Editorial

Casting an eye over Classic Inside this week, I see this year is the 50^th anniversary of the launch of the Jaguar XK150. Happy Birthday to all owners and their cars, cocooned no doubt in centrally-heated garages all over the globe (the cars that is, but you can never tell what people get up to), although I may be a little premature as the car was - I believe - actually launched in May 1957.

This follows on from recent celebrations of the birth of the 300SL Mercedes, another 1950s’ masterpiece. As we step into our hover-pods 50 years from now, will we feel the same way about today’s machinery? And let’s face it, they made a lot of XKs so it wasn’t as if it was an Agnelli-commissioned Ferrari or something.

I say yes, you just need a bit of distance to separate yourself from day-to-day familiarity, and if someone said to me “next year they’re celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the DB9 Mr Wakefield” I’d put down my ear-trumpet, rearrange the blanket over my legs and nod sagely, happy in the knowledge that the motor car industry is a constantly evolving and revolving one that has infinite powers of renewal.

Much like myself I hope, in half a century’s time.

Steve Wakefield Managing Editor sw@classicdriver.com