DRIVING LIKE IT'S 1961

All this week, 50 classic Jaguar E‑type cars will be driving from Coventry, England to Geneva in Switzerland to celebrate the unveiling of Jaguar’s iconic sportscar in March 1961. In the first of a series of daily blogs, U.S. auto writer Howard Walker reports on the Tour from behind the wheel of the last E‑type ever built.

It was nothing less than a symphony in E. At precisely 9 a.m. this morning, the air in Coventry city center in the industrial heart of England was ripped by the snarly, raspy, soul‑stirring symphony of no fewer than 50 classic Jaguar E‑type cars bursting into life.

It was the glorious sound of straight‑sixes and big V12s powering cars that span the 14‑year production run of this legendary Jaguar sports car.

Over the next four days, these 50 E‑type cars will re‑trace a truly epic journey that took place 50 years ago back in March 1961.

This was when two of Jaguar’s still‑secret E‑type sports cars charged through the night from Coventry to Geneva, covering 800 miles in just 17 hours, to appear at the world debut of the E‑type at the Geneva Motor Show.

I’m lucky enough to be piloting one of the most significant E‑type models ever built, the black 1975 Series 3 V12 roadster that was the very last E‑type to come off the production line.

It’s one of a special run of 50 roadsters that marked the end of E‑type production. With the exception of one British Racing Green car, each was painted black and featured a special dashboard plaque bearing a copy of Jaguar founder, Sir William Lyons’ signature.

Almost all of the cars taking part in this 50th Anniversary tour are owned by passionate E‑type enthusiasts who’ve brought their cars from all four corners of the UK, mainland Europe and North America.

Thankfully, we’re adopting a slightly more leisurely pace than those hard‑charging overnight delivery drivers half a century ago. We’re traveling to Geneva via four legendary race circuits – Castle Coombe and Goodwood in the UK, and Reims and Dijon in France before sweeping in to Geneva on Thursday morning.

When we arrive, we’ll toast the E‑type’s 50th Anniversary with a lunch at the Restaurant de Parc des Eaux‑Vives where Sir William Lyons unveiled the car to the world’s press back on March 15, 1961.

This is the kind of drive our sleek V12 roadster was created for. While the early ‘Es’ were all about blistering performance, nimble handling and right‑now braking, the V12 was designed to cross continents in refined, relaxed comfort at a rock‑steady 145 mph.

Since driving off the production line in the summer of 1974, the car I'm driving has been one of the jewels of the Jaguar Heritage collection and the subject of meticulous maintenance.

And it still drives like a dream. Under that football‑field‑long hood, its hugely‑torquey, whisper‑quiet 5.3‑liter 266‑horse V12 pulls like a train from a walking pace in fourth gear.

Today, we’re heading to Goodwood on England’s south coast for a few laps of the circuit, a quick run up the famous hill climb and fine dining with Lord March at Goodwood House.

Join us tomorrow on Interactive Jaguar to find out whether or not the fabulous 50 made it to dinner.