A Pair of Classic Cats to Tackle the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb
Classic Car Friday at the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb will see a fleet of 64 incredibly desirable and valuable machines take to the hill – two of which will participate under the official Jaguar Classic banner.
Making its Jaguar Simola Hillclimb debut is a special 1972 E-TYPE, once owned by Princess Marie of Liechtenstein. Her Serene Highness reportedly bought the car new from an American dealership in New York, and had the car shipped to Switzerland. It’s believed Princess Marie drove the E-TYPE only a few times, and she decided after one particular jaunt over a Swiss mountain pass that the V12-powered coupe was too fast for her royal liking.
After less than two years in the royal family, the Regency Red Series 3 Coupe was sold to a Rhodesian tobacco farmer. The car remained in Europe for the next few decades, but was relocated to Zimbabwe sometime in the 1990s. Finally, the historic Jaguar was imported to South Africa in 2003, and only recently fell into the hands of its current caretaker.
The “Royal E-TYPE” as it’s now affectionately known, will be driven in the Classic Car Friday portion of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb by passionate classic car racer and collector, Patrick Gearing.
The next classic cat, making its second Jaguar Simola Hillclimb appearance, is a 1984 XJ-S lovingly restored by the team at Jaguar Classic as a tribute to the famed Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) cars that dominated touring car races in the 1980s.
After a successful debut at the hands of American race ace Randy Pobst at last year’s event, the iconic green and white-liveried XJ-S will this year be helmed by stunt driving superstar Terry Grant. Terry will put the XJ-S’s silky smooth 5.3-litre V12 to the test on the 1.9km Simola hill with a series of no-holds-barred VIP passenger runs.
The Royal E-TYPE and TWR tribute XJ-S have both been prepared for Jaguar Simola Hillclimb action using Jaguar Classic Genuine Parts. Jaguar Land Rover South Africa will soon offer owners of classic Jaguars a full catalogue of over 30 000 parts for models including E-TYPE, XJ, XJS, XK8, XJ6, and XJ12.
Parts will range from exterior items such as body panels and cosmetic trim, all the way to mechanical components for engines and drivelines. Each component is manufactured to original specifications – and by the original suppliers when possible. In many cases, original parts were used to ensure their new reproductions were accurate – as is the case with replacement body panels for the Jaguar E-TYPE. Original E-TYPE panels were painstakingly recreated using state-of-the-art 3D CAD technology and treated for corrosion resistance using modern techniques.
Jaguar Classic Genuine Parts will be available through the Jaguar Land Rover retail network across South Africa.
Classic car lovers are invited to get up close and personal with the 64 competing cars from 9am on Thursday, 3 May at a scrutineering session and display on Hedge Street near Waterfront Drive in Knysna. The cars are then scheduled to depart on a parade through town at 2.45pm. Classic Car Friday officially kicks off on 4 May at 8.30am, when the first competitive runs are due to start.
Jaguar Simola Hillclimb action will continue on Saturday and Sunday (5-6 May 2018), when competitors will race up the most-contested stretch of road in the country for the King of the Hill title. Tickets for the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb start at R120 for day passes, and can be purchased online: http://jaguarsimolahillclimb.nutickets.co.za
For spectators who are unable to make it to South Africa’s foremost live motorsport event, an online live stream will be available throughout the weekend. Viewers will have the choice of watching on two platforms.
Jaguar South Africa’s facebook page will air practice, qualifying and class final runs as they happen. Jaguar South Africa’s YouTube channel will also stream nonstop from Friday morning to Sunday evening with a continuous loop of on track action when no live racing is taking place. The YouTube feed will also feature some video-on-demand highlights, separately to the main stream.
Watch the 2018 Jaguar Simola Hillclimb at www.youtube.com/user/JaguarSA1 or www.facebook.com/JaguarSA
