THE STODY CLASSIC VEHICLE DAY - Sunday 13th May 2018

THE STODY CLASSIC VEHICLE DAY Open 1pm to 5pm (vehicles welcome from midday) on  Sunday 13th May 2018 On Sunday 13th May 2018, Stody Lodge Gardens will extend a special welcome to a wide range of classic vehicle lovers for its spectacular May-flowering season.  The Stody Classic Vehicles Day will be a great gathering of classic vehicles of all varieties. This event has been organised following the rising popularity of these magical gardens as a destination for car lovers over recent years. Most recently, on 1st May 2017, Stody Lodge Gardens hosted the 28th Heritage Run of the Broadland MG Owners' Club annual rally. On 22nd May 2016, the Stody Boutique Festival was attended by a fantastic selection of classic and vintage vehicles that was hugely popular with the festival's 2,000 visitors. It has also been visited by several other classic car clubs who are drawn to its excellent facilities for motor enthusiasts as well as its unusually bright and colourful gardens. David Johnson, of the Broadland MGOC, said: 'We had a fantastic time visiting Stody Lodge Gardens and all our members felt very welcome. There was ample well-drained parking, lots of space for picnics and everyone really enjoyed visiting these brightly coloured gardens.' Covering 14-acres, Stody Lodge Gardens boasts an extensive collection of over 200 varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas. This intensity of colour is softened by beautiful magnolias, camellias, ornamental and specimen trees, late daffodils and bluebells. It's 4-acre Azalea Water Gardens is believed to have the largest single planting of brightly-coloured azalea mollis in the country. The Long Walk at Stody Lodge Gardens - a 200m pathway lined with dazzling azaleas, beautiful rhododendrons and delicate magnolias and camellias Stody Lodge Gardens is open to the public from 1pm - 5pm all Sundays in May and Bank Holiday Monday 28th May 2018. It is also open 1pm - 5pm on Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th May as well as from Tuesday 22nd to Friday 25th May 2018 inclusive.  Entrance to the gardens is £6, payable by cash or cheque. On Sunday 13th May 2018, there will be free entry to the gardens for all drivers of a classic vehicle (passengers not included.) Gates to the gardens open at 1pm and close at 5pm but vehicles are welcome to arrive anytime from midday. If you wish to attend The Stody Classic Vehicles Day as part of a club, please contact us onenquiries@stodyestate.co.uk or on 01263 860572 so we can reserve appropriate parking for you. Dogs are welcome and there are delicious homemade teas offered by carefully selected local charities as well as a fantastic plant stall. There is good wheelchair access to most areas of the garden. For all our opening times and visitor information, please visit www.stodylodgegardens.co.uk

Stody Lodge and its Azalea Water Gardens - over 2,000 azalea mollis plants across four acres, filled with meandering waterways, gravel paths and bridges

ERS ANNOUNCED AS CLASSIC CAR INSURANCE PARTNER   • Specialist insurer to sponsor Grand Avenue Club at The London Classic Car Show • Enthusiasts and collectors offered live insurance quotes  • Renowned broadcaster Jonny Smith joins ERS at ExCeL  • Tickets on sale with significant discounts for those booking in advance The organisers of The London Classic Car Show (15-18 February) are delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with ERS.   ERS has been providing specialist classic car insurance for more than 70 years and, highlighting its heritage, has been appointed as the Classic Car Insurance Partner to the capital city’s must-attend event for more than 40,000 discerning classic car owners, collectors, experts and enthusiasts.   ERS is also sponsoring the prestigious Grand Avenue Club VIP area, where a team of its expert underwriters will