CLASSICS STEAL THE SHOW IN GENEVA

Jaguar E-type and Porsche 901 re-united with famous historic launch venue in 40-car display

The very cars used to launch the Porsche 901 and Jaguar E-type at the Geneva Motor Show have been brought back to Switzerland for the event’s centenary display.

‘Quick Blue’, the oldest surviving prototype of what would become the 911 and the example displayed at the model’s launch 60 years ago, joined 9600 HP – the 3.8-litre E-type S1 used for the car’s launch three years earlier – in a 40-strong display marking 100 years since the Swiss city held its first international event.

The display was split into four main themed areas, focusing on pre-war cars, 1950s people’s cars, GTS of the 1950s and 1960s, and one looking at cars created in the wake of the 1973 energy crisis. They were joined by a display given over to five automotive innovators – including the Audi Ur-quattro and Renault 16 – and an ‘adrenalin zone’ dedicated to more modern performance classics, including a Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959.

The event also marked the first motor show in Geneva since 2018, although the area given over to new cars was noticeably smaller than in previous outings. There were also very few classics that had been brought along by manufacturers, with a 1972 Renault 5 supporting the launch of its new namesake one of the few examples.

The biggest coup for the event’s Classic Display area was bringing together both examples of Bugatti Royale chassis 41.111 for the first time, but the significant metal on show also included the first of 38 Ferrari 500 Superfasts made and one of 50 preproduction Citroën SMS.

Display curator – and Jaguar XK120 owner – Jean-pierre Mitard said: ‘Getting the Bugattis together for a world premiere was an amazing challenge but, being a Jaguar man, getting 9600 HP here to Geneva was an extremely proud moment because it’s such a significant car – I actually cried after I managed to get it!

‘The reaction has been extremely positive. We wanted to have a lot of classics at this show to mark 100 years since Geneva became an international show and there is so much quality and so many significant cars in this one display.’ David Simister

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Geneva show royalty brought together – the E-type S1 FHC that Jaguar used for the car’s launch, and the Ferrari 500 Superfast shown off at 1964’s event. 1966 AUSTIN MINI BMC’S baby was a big hit with continental buyers, too. A 1959 example would have fitted better with the Fifties People’s Cars theme but this later Swiss-market model was chosen on account of its condition. 1951 CITROËN 2CV Originally sold in France, this early Tin Snail has squirmed across the border and is now the second-oldest example registered in Switzerland. 1957 FIAT 500 The same family has owned this, one of the first 2500 Nuova-gen 500s made, for more than 60 years. It’s still in tip-top condition.

Kimera Automobili used the show to launch its 038, a homage to Lancia’s 037 – and brought along some of the Italian manufacturer’s world rally cars to mark the occasion. One of the few classics in the area given over to manufacturers was this 1972 Renault 5, which was used to help launch the new model. 1970 Citroën SM is one of 50 pre-production examples – and has had just two owners from new. The classic display’s biggest coup was bringing these two Bugatti Royales together for the first time – the black example being a Binder-bodied 1930 Coupé de Ville originally intended for King Caroll II of Romania. 1947 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE This example was imported into Switzerland in 1948 – its owners since then have included the Swiss Army and a taxi driver in Bern. This 1963 Porsche 901 was originally used for the model’s launch – it’s the oldest-known surviving prototype and the only one equipped with a fivedial dashboard. Volkswagen Golf GTI earned a spot in the automotive innovators display on account of being the first GTI put on sale. Don’t tell Maserati…