Geneva Motor Show cars

[felixkk]

I'm trying to piece together a list of the Geneva Motor Show cars:

1957

541 541/1593197? (https://revslib.stanford.edu/item/sh888ym3717" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)


1961

541S JM/EXP/101 (https://www.joc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... tor#p70483" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)


1964

C-V8 MkII 104/2132 (Regal Red), Chassis Data p. 33, Note 14
C-V8 MkI JM/EXP/107 (Fawn), Chassis Data p. 32, https://www.joc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... or#p123044" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


1965

Jensen not present at the Motor show, as far as I can tell


1966

Jensen not present at the Motor show, as far as I can tell


1967, stand organized by Sincar, according to Tony Marshall

Interceptor MkI 117/2501 (Charcoal Grey), Chassis Data p. 45, Note 8
Nova


1968

Jensen not present at the Motor show


1969

Interceptor MkI 117/3139 (Tangerine), Chassis Data p. 54, (https://www.joc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... otor#p3174" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
Interceptor MkI 117/3142 (White), Chassis Data p. 54, Note 81

“Edgar (Schwyn) became the importer from the '69 Geneva show” (https://www.joc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... +AND+motor" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)


1970

Interceptor MkII 125/5024 (Silver Grey), Chassis Data p. 88, Note 13
Interceptor MkII 125/5025 (Metallic Fawn), Chassis Data p. 88, Note 13


1971

Interceptor MkII 125/5244 (Silver Grey), Chassis Data p. 92, Note 66
Interceptor MkII 125/5251 (Cassis), Chassis Data p. 92


1972

Interceptor MkIII 129/5655 (White), Chassis Data p. 102, Note 8
Interceptor (MkIII or SP?)
Jensen-Healey MkI 1120/10001 (Red), Chassis Data p. 218, Note 10
SP possibly 132/5577 (Flag Red), according to Richard Calver
FF MkII 127/308? (White), the current owner believes the car was present and sold at the Geneva Show


1973

Interceptor MkIII, possibly 140/8316 (all Black), Chassis Data p. 130
Interceptor MkIII, 136/8186, Chassis Data p. 128 (driven to the Motor Show, not exhibited) (https://www.joc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... ow#p116760" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
Jensen-Healey MkI 1120/11425 (White), Chassis Data p. 244, Note 34


1974

Interceptor MkIII
Jensen-Healey (white)
Jensen-Healey


1975

Jensen-Healey MkII 1120/20061 (Tangerine), Chassis Data p. 404, Note 60
Jensen-Healey MkII 1120/20062 (Havana), Chassis Data p. 404, Note 60


1989?

Interceptor S4 160/2006 (Silver), Chassis Data, p. 427 (https://www.joc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... or#p167514" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
Jensen Coupe 180/2007? (Paradise Red), Chassis Data p. 427 (http://www.studio434.co.uk/Jensen-Inter ... ixed-Head-(1987" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)-Detail.html)
Interceptor Convertible (“When new S4160/2006 was displayed at the Geneva motor show along with the 1 off coupe (now with the studio 434 collection) & convertible.”)


My understanding is, that the Geneva Motor Show became relatively important because Switzerland was a level playing field for all car manufacturers, import tariffs for all countries being the same. Companies had the chance to see how well their cars were selling in direct comparison to another.

According to Richard Calver:

"Generally with Motor Shows there would be a specially prepared car which was kept in mint condition on the show stand. In this case it was 5244. Non-Productive Job No 410 covered the work required to bring this car up to show standard.

There would also be a car which was available for road testing by prospective customers. This appears to have been 5251. The fact that it received a Birmingham export registration indicates that it was driven out of England rather than transported to Switzerland. Both cars came out of the factory on the same day, 25 Feb 1971, a couple of weeks ahead of the show. Possibly Edgar came over and then drove 5251 back to Geneva."

Any help on this list would be very much appreciated.

[felixkk]

1957 (Revs Institute)

541_1957_Genf_Salon_George_Phillips.jpg (133.41 KiB) Viewed 7092 times

1964 (Zwischengas)

CV8_Geneva_1964_02.jpg (200.75 KiB) Viewed 7092 times

1971 (Francois Daubus)

Genf_1971.jpeg (152.25 KiB) Viewed 7092 times

1972 (Zwischengas)

Genf_1972_01.jpg (113.78 KiB) Viewed 7092 times

Genf_1972_02.jpg (167.54 KiB) Viewed 7092 times

Genf_1972_07.jpg (140.13 KiB) Viewed 7019 times

(Keystone)

KEYSTONE_21205390.jpg (80.97 KiB) Viewed 7092 times

1973 (Zwischengas)

INT_GENF_73.jpg (114.53 KiB) Viewed 7092 times

[DaveT]

Hi Felix, the 1961 541s is currently undergoing full body off restoration at bridge classics in Ipswich

http://www.bridgeclassiccars.co.uk/cate ... nsen-541s/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers Dave

[cannonball]

check out the mirrors on the euro sp and interceptor 111 look like either E body challenger or B body r runner etc

[Richard Calver]

Felix, I think the SP in 1972 is likely to have been 5577. The "colours" and timing look right.

