John Surtees unveiled an E-type-inspired sculpture that’s expected to raise £50,000 in aid of his late son Henry’s Foundation in London today.
Surtees – the only driver to win the world title on both two and four wheels – was guest of honour at a ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club to celebrate the completion of Claudio Barbato’s e-Motion.
The piece won restoration specialist Classic Motor Cars’ competition, held earlier this year, for an E-type-related sculpture to mark the model’s 50th anniversary and CMC’s recent restoration of the Lindner-Nöcker Lightweight.
Barbato’s work was one of 50 entries submitted by students from Coventry’s School of Art and Design and was judged by Ian Callum, Jaguar’s head of design.
The 21-year-old student was thrilled to have his work (below) selected: “The E-type is a car that I’ve admired my whole life so to have my design chosen was a big honour.”
Just five pieces will be made from solid aluminium, each numbered with a tag made from a piece of metal from the Lindner-Nöcker E-type.
The models are expected to make around £10,000 each when they’re sold over the course of the next year, with all proceeds going to the Henry Surtees Foundation.
Surtees was enthusiastic about the sculpture’s inspiration: ”Enzo Ferrari was famous for remarking that the E-type was the most beautiful car in the world and as Italy was the home of design, that comment set the seal for Jaguar design and gave it a reputation that lasted for years.”
Surtees added that the piece is a fitting tribute to his son who was fatally injured in a freak accident during a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch in 2009.
“It’s very appropriate as Henry had a great love of cars and I remember him commenting on the E-type in particular,” he said.
