DIVERSE LINE-UP FOR BEAULIEU’S SIMPLY JAPANESE

DIVERSE LINE-UP FOR BEAULIEU’S 

SIMPLY JAPANESE

947 Japanese cars of every variety joined Beaulieu’s Simply Japanese on Sunday, July 29th, as 2099 rally participants shrugged off rainy weather to celebrate the machines from the land of the rising sun.

The varied display in the grounds of the National Motor Museum spanned all manner of Japanese car marques, including Mazda, Subaru, Honda, Mitsubishi, Lexus, Toyota, Nissan and more. From high-performance sports cars and showroom-fresh models to city runabouts and rare classics, there was something to please every Japanese car fan.

Throughout the day, show-goers voted for their favourite car of the show in the People’s Choice Award. The winner was Kyle Miller from Hayling Island with his modified 1990 Mazda MX-5. Although he had only owned it for one year, Kyle had worked hard to transform the car into his ideal MX-5. “I’ve done a lot of work to the car, as it was green with a beige interior when I bought it. I love the new grey paintwork and black upholstery, while I also converted it from an automatic to a manual gearbox and fitted air suspension,” said Kyle. He was presented with a trophy and an Autoglym car care pack by Beaulieu’s Financial Director Phil Johnson.

Runners-up in the People’s Choice Awards were Kevin Curtis from Holbury and Savontharam Jeganathan from Gosport. Kevin’s 1981 Datsun Bluebird GL was an incredibly original example of a rarely-seen saloon. “I got in touch with the car’s first owner listed on the logbook, who sent me all of the car’s original paperwork, including old warranty certificates and tax discs,” said Kevin. Savontharam’s 2008 Nissan GT-R was a recent import from Japan, with its carbon fibre bodywork making it significantly lighter than standard. Both runners-up were presented with special Autoglym prizes.

Club stands were at the heart of the show, with the Celica Club showcasing different incarnations of the popular Toyota Celica coupe, while a selection of Nissan ‘Z’ sports cars could be found on the Z Club of Great Britain stand. The Mazda Bongo Owners’ Club turned out in force with an impressive line-up of these popular campers, while the Herts Scooby Crew parked up in their Subarus.

Other Japanese cars on show ranged from coveted Mitsubishi Evolution sports saloons and eye-catching Nissan Cubes and Figaros, to classics such as a luxurious 1973 Toyota Crown 2600 and a first generation Mazda RX-7 in yellow and red racing colours.

Simply Japanese is part of Beaulieu’s 2018 calendar of Simply rallies, which will conclude with Simply Smart on Sunday, November 11th. For more information on the Beaulieu, events calendar see www.beaulieu.co.uk/events.

CLASSIC MOTOR CARS 25th BIRTHDAY AT BRIDGNORTH ON SATURDAY 18thAUGUST NORMAN DEWIS JOINS THE PARTY!

CLASSIC MOTOR CARS 25th BIRTHDAY AT 

BRIDGNORTH ON SATURDAY 18thAUGUST

NORMAN DEWIS JOINS THE PARTY!

Legend of the British Motor Industry; former Chief Test Driver and Development Engineer for Jaguar Cars, Norman Dewis OBE is to join the celebrations for Classic Motor Cars 25th Birthday at Bridgnorth on Saturday 18thAugust as the guest of honour.

Norman, whose career started with Lea Francis before becoming firmly established at Jaguar from the 1950s through to the 1980s, will be at the CMC headquarters to celebrate the birthday, chat to enthusiasts and unveil a plaque to celebrate the day.

Norman’s Jaguar expertise is unique, having competed at Le Mans and on the Mille Miglia as well as having tested every single model of Jaguar up to the phasing out of the original XJ6 saloon range.

Norman will be celebrating his own 98th birthday just a few days before he was born on 3rd August 1920.

Joining Norman is fellow British Racing Drivers Club member Willie Green with a front line motor racing career that stretched from the 1960s through to 2005, Willie has raced just about every important historic car from ERA through to 250 GTO and C, D Type Jaguars and Maserati and Ferrari Grand Prix cars, as well as having enjoyed a special association with Ginetta and then the Bamford JCB collection.

