Classic Jaguars on Display in Little Switzerland

Classic Jaguar sports car and sedans will be on display Saturday, July 17, 2010 from 10 am to 4 pm, on the grounds of the Switzerland Inn, Little Switzerland, NC on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The show is the annual judged concours d'elegance of the Carolina Jaguar Club and will include the XJS that belonged to James Brown, "the Godfather of Soul". The public is welcome.

Early registrations also include three XK120/140 sports cars from the 1950s and seven E-Type sports cars, perhaps Jaguar's most famous and endearing model which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. A Concours d'Elegance - essentially a beauty pageant for coach-built cars and high fashions - came into vogue in the late 1920s in Europe. Wealthy clients ordered custom coachwork on their favorite marque's chassis, then proudly debuted their one-of-a-kind cars, often accompanied by a female model in a coordinated outfit from a leading couturier.

Jaguar clubs continue this tradition with local shows where both classic and modern "cats" are judged for cleanliness and authenticity using procedures established by the Jaguar Clubs of North America (JCNA). JCNA, which includes the state-wide Carolina Jaguar Club (CJC), has nearly 60 local clubs including Mexico City and five in Canada, and has over 6,000 member families.

CJC's Concours Chair Mimi Morton invites everybody to join the club for a day in the mountains and a special show. This year marks the 75th anniversary for England's Jaguar car company and the 100th for the Switzerland Inn. Jaguar's brand new 2011 XJ8 sedan will be on display by sponsoring Jaguar dealers, and the Inn offers free parking and a full-service bar and restaurant. From the I-40 take the Marion exit 86 take Rt. 226 north to the Blue Ridge Parkway and go 3 miles south toward Asheville to milepost 334.

The Carolina Jaguar Club is a state-wide organization with 120 member families including a few from Virginia and S. Carolina. Monthly meetings are held wherever we find a social or significant event, an interesting car show, or gatherings organized by nearby Jaguar clubs.