A Gathering of E-Types at the Jaguar Clubs of North America Annual Meeting

This past weekend, we had an opportunity to spend time with two living legends: Norman Dewis and the Jaguar E‑Type.

Norman Dewis spent an incredible 33 years at Jaguar as the company’s chief test development engineer from 1952 to 1985. Some of the cars he helped develop are not only important to Jaguar, but to the annals of automotive history itself: The C and D‑Type, the XK140 and 150, the XK‑SS, the E‑Type, the XJ13 (in which he was nearly killed in a huge testing accident when a rear tire blew out), the XJS and any number of Sedans, or Saloon cars as they are known in the UK.

Mr. Dewis, who once calculated that he had completed over 1,000,000 miles at an average of 100 mph, also played a crucial role in the development of a dynamic vehicle system that made automobiles not only perform better, but more safely as well. And not just on the race track, but on highways and back roads the world over – the disc brake.

This year’s AGM was billed as sort of a “50‑50”. Held at the Wyndham Resort in Glen Allen, VA, just outside of Richmond, the 50‑50 was to be 50 E‑Types to celebrate the car’s 50th birthday. And despite the deteriorating weather over the course of the weekend, it most certainly did not disappoint.

The weekend started off on Friday with an afternoon of seminars, the highlights of which were Mr. Dewis’ reminiscences of the development of the E‑Type and Bill MacKeigan’s look in the rearview mirror at his 40+ years with Jaguar and its’ antecedents, British Leyland and Jaguar Rover Triumph. Bill still works for Jaguar today as the After Sales Market Manager for the New York City region.

Saturday’s activities began with the Annual General Meeting and were followed by an E‑Type Rally through the area, which is deeply steeped in the history of the Civil War. After a few additional seminars, the climax of the day was that evening’s Jaguar Clubs of North America Awards Dinner. And while over 40 awards were distributed, the highlight of the dinner, and perhaps the entire event itself, was Mr. Dewis’ remarks.

As the honored guest speaker, the 90 year old Mr. Dewis opened with some background on career with Jaguar. He related how for a car person, Coventry was the place to be: Jaguar, Lea Francis, Alvis, Riley, Standard – Triumph, Daimler, Armstrong Siddeley were some of the few who called Coventry home. After the war, in which he served in the RAF working on Blenheim bombers and later became a quality inspector on all RAF warplanes, he joined Lea Francis, his first job as an apprentice. Having shown a talent for testing, he became their chief product tester. After a while, word of his abilities began to spread within the Coventry automotive community and that lead to an offer from Jaguar.

His first big project was the development of the D‑Type. “In 1955 we began testing the D‑Type. It had to be right as the C‑Type had been so successful. I drove that car for 7 days at 130 mph. One time during at test at Le Mans (I was always listed as a reserve driver) I hit 192 mph on the Mulsanne Straight. In the dark, no less! Oh, yes, it was quite exciting.”

“We actually began development on the E‑Type in 1957 with the car that was known as ‘A1A’. Sir William (Lyons) wanted a smaller sports car for sale. But eventually we all agreed that A1A was not the answer, so it was scrapped.

“The E‑Type was something else. Jaguar was looking at it as a way back to Le Mans so in 1961 we began to develop what we called E2A. But after it ran at Le Mans in 1960, we decided that it would require too much money and require too much development and we had other priorities. So Sir William asked if we could take the E2A and make it into a production car. Well, Malcolm Sayer had all ready thought of that and had a design for the road‑going E‑Type ready. He showed it to Sir William and he gave the go‑ahead.

“We got the Drop Head Coup ready, but we didn’t finish the Fixed Head Coupe until a day or so before the introduction. That’s when I drove from Coventry to Geneva arriving with just 20 minutes to spare.” The legend goes that he Dewis had to drive almost 1,200 Km and cross the English Channel via Ferry. “I think I exceeded a speed limit or two!”

But speed, even at 90, is still in Mr. Dewis’ blood. One of the questioners inquired as to when and under what circumstance, he received his last speeding ticket.

“Well, it was last year. I was driving a new Jaguar XKR that the folks at the Jaguar factory had kindly lent me, and I wanted to see what she’d do. I was motoring along at about 100mph, when I pulled out to pass a couple of lorries when one pulled out to pass the other. Had to slow down very quickly and that gave the policeman an opportunity to catch up to me. Then all of a sudden I see lights flashing and I pull over. The policeman gets out and sees me, this elderly man behind the wheel. He told me I had been clocked by him at 106mph! I could have lost my license and would have had I not been wearing my BRDC (British Racing Driver’s Club) blazer.”

When asked how he liked the XKR a smile came to his face. “It is an exceptional motorcar and a worthy successor indeed… It has every right to be called a Jaguar!”

After his remarks and the Q&A the standing ovation Mr. Dewis received was just one of the many throughout the weekend.

The weather did not cooperate for the next day’s planned Concours d’ Elegance. Cold, damp and having snowed overnight, the number of E‑Types that participated in the Concours was seriously depleted. Even so, nearly 20 E‑Types stood tall for judging. Also outside and drawing equally approving glances were three brand new Jaguars, an XF and two XKs, graciously supplied by Brown’s Jaguar of Richmond, whose participation paid off – they sold one of the cars to one of the participants.

As Mr.Dewis looked over all the E‑Types, he was followed by a group of club members. When asked why everyone was hovering around Dewis, one of the crowd members replied, “He’s a rock star,” he said, almost incredulously. “He’s the last link to William Lyons, Lofty England, Malcolm Sayer. We need to cherish him while we can.”