This year’s Silverstone Classic will be the world’s premier venue for the Jaguar E-Type’s 50th birthday celebrations.

Launched in 1961, the legendary E-Type remains one of the most iconic, elegant and revered sports cars of all time and its half century will be honoured with special races and displays at the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival from July 22-24.

Jaguar owners clubs in the UK have chosen the 2011 Silverstone Classic as the number one event worldwide to mark the E-Type’s golden anniversary.

They are forecasting the greatest showing of Jaguar E-Types ever assembled.

Adding to the festivities, the weekend’s on-track schedule includes two races dedicated solely to competition versions of the Jaguar E-Type. With almost 90 cars already registered with the Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC) organisers, a record grid of more than 50 race-prepared E-Types is predicted.

Grahame White, chief executive of the HSCC, said: “The response has been remarkable with huge interest from the UK as well as abroad.

"As the Silverstone Classic is held on the full Grand Prix circuit we will be able to start what’s almost certain to be the biggest grid of E-Types of all time – it promises to be a magnificent site and a marvellous celebration.”

In total, more than 1,000 racing and road-going E-Types are expected to join the golden anniversary celebrations at Silverstone.

The Jaguar E-Type Club has set up a unique ‘E50 Birthday Celebration’ weekend package to include a run through the countryside, accommodation and a dinner dance in Shakespeare Country at Stratford-upon-Avon plus three day’s attendance at the 2011 Silverstone Classic.

Nick Wigely, event director, said: “With so many E-Types on and off the track, it’s going to be a fantastic occasion – the world’s biggest and best celebration for one of the truly great sports cars.

“What’s more, the Silverstone Classic offers the perfect place and timing for the world to celebrate such an important milestone in automotive history.

"After all Jaguar designed and produced the E-Types just up the road at Browns Lane in Coventry and the very first UK sales commenced in July 1961. It’s going to be an absolutely amazing occasion – a party no classic car fan will want to miss.”

Highlighting the legendary Jaguar’s central role at this year’s Silverstone Classic, one of the very first Jaguar E-Types produced will be featured on the event’s exhibit stand at this month’s Autosport Show International staged at the NEC (January 13-16).

The historic car on display is the 11th Jaguar E-Type car made, chassis number 850011. These early pre-production cars were sold to selected customers who would race them, gaining valuable promotion.

This car went to George Wicken, a successful Formula 2 driver who raced it throughout 1961 against the likes of Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori and Bruce McLaren and was one of only two E-Types entered for the 1961 TT at Goodwood.

It now competes successfully in historic racing driven by owner Gary Pearson and will be one of the many contesting the two HSCC Jaguar E-Type Challenge races at the Silverstone Classic in July.

The display stand at the four-day NEC show will also feature a Maserati 250F from the Fifties, regarded by many as the finest Grand Prix car of all generations, as well as one of the famous Kidlington TWR-built V12 Silk Cut Jaguar XJR9s that took the famous British marque back to victory at Le Mans in 1988. Later in the year, both will be lining up on respective HGPCA pre-61 Grand Prix Cars and Group C grids at 2011’s Silverstone Classic.