The Jaguar E-Type is genuinely a fantastically-beautiful and an extremely iconic car. There are those that may not have a clue about this gorgeous English masterpiece, but if you show them a photograph of her, few will mistake her for anything other than a sports car. Guess what? Jaguar is aware of the power the E-Type holds, so there’s no surprise that the marque holds a few events celebrating its favorite nameplate every once in a while.
Given that the E-type just rung in its 60th anniversary, Jaguar did something really special. The British brand built a few collection-special units of the celebrated model, then drove them 1,019 miles (1,640 km) from Coventry to Geneva. Why Geneva you ask? Well, that’s because it has been 60 years since the E-Type was introduced in Switzerland. Therefore, it makes sense (in a sentimental way) to have special-edition E-Types drive all the way from Great Britain to their second home in Switzerland as a pilgrimage.
About 60 years ago, at the Geneva Motor Show, two E-Types were driven all the way to Switzerland by Bob Berry (brand PR Manager) and Norman Dewis (Jaguar’s Test and Development Engineer). As for the newly-built E-Type, there were two manufactured – a fixed-head coupe finished in Flat Out Grey and one Roadster finished in Drop Everything Green. All of this was done because the number of orders for the E-Type in Switzerland exceeded 500 units at the time.
Since there’s such a rich history here, Jaguar’s Classic division sent out an invite to all the owners of the E-type 60 Collection for this Geneva pilgrimage. To keep up with what Jaguar’s Bob Berry and Norman Dewis did in 1961, owners of the limited-edition E-Types went through a similar memorable experience. This included amazing sceneries and roads that were part of the whole drive, plus luxury stays and fine cuisine. Obviously, those that were lucky enough to be a part of this special journey, will forever be glad to have been part of the E-Types unique path to stardom.
Talking about the special event was Emma Styles, Head of Commercial at Jaguar Classic. She said, “Bob [Berry] and Norman’s [Dewis] epic journey to Geneva has gone down in automotive history and we thought it only right that the owners of the E-type 60 Collection were given the chance to build their own memories. Driving in a limited-edition E-type creates memories. Our bespoke pilgrimage to Switzerland allowed customers to enhance their E-type experience with unique visits, unforgettable roads, luxury gifting and the chance to make their own history.”
While Dewis had to dash to Geneva in 11 hours without much comfort, those that took part in this pilgrimage had plenty of comfort provided to them. On the very first day, owners enjoyed an overnight stay at the Long White Cloud at the Monkey Island Estate in Bray-on-Thames in Berkshire, where Sir Stirling Moss was born. In the coming days, owners drove from Long White Cloud, heading to AeroLegends in Kent, on to Chateau Montreuil located on the Opal Coast, from where they headed to France’s iconic Champagne region of Epernay.
This then led to a private tour and lunch, before an overnight stay at the 17th century Chateau de la Resle. Crossing the border from France to Switzerland took place on the fourth day of the drive, with the final place of rest being The Chedi in Andermatt after a drive that lasted more than 300 miles or 483 kilometers. This was followed by a luscious dinner and wine, with everybody involved offering a toast to Norman Dewis.
On the fifth and last day of the pilgrimage, owners drove their Jaguar E-Type 60 Collection models from Andermatt to Geneva – a journey of 210 miles (338 kilometers) while traversing the Gotthard Pass which includes 37 bends and 24 hairpins. Furthermore, owners tackled the formidable Ollon-Villars hill climb, something that Bob Berry handled in 1961. At the end of this momentous drive, rare champagne was waiting for the guests during their stay at Parc Des Eaux Vives. Needless to say, the owners of the limited-edition E-Types sure had a fantastic time.