CMC is also welcoming 22-year-old Lucy Caroline Smith who has recently graduated from Loughborough University and will be resident artist for the day. Lucy will be showing examples of her car artwork, producing a special piece of artwork to commemorate the day and selling her own artwork of cars.

Clubs that have signed up to have stands include The Jaguar Breakfast Club and Xclusively Jaguar, who will be welcoming enthusiastic owners and fans alike for what will, without doubt, be a memorable and fun day.

The event which starts at 10am and finishes on 6pm and is based around CMC’s Headquarters on the Stanmore Business Park, Bridgnorth will also see a Silver Jubilee classic car display along with Auto Jumble, motoring book sales, toy dealers , live music, various food outlets, CMC celebration beer, activities for children, as well as some special competitions. The company is also linking with local charities Arrive Alive and Rupert’s Revenge so that they can also benefit.

It will be a great day out for the whole family with tours around CMC’s world-renowned restoration workshops to find out what goes on behind the scenes at one of the world’s premier classic car specialists as well as the Marches Academy

Anyone who has a classic car can enter it into the 25 birthday Celebration Concours.

Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

• Best overall car,
• My pride and joy,
• Best of British
• Best America Auto
• Best Continental
• Best Jaguar
• Best Modern Classic

If you are someone who sells auto memorabilia, model cars or toys, motoring books, art or motoring antiques and want to attend, please email:

Lucy Smallman: lucy@classic-motor-cars.co.uk

We are looking for interesting vendors to take part and would love to hear from you. There will be no charge for a pitch.

CLASSIC CARS AND BIKES SET FOR SHELSLEY WALSH

 CLASSIC CARS AND BIKES SET FOR SHELSLEY WALSH

Classic Nostalgia is back at the Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb this weekend with plenty to see from the world of two and four wheels, this year’s theme being F1 Through The Ages.

There will be two very special Williams F1 cars attending this year's event in the shape of Nigel Mansell's F1 World Championship winning FW14B from 1992 and last year's FW40 driven by Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll. Both cars will be on display in the F1 Paddock area at the base of the hill together with cars that have stirred the soul of fans around the world.

Joining them will be the 1989 Camel Lotus 101 while the weekend also gives a nod to where the sport began with pre-war Grand Prix racing with two Grand Prix Bugattis attending, a Type 35 and a Type 37 both of which have Shelsley Walsh pedigree as they competed at the hill back in the 1930s. The 1.5-litre era of the early 60s saw jewel-like engines that revved and revved such as the Lotus BRM and the Cooper Climax, both of which will be present while the Teme Valley will once again hear a Judd V10 sing through the trees with a 1991 Dallara putting on a show.

For many, the main attraction at this year's Classic Nostalgia will be a selection of some of the best WRC, Group A and Group B rally cars. Thanks to the Ralli22 club a collection of cars will be on display in their own paddock as well as running up the hill with cars that include a Metro 6R4, an ex-works Subaru Impreza from 1996, a rare Mercedes Benz 190E and one-of-only-a-handful ever made Ferrari 308 GTBs. The late 80s era of the sport with Toyota versus Ford versus BMW will also be rekindled as the cars slide their way to the top.

Jenny Tinmouth, the current female Isle of Man TT lap record holder and the first and only female ever to compete in the British Superbike Championship, will be on the hill with her 1000cc Honda Fireblade on Saturday 28th July, joining in a lunchtime demonstration of bikes from 1929 through the two-stroke era and back to the four strokes of today. For many, the BSA Goldstar will be a stand out while the static display of a Suzuki RG500 and a Yamaha TZ500 both from 1981 will evoke memories of Sheene and Roberts battling at Silverstone.

Up in the car park will not only see an array of cars from MAC members and friends but for the first time an example of retro Motorcycle Enduro at Shelsley. Baja 1000 or the early days of Dakar comes to Worcestershire!

As well as the incredible cars on display and competing up the hill, there will be lots of trade stands, live music from five different bands over the weekend and two magicians who will all be at a Celebrity Social Evening on Saturday in the Courtyard area of the hill.

Also, looking skywards there will be a The Royal Air Force C-47 Dakota flying down the valley at 4pm on Saturday as 2018 celebrates the 100th anniversary of the RAF.

