Coupe, both restored by CMC, were two of a number of cars that took to the road to mark the birthday.
Other E Types including several important restorations were on display.
Nigel Woodward, Managing Director of CMC, which has won restoration of the year twice for work it has carried out on Jaguar cars said: “The company was set up 28 years ago with the prime objective of restoring Jaguar cars and in particular E-Types. During that time it has restored hundreds of E-Types, many of them famous early outside bonnet lock cars. We now have a worldwide reputation for restoring other marques to the same exacting standards.”
He added: “ We wanted to mark the day 60 years ago at the Geneva Motor Show when the public first saw this iconic car and fell in love with it. It is the most recognized car in the world and was famously described by Enzo Ferrari as the most beautiful car ever made.”
Nigel said: “This marks yet another milestone in the history of this famous marque and it seemed fitting that we mark the birthday in style”.
On the opening day of the show, Jaguar received a flood of orders for the car and it is believed that the first sale was to M. Jacques Charrier, husband of Brigitte Bardot, the French film star then drove from Rome to test the 150-mph car. There was no advertised price for the car but press reports suggested that it was selling for about £2,860. Today a well-sorted and restored early E Type can fetch £250,000 or more.”
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