[DaveT]

Hi Felix,

the 1957 541DL is listed as chassis 159 - what evidence do you have for this? I am not questioning that you might be wrong, just interested to know where the information came from.

Ch 159 is (was?) owned by a very famous "rock" star in California.

https://www.joc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... ng#p190261" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

thanks

Dave

[felixkk]

Thank you all for your help- very much appreciated. (The mirrors on the the SP do look odd!)

David, I don't know if it was 159, it is a guess based on ex-factory date, colour and delivery to Switzerland (but I don't have the Chassis Book on me at the moment to double check). I've made the question mark larger in the text, I don't want anybody misquoting this.

I will try to find out in what years Jensen had a stand at the show.

[felixkk]

An additional picture of the 1972 show, with two (?) Interceptors in addition to the SP, and on the left the Jensen-Healey. It's also interesting to compare the size of Jensen's stand with those of the other manufacturers.

Genf_1972_07.jpg (140.13 KiB) Viewed 7022 times

Genf_1972_06.jpg (248.4 KiB) Viewed 7022 times

[felixkk]

1967: Interceptor and the Nova:

Genf_1967_03.jpg (95.32 KiB) Viewed 6995 times

Genf_1967_01.jpg (193.2 KiB) Viewed 6995 times

Genf_1967_02.jpg (488.44 KiB) Viewed 6995 times

Genf_1967_04.jpg (161.38 KiB) Viewed 6995 times

[felixkk]

1974: Two Jensen-Healeys and an Interceptor (the stand is now labelled Jensen-Healey!)

Genf_1974_01.jpg (208.77 KiB) Viewed 6974 times

Genf_1974_04.jpg (212.86 KiB) Viewed 6974 times

Genf_1974_03.jpg (175.22 KiB) Viewed 6974 times

Genf_1974_02.jpg (241.16 KiB) Viewed 6974 times

[Eddie]

Felix, these are fantastic images.

I really like the old hall plans. Interestingly Jensen backed onto Aston Martin Lotus stand in 1972. It looks like these two manufacturers were low on budget that year, and decided to share the stand space in 72. I wonder if it was at that point Lotus decided they were going to be the next Bond car.

You are correct about the level playing field effect for the Geneva Motorshow. Another reason manufacturers like to unveil new models at Geneva is it is the first big European show of the year being in March. The other two Frankfurt and Paris are later in the year. Back in the day the London motorshow would have been a grade A show as well.

Today the big shows are Tokyo, Geneva, Frankfurt, Paris and Detroit.

Great stuff. Keeep the info coming please Felix.

Eddie

[felixkk]

Thank you Eddie!

Diverting slightly. From Ulric Woodhams' website:

During 1968, Swiss-based car distributor, Edgar Schwynn, had written to Jensen Motors several times. He was inquiring to see if they would be interested in having him as the Swiss Jensen distributor. Former Sales Manager, Tony Marshall, takes up the story,

“Several letters had come through from this chap Edgar Schwynn, but we hadn’t got around to replying to him. By the beginning of 1969, we were preparing for the Geneva Motor Show. We hadn’t had a stand there before, although Sincar had previously had a stand with an Interceptor on in 1967 [ this may have been the Interceptor sold to Loeliger ].

During a discussion between myself and Carl Duerr, I raised the point about the letters from Edgar Schwynn. Duerr asked me to give him a call before we left for Geneva, to say we would be delighted to meet up with him during the time we were at the show. So, that’s what happened, Duerr and myself met with Edgar, we both took to him, and we agreed in principle that he could become our Swiss distributor.

Edgar Schwynn was a completely different personality to Peter Monteverdi. He [ Monteverdi ] had always been a rather difficult distributor, known for his mood swings and uncompromising nature. Schwynn, meanwhile, was the exact opposite, stable and easy to get on with. That said, everybody remained affable. There was certainly no ill feeling on Monteverdi’s part when Schwynn became the distributor for Switzerland. It was obvious he had moved on, and was concentrating on cars bearing his name.”

http://www.jensenmuseum.org/author/ulric/page/18/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PaulMcElhinney]

I was at david Millard's house today. He used to fly to Switzerland and visit all the Swiss and North Italian dealerships. He has several photos of himself with Edgar Schwynn's yellow Interceptor II. Some are taken in the Alps. I'm going to persuade him to write a piece for the club magazine to include the photographs.

[felixkk]

Hi Paul. Hope all is well! Thank you for the info. I saw a post of his on Facebook saying that he has photos of his visits to Edgar Schwyn in Zurich. I've tried to contact him via FB- we'd very much like to get a scan of those pictures- if it is in any way possible.

[PaulMcElhinney]

We go for lunch frequently Felix, I'll get copies made of the originals and send them to you. There is a photo processing business in David's village.