The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power will feature over 150 race and road cars this year including the legendary Auto Union D-Type from 1938 as well as the only factory-built Low Drag Lightweight Jaguar E-Type.
The three day event takes place on the Cholmondeley Estate near Crewe, England, UK, from the 15th to 17th July 2011 and features displays of power and speed on the 1.2 mile racing circuit as well as on the lake and in the air above the grounds.
The 1938 Auto Union D-Type, one of the iconic German ‘Silver Arrow’ Grand Prix cars, has a two-stage supercharged V12 engine producing some 485bhp, and is estimated to be worth more than £9 million making it one of the most valuable cars there.
James Hall, Event Director for the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, commented:
“There are hundreds of cars appearing at the event this year, each with its own unique history. Most of have been raced, many have won, and some have even been crashed. But the common denominator that unites them all is their star quality – every single car at the Pageant is special, both for participating drivers and spectators, and it’s this varied selection of characterful cars that keeps visitors coming back for more, year after year.”
One car that was damaged so badly that many thought that it had been lost forever is the only factory-built Low Drag Lightweight Jaguar E-Type. This car crashed at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry race circuit, just outside Paris, France in 1964 and was stored for years before being eventually purchased by an English Jaguar restoration company. The bodyshell had been so badly damaged that it had been fitted with a new one in the past but the new owner, mindful of the cars importance, repaired the old one as part of a 7,000 hour restoration that used more than 90 per cent of the original parts. The car will join a host of other E-Types for a display at the Pageant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this iconic Jaguar
There will also be displays of four-wheel drive Formula 1 cars, a Maserati Tipo 61 ‘Birdcage’, Ferrari 330 P3 and 458 GT3 race car, Ford GT40, and Porsche 917 as well as the 2003 Le Mans winning Bentley Speed 8.
It’s not all motor cars though; there will be live military combat power demonstrations, air displays with the Breitling Wingwalkers, helicopter demonstrations and the incredibly powerful F2 catamarans on the lake.
One of the most popular events of the weekend is the Saturday night concert starting at 18:30 BST. The ‘Last Night of the Proms’ style concert will be followed by fireworks as well as a fly-past by the Royal Air Force.
The Pageant of Power continues to gain importance in the classic car and racing world and continues to draw visitors and exhibitors from all over the world keen to be able to wander freely around the paddock and see and hear the cars up close.