Tickets will be on the gate starting at £25 while under 16s go free.

For more information, please go to shelsleywalsh.com

ONLY UK PORSCHE 356A RHD CARRERA SPEEDSTER MAKES DEBUT AT SALON PRIVÉ IN 70 YEARS OF PORSCHE CONCOURS

ONLY UK PORSCHE 356A RHD CARRERA SPEEDSTER MAKES DEBUT AT SALON PRIVÉ IN 70 YEARS OF PORSCHE CONCOURS

A fabulous 356A RHD Carrera Speedster is set to stun guests during Concours Masters Celebration of 70 Years of Porsche on Saturday, 1st September. 

The last of only four right-hand drive cars ever made, and the only one in the UK, this magnificent machine was delivered new in September 1957 to a wealthy Australian hotelier. A mere 152 of these quad-cam, competition-orientated sports cars were sold in the period, with right-hand drive cars being the rarest of the many variations on the theme. This example was restored in 2014, the car’s original ruby red hue being reinstated along with its period-correct black leather upholstery with corduroy inserts. Since then, it has won several awards overseas but will be making its British Concours debut at Salon Privé. 

While sure to amaze onlookers, the 356A Carrera Speedster will be only one of 50 landmark Porsches vying for silverware. 

The marque’s seventieth anniversary will be celebrated in great style within the majestic grounds of Blenheim Palace, with cars spanning different eras being judged by eleven experts picked for their particular area of knowledge and expertise. This panel will be judging cars based not only on their condition, as with traditional Concours events, but also on more subjective attributes such as their aesthetics. Entrants will also be contending for the coveted Owners’ Choice Winner, People’s Choice and the much-coveted Sponsors’ Award from Chubb Insurance, Lockton Private Clients and Pirelli. 

Salon Privé is the first event in the world to stage two Concours during the same week. Concours Masters Celebrates 70 Years of Porsche is a must-attend event for all fans of this famous marque, and one which forms only part of this annual gala of the very best motor cars ever to turn a wheel.

Salon Privé will spring into action from 30th August to 1st September. Firmly established as the UK’s most exclusive automotive Garden Party and one of the longest-running and most successful motoring events in the UK, this year marks a particularly special milestone as the event relocates to the foot of the Palace becoming the first event ever to be located on the famous Blenheim Palace Cricket Pitch.

Salon Privé showcases two Concours celebrations within the same event; firstly, the Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance on Thursday 30th August which is followed by Concours Masters Celebrates 70 Years of Porsche on Saturday 1st September. Boodles Ladies’ Day sits in the middle on Friday 31st August which has fast become a social highlight of the Summer Season. 

INCREDIBLE ASTONS GET SET FOR BEAULIEU SUPERCAR WEEKEND - AUGUST 4TH & 5TH

INCREDIBLE ASTONS GET SET FOR BEAULIEU SUPERCAR WEEKEND - AUGUST 4TH & 5TH

A stunning Aston Martin One-77 hypercar is one of the latest dream machines to be confirmed for the A-Plan Insurance sponsored Beaulieu Supercar Weekend on August 4th & 5th, which will see more than 750 supercars roar into the grounds of the National Motor Museum.

One of the most exclusive Aston Martins ever built, the landmark One-77 is sure to cause a stir with show-goers as it joins the Supercar Evolution display, a brand new show feature for 2018. With jaw-dropping looks and a 7.3-litre V12 engine producing 750bhp, this finely-honed flagship model is one of just 77 examples built. It will be joined by other Aston Martins to represent the marque’s proud history, including a racing-inspired Vantage GT12.

More of the world’s greatest supercar builders will be represented in Supercar Evolution, including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Ariel, Ford, BMW and Toyota, with the latest jaw-dropping models alongside their historic counterparts to bring automotive history to life.

Honda will be celebrating the history of its high-performance Type R models with a showcase of these impressive machines, ranging from the 1990s up to present day, while Retro Rallycross will be displaying an incredible selection of historic rally cars. In the Super SUV Secret Garden see some of the greatest all-terrain performance vehicles ever built.

