Original Geneva E-Type Marks a Very Special Jaguar Anniversary - VIDEO ENHANCED

Knowledge Base: Jaguar Buyer's Guide

GENEVA - February 28, 2011: Excitement on the eve of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show gained momentum as senior executives from Tata Group and Jaguar Land Rover opened Show activities with a celebration of Jaguar's E-type. The iconic sports car was first unveiled 50 years ago in Geneva at the Hotel du Parc des Eaux Vives.

Present at the event were: Mr Carl-Peter Forster, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Tata Motors; Mr Ratan N Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons; Mr Ravi Kant, Vice-Chairman of Tata Motors; and Dr Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover. They met with E-type owners and had the opportunity to drive prestige examples of the sports car classic.

"What better way to celebrate half a century of the E-type than driving beautiful cars," said Mr Forster. "This is a magnificent sporting classic that symbolises the power and the passion of the Jaguar brand - one of the factors that attracted Tata Motors to purchase both Jaguar and Land Rover."

Driven by Mr Carl-Peter Forster accompanied by Mr Ratan N Tata from the Hotel du Parc des Eaux Vives on the very same route taken by journalists at the press launch in 1961, they relived the moment that the E-type first hit the road, in the process redefining the expectations of how a sports car should look and perform.  

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Witnessed by a small group of owners, journalists and enthusiasts the drive formed one part of the celebrations taking place to mark the special anniversary.  As it did in 1961, the Geneva Motor Show will again witness the unveiling of a fast, beautiful Jaguar in the form of the new XKR-S.  Remaining true to the virtues of comfort, effortless pace and style that defined the E-type, the XKR-S promises to be the fastest and most responsive series-production Jaguar ever created.  

About Jaguar
From its beginning as a manufacturer of motorcycle sidecars in 1922, Jaguar Cars has grown to become one of the world's premier manufacturers of luxury sedans and sports cars and with that, one of the most recognized commercial brands. The company's vision is simple: To produce beautiful fast cars that are desired the world over. The company operates two manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and is fully engaged in environmental programs, community work and brand awareness exercises such as motorsports.