HURRAY! JAGUAR E-TYPE IS 50

•Jaguar E-Type
This year marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most famous and desirable cars in automotive history – the Jaguar E-Type. The year has started on a positive note for the brand whose XF model was garlanded with the prestigious What car? 'Best Executive Car' honour for the fourth year running at a ceremony held in London last week.

Jaguar will be celebrating this special anniversary year at high-profile motoring events throughout 2011, starting with the recent Geneva Motor Show and proceed to celebrate at Goodwood's Revival and Festival of Speed, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the Nurburgring Old Timer Grand Prix and a host of Jaguar customer, dealer and lifestyle events worldwide.

When it was launched in 1961, the appeal of E-Type transcended the automotive world. Such is the inherent rightness of its proportions, stance and purity of line, that it is a permanent exhibit in New York's Museum of Modern Art. The now iconic E-Type set new standards in automotive design and performance when it was launched in 1961.

Its influence is still apparent in Jaguar's modern range: cars that offer a peerless blend of performance, comfort, cutting-edge technology and award-winning design. 'Half a century of progress has not diminished the significance of the E-Type,' said Mike O'Driscoll, Managing Director Jaguar Cars and Chairman Jaguar Heritage.  'It was a sensation when it was launched, and remains Jaguar's most enduring and iconic symbol. The E-Type is simply one of the most exciting cars ever created and a legacy to the genius of Jaguar's founder, Sir William Lyons.'

E-Type owners included celebrities such as George Best, Brigitte Bardot, Tony Curtis and Steve McQueen and the sports car became as synonymous with the Swinging Sixties as the Beatles and the mini skirt. 'It is impossible to overstate the impact the E-Type had when it was unveiled in 1961,' said Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director. 'Here was a car that encapsulated the spirit of the revolutionary era it came to symbolise. The E-Type is a design that even today continues to inform the work we do in styling the Jaguars of the future.'

Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961, Jaguar's E-Type caused a sensation. Capable of achieving 150mph, but costing a fraction of the price of rivals with similar performance, it was the affordable supercar and became an instant icon – remaining on sale for 14 years. Back to the achievement by XF: This fourth What Car? 'Best Executive Car' accolade takes the Jaguar XF's tally of international awards to more than 80 since its launch. It is probably the most crowned luxury car around the world, a source at Coscharis Motors, the company that exclusively markets the Jaguar range in Nigeria, told Daily Sun Motoring.

'We're delighted the XF has won this prestigious What Car? Award for the fourth year in succession,' said Geoff Cousins, Managing Director of Jaguar Cars UK. 'In terms of sales, 2010 was the best ever year ever for the XF. Sales of the model were up 25 per cent in 2010 versus 2009, and that's the third consecutive year of growth. The XF has been a resounding success since it was launched in 2008, and it's great to have that recognised by the media. We have sold more than 100,000 examples of the XF worldwide and it continues to attract new customers to the brand.'