Look out for club stands packed with supercars, with marques such as Lamborghini, Marcos, Porsche, Lotus, Ferrari, McLaren and TVR all represented. While on the Saturday of the show, see up close a McLaren P1 MSO, a specially modified McLaren Special Operations version of the legendary hybrid hypercar, and a Ferrari F12tdf, just one of 799 uprated examples of the V12 supercar built in homage to the Tour de France motor race.

Throughout the weekend, action-packed demonstration runs will run twice daily, as high performance machines of the road and track are put through their paces on Beaulieu’s Chestnut Avenue, demonstrating their impressive acceleration and braking capabilities. New for 2018 is a giant screen for a grandstand view of the action as it is broadcast live.

Families will love the adrenalin-fuelled excitement of the supercar sound-off, which sets the sportiest supercars against each other in a contest to discover which has the best sounding engine. The winner, which rouses the loudest cheer from spectators, will receive a celebratory trophy.

Beaulieu Supercar sponsor A-Plan Insurance is one of the UK’s largest independent high-street insurance brokers and was established in 1963. The company provides a complete range of competitive insurance products to consumers and small businesses through its network of 90+ branches across the UK. A-Plan prides itself on the highly personal and tailored service it offers to its clients and on its expertise across a wide range of specialist vehicles from hot rods and American imports to the most prestigious supercars. Not only are they experts in this type of specialist insurance but also huge enthusiasts. For more details see www.aplan.co.uk.

Advance one-day tickets are available at £19.50 an adult, £9.50 a child and £49 a family until 5pm on August 2nd at www.beaulieusupercarweekend.co.uk. On-the-day tickets are £24.75 an adult, £12.50 a child and £64 a family. Or make a weekend of it and buy two tickets to give access to all of the features of the show across both days.

Due to high demand, entries have now closed for supercar owners looking to take part in the show with their cars. Please note that no supercars can be accepted on the day without a pre-confirmed booking.

The show opens from 10am-6pm. An event ticket includes entry to the whole Beaulieu attraction, including the National Motor Museum and its collection of more than 250 vehicles, World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, the ancestral Montagu home of Palace House, 13th century Beaulieu Abbey and the grounds and gardens.

Join the conversation on Twitter @Beaulieu_Hants, Facebook at /nationalmotormuseum or Instagram @national_motor_museum.

UPCOMING CLASSIC EVENTS

UPCOMING CLASSIC EVENTS

One-off Ferrari 166MM ‘Uovo’ Leads World-Class Ferrari Gathering at Concours of Elegance

 

ONE-OFF FERRARI 166MM 'UOVO' LEADS WORLD CLASS FERRARI GATHERING AT CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE

Photo: RM Sothebys
The former home of Henry VIII, Hampton Court Palace, will play host to a selection of some of the rarest Ferraris ever built as Concours of Elegance gets underway from 31 August to 2 September. Ferraris from 1950 to the present day will appear in the Main Concours event, spearheaded by the unique and beautiful 166MM/ 212 Export ‘Uovo’.
The ‘Uovo’ is an absolute one-off, designed for Count Giannino Marzotto as the ultimate sports racing car of its day. The design is not only aerodynamic but also lightweight, inspired by the aeronautical training of the car’s designer, Franco Reggiani, shedding around 150kg compared with similar Ferraris of the time. The bespoke design, complete with a reflection-free windscreen made of crystal, worked wonders on the car’s performance, granting it a number of race wins, including the 1951 Giro della Toscana. Sold very recently by RM Sotheby’s, the ‘Uovo’ has rarely been seen in public, making the Concours of Elegance a special opportunity to see one of the world’s most special Ferraris.
Joining the Uovo is the Ferrari 500 TRC by Scaglietti. Named after the FIA ‘C’ racing regulations to which it was built to comply, this 500 TRC, or ‘Testa Rossa C’, is one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever built. This particular example is the last TRC produced, and the last ever four-cylinder car Ferrari made. It also comes complete with an impressive race history, including class wins at both the 1957 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Then there’s the extraordinary 365 California Spyder. One of only fourteen ever made, this car was designed by Pininfarina as a direct successor to the 500 Superfast Coupe. Named “California” after its 250 predecessors, the 365 Spyder was fitted with a sophisticated 4.4-litre V12 engine, capable of producing up to 320hp.
Also on display at the Concours is a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti – one of 165 built. Featuring a 3-litre V12 engine, the 250 GT SWBs were a shortened version of the long-wheelbase TDF (Tour de France) cars, fitted with modified suspension for higher cornering speeds.
Any Ferrari 275 GTB is special, but the alloy-bodied Long Nose appearing at Hampton Court Palace between 31 August – 2 September deserves extra attention. One of just 80 examples, this car has the lighter alloy body, the Long Nose design and the earlier two-cam powertrain. The 275 was designed by Pininfarina, built by Scaglietti, and was the first Ferrari to feature fully independent transaxle suspension, pioneered on-track by Ferrari.
Once considered the ‘entry-level’ Ferrari, the Dino has gone on to become one of the most sought-after Ferraris of its era, and Concours of Elegance will be displaying one of the 357 early L-Series cars – a Dino 246 GT. Featuring a six-cylinder mid-mounted 2.4-litre engine, which produces 195bhp, the Dino is capable of 146mph. This year marks the 50^th anniversary since the first Dino was produced, in 1968.
No line-up of Ferraris would be complete without an appearance from the brand’s legendary GTO badge, and Concours of Elegance will be bringing perhaps the rarest GTO of them all. The 1983 Ferrari 288 GTO Prototype, known simply as the Ferrari GTO, is one of only six built, and one of three that remain.
And finally, a 2018 Ferrari GTC4Lusso ‘Tailor Made’ will also be present in the Main Concours. Finished in a bespoke Arancia paint, this car was customized to exactly the owner’s specifications. Released earlier this year as the replacement for the Ferrari FF, the car features a 6.3-litre V12 engine, capable of reaching speeds in excess of 200mph.

FULL CAR LIST REVEALED FOR CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE AT HAMPTON COURT PALACE

FULL CAR LIST REVEALED FOR CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE AT HAMPTON COURT PALACE  

Concours of Elegance has revealed the list of specacular cars which will appear at Hampton Court Palace in just over a month’s time. Taking place from 31 August – 2 September, this celebration of automotive elegance, style and passion will feature more than 60 of the rarest and most exclusive cars ever produced.

From iconic pre-1900 automobiles to limited edition sports and supercars of the 21st century, each of the Concours of Elegance cars has a remarkable story to tell. Here are just eight of the highlights:

1913 Renault Type DP Coupé Chauffeur

This striking 95-year-old car is unique in its originality; every single body panel and piece of interior trim is as it was when it was built. Owned by the same family for its entire life, it’s an impeccable piece of history, featuring three types of lighting: gas for the headlights, electric for the interior and oil for the rear red lamp.

1920 Ballot 3/8 LC

Just four of these 3-litre 8-cylinder cars Ballot cars were produced for top level Grand Prix racing in the 1920s, and this particular example has an impeccable history. In 1921 it won the first ever Italian Grand Prix, and it was also owned by Sir Malcolm Campbell, who raced it at Brooklands in 1923

 1928 Mercedes S-Type Barker Tourer ‘Boat Tail’
This unique car will be appearing in the UK for the first time since 1958, when it was under the ownership of British Racing Drivers’ Club co-founder Earl Howe. This car was fitted with a revolutionary body which incorporated a lightweight and aerodynamic shell with unique aircraft-inspired aluminium side pods crafted by English coachbuilders Barker.

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster Riviera
All Rolls-Royces are special, but some are totally unique. This example may be one of ten Riviera Phantom I cars built, but it’s the only example specified by its owner with gold-plated exterior trim as far as the eye could see. Bought by Irene Schoelkopf Carman in 1929, it also comes fitted with a few of her other ‘optional extras’, including a Dunhill lighter, an intercom for communicating with the driver and a mirror pad.

1954 Jaguar XK120 Pininfarina
This Jaguar XK120 is unique, in being the only one ever to be bodied by Pininfarina. In 1954 it went straight from the Jaguar factory in Coventry to Italy to have its beautiful bodywork applied, before being shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1955. This car was very recently the subject of a 6750-hour nut-and-bolt restoration by Classic Motor Cars to bring it back to exactly how it left Pininfarina in the ‘50s.

1957 Ferrari 500 TRC by Scaglietti
Named after the FIA ‘C’ racing regulations to which it was built to comply, this 500 TRC, or ‘Testa Rossa C’, is one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever built. This particular example is the last TRC produced, and the last ever four-cylinder car Ferrari made. It also comes complete with an impressive race history, including class wins at both the 1957 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans

1992 Jaguar XJ220
Jaguar’s first 200mph car, the XJ220, still looks like nothing else on the road. Initially designed with a V12 and all-wheel-drive, it was eventually delivered with a twin-turbo V6 and rear-wheel-drive – but performance was still exhilarating. In fact, the XJ220 was the fastest car in the world, setting a speed of 212.3mph at the Nardo test track. Only 281 were ever built.

Images By: Tim Scott Fluid Images

The Entrants
Something for Everyone

Partial 2018 Entry List

1903	Panhard et Levassor
1909	Isotta Fraschini FENC Tipo A
1912	Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost ‘Nellie’
1912	Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost A. Mulliner Tourer
1913	Renault Type DP Coupe Chauffeur 22/24HP Par Renaudin et Besson
1920	Ballot 3/8 LC
1924	Alfa Romeo RL TF
1925	Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Two-Seater
1929	Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer
1929	Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster Riviera Town Car
1931	Bugatti Type 54 Delage D8
1932	Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider Zagato
1935	Tatra 77
1935	Auburn Eight Supercharged Boattail Speedster
1936	Lancia Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet ‘Tipo Bocca’
1937	Aston Martin 15/98 Tourer
1937	Alvis 4.3-Litre Vanden Plas Concealed Hood DHC
1938	Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Erdman & Rossi
1939	Lagonda V12 Rapide Drophead Coupé
1949	Bentley MkV1 Special Lightweight H.J.Mulliner Fixed-head Coupé Prototype
1950	Ferrari 166MM/212Export ‘Uovo’
1950	Aston Martin DB2
1952	Alfa Romeo ‘Pre-series’ 1900 Sprint Touring Coupé
1952	Bentley R-Type Drophead Coupé

1953	Austin-Healey 100 Special Test Car
1954	Fiat 8V Vignale Berlinetta
1954	Jaguar XK120 Pinin Farina Coupé
1954	Aston Martin DB3S Team Car ‘62EMU’
1955	Bentley S1 Continental Coupe by Park Ward
1956	Bentley S1 Continental Coupe by Park Ward
1957	Ferrari 500 TRC
1957	Fiat 1200 Vignale ’Wonderful’
1958	Maserati 300S
1961	Intermeccanica IMP 700GT
1962	Ferrari 250 SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti # 3367GT
1965	Ford GT40 Mk I Gulf #GT40P /1084
1965	Aston Martin DB5 Convertible
1965	Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy Long Nose
1966	Lamborghini 400 GT Touring 2+2
1967	Bizzarrini GT 5300 Strada
1967	Ferrari 365 California Spyder
1968	Jaguar XJ6 Series I ex-Sir William Lyons
1970	Ferrari Dino 246 GTB
1971	Lamborghini Miura P400S
1983	Prototype Ferrari 288 GTO
1992	Jaguar XJ 220
2018	Ferrari GTC4 Lusso ‘TailorMade’ Arancia

Please note, content list subject to change without notice.

SPEED AND HISTORY IN BEAULIEU’S AUTUMN LECTURE SERIES 

Get beneath the skin of a Formula One racing car, uncover the history of Aston Martin and hear motorcycle racers and motorsport engineers in conversation as part of the autumn programme of lectures at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.
At F1 Cars: An Engineering Challenge on Saturday September 15 join Steve Fenwick, head of Full-Size Car CFD at Renault Sport Racing, as he looks into the design, performance and complexity of modern-day Formula One racing cars.
Explaining why these highly-developed cars look the way they do, the main contributors to their performance and how they are designed, Steve will be unveiling the world of Formula One that isn’t seen by the TV cameras, with the highly-skilled work that takes place 24 hours a day to keep these racers on the track.
Hear about the history of one of Britain’s most famous and best-loved sports car marques with Aston Martin: A History on Friday October 12^th. Steve Waddingham, the company historian for Aston Martin Lagonda and a member of the factory tour team, will be joined by Maitland Cook who worked with former Aston Martin racing team manager John Wyer and was privy to many of his career recollections. Together, they will discuss the past, present and future of the legendary company and its remarkable cars.
On Saturday November 17^th motorcycle road racer Peter Williams will be looking back over his 11 years of racing, in conversation with motorcycle writer and commentator Jim Reynolds. Peter followed in the footsteps of his father, engineer and racer Jack Williams, to become a talented engineer who enjoyed great success in competition. Throughout the 1960s, Peter developed his ideas through different designs, before creating the legendary 1973 John Player Norton Monocoque.
If I had known then what I know now is the title of the fascinating audience with Jaguar guru Chris Keith Lucas on Saturday December 8^th. Managing Director of Jaguar specialists Lynx for 25 years, restoring historic Jaguars and building replicas, Chris left to found CKL Developments Ltd in 1999 and specialised in 1950s and 1960s Jaguars. In Chris’ own words: “There have been some very interesting people… some hairy moments, some funny moments, cars, boats, aeroplanes and hot air balloons!”
The lecture season will continue into 2019, with further dates to be announced later in the year.
Each of the evening sessions starts at 7.30pm in the Lecture Theatre of the National Motor Museum’s Collections Centre, where a pay bar will be available. Tickets at £10 (or £7.50 for Friends of the National Motor Museum Trust) are available from Theresa Browning at friends@beaulieu.co.uk or 01590 614792. Please provide a SAE if tickets are required by post. All profits help to support the National Motor Museum Trust.
For more information about membership of the Friends of the National Motor Museum Trust and lecture series details see www.nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/the_friends.

 

Don your glad rags for Sywell Classic Best Attire Awards!

Don your glad rags for Sywell Classic Best Attire Awards! Every year at Sywell Classic: Pistons & Props we invite visitors to dress up in vintage clothing for our Best Attire Awards! Don your glad rags and our judges will chose the Best Dressed Lady and Best Dressed Gentleman on both the Saturday and Sunday of the event. Book Your Ticket now and start planning your outfit! Book Your Ticket

SIZZLING SILVERSTONE SERVES UP ANOTHER CLASSIC CLASSIC 100,000 visitors lap up a feast of sun-drenched entertainment   Special anniversaries add star dust to epic retro race programme Fun-fuelled festival draws widespread acclaim from allcomers Provisional date set for next summer’s Silverstone Classic Last weekend’s Silverstone Classic has been universally hailed as another massive success by the 100,000 visitors, competitors, performers, grid organisers, exhibitors, car clubs, and media, who savoured three extraordinary days of epic entertainment at the home of British motor sport. For the fourth year in succession the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival attracted a six figure attendance drawn by a magical mix of unrivaled retro racing grids, glittering automotive anniversaries plus a feast of fun-fuelled attractions for all the family. The spectacular on-track action featured more than a 1,000 entries spanning eight decades of much-loved motor sport history. This year’s packed 21-race programme again delivered huge grids – often totaling in excess of 50 cars – of Formula One, GT, sports and touring cars from what many today regard as the golden eras of yesteryear. With the world famous Northamptonshire circuit celebrating the 70th anniversary of its very first Grand Prix staged back in 1948, the sun-drenched weekend’s four spectacular showdowns for illustrious F1 cars were of extra significance. Adding to those celebrations, a special display showcased eight great GP cars that had raced on the original runways at Silverstone including a trio of very distinguished ERAs plus a pair of marvelous Maseratis as raced in period by the first two F1 World Champions: Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio. At the other end of the single-seater spectrum – and marking the pinnacle to an incredible three-year Diamond Jubilee World Tour – was a record turn-out of diminutive Formula Juniors… so many in fact that they were split into two capacity 54-car grids. First introduced in 1958 as an affordable stepping-stone for young drivers with their sights set on Formula 1, Formula Junior was a massive global success. Not only did it produce four World Champions – Jim Clark OBE, John Surtees CBE, Denny Hulme OBE and Jochen Rindt – to whom the Silverstone races were dedicated but also motivating a wealth of budding young engineers and designers all inspired by the clever regulations to build their own distinctive racers. Underlining the wealth of talent which the formula attracted, no fewer than 32 different makes of Formula Junior car took to the circuit on Saturday afternoon for a very special Diamond Jubilee track parade. The current crop of drivers is pretty talented, too: Cameron Jackson winning the overall ‘Motor Sport Driver of the Weekend’ for his stirring fight-back to finish second from 50th on the starting grid after his 1962 Brabham BT2 suffered a broken throttle cable in qualifying. Sunday’s focus switched to celebrating the 60th anniversary of the ever-popular British Touring (née Saloon) Car Championship. Marking this notable milestone, the race card included four thrilling bumper-to-bumper contests with past champions such as John Cleland and Rickard Rydell renewing past rivalries. Visitors on Tin Top Sunday were also treated to a dazzling BTCC 60 Year Anniversary Parade fronted by the series’ most successful driver Jason Plato driving last year’s title winning Subaru Levorg. Bookending history, Plato was joined at the fore by an Austin Westminster A105 as driven by Jack Sears to the inaugural title back in 1958. Other notable cars in the huge cavalcade included Doc Shepherd’s title winning Austin A40 from 1960, Frank Gardner’s title winning Escort from 1968, the iconic 1994 Volvo 850 Estate with its original driver Rydell at the helm plus multiple race-winner Stuart Graham back behind the wheel of an iconic Faberge liveried Camaro from the BTCC’s heavy metal era. With so many notable past and present BTCC drivers attending the Classic, a special commemorative photo was organised. Between them, those assembled had amassed more than 250 race wins and no fewer than eight BTCC titles: John Fitzpatrick (1966), John Cleland (1989 and 1995), Rickard Rydell (1998) Jason Plato (2001 and 2010), Colin Turkington (2009 and 2014). Other tin-top legends present included Stuart Graham, Jeff Allam, Patrick Watts, Tiff Needell, Steve Soper and 2012 World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff. While the unrivalled roster of superlative retro races remains at the heart of the Silverstone Classic, as ever the track action was perfectly complemented by an amazing line-up of off-track entertainment. Over three richly colourful days on the infield, more than 110 hugely enthusiastic car clubs were out in force displaying a glittering array totalling more than 10,000 classic road cars. Many of these clubs were also celebrating marque and model anniversaries with special track parades of their own. Notable among these was the Morgan Owners Club marking the 50th birthday of the iconic Plus 8 and a troupe of Jaguar clubs honouring 70 years of the seminal XK120 sportscar as well as 50 years of XJ models. Providing yet more entertainment for every age, all the crowd-pleasing attractions that have proved so popular with families at recent Classics returned in spectacular style: Streetcar Shoot-outs, the JET big wheel, Spitfire engine fire-ups, Mike Brewer’s Car Clinics now presented by Haynes Publishing, crazy golf, an adrenaline zone, period funfair rides, air displays and pulsating live music sets this year from chart-toppers Soul II Soul and UB40… the entertainment just kept coming and coming, with some notable new additions, too! World record holder Terry Grant brought his jaw-dropping stunt show to the Classic for the very first time while younger visitors were given the chance not only to polish their pre-season football talents at the Yokohama Chelsea Skills Zone but also (if aged 10 and over) to whet their motoring appetites by driving a dual-controlled Vauxhall Corsa with Young Driver. Another amazing new attraction was a dazzling display of Supercar Legends presented by Yokohama, based right at the heart of Silverstone’s International Paddock. In keeping with the event’s reflective character, it showcased not only some of the world’s latest speedsters from hallowed hyper brands such as Aston Martin, Koenigsegg, Pagani and TVR but also an iconic forebear thus highlighting the enviable heritage of participating brands. “From all angles, it was another absolutely cracking Silverstone Classic,” effused Nick Wigley, Event Director. “Whether it’s the gushing approvals I’ve had in person or via reading the numerous posts on social media, the positive feedback from all involved has been absolutely incredible. Praise, of course, is always wonderful to receive but, more importantly, it drives our passion to deliver an even bigger and better Silverstone Classic next summer.” For those with a 2019 diary, the provisional date for next year’s Silverstone Classic is 26-28 July. In meantime, television viewers can catch highlights on ITV4 immediately after the live BTCC coverage on Sunday 12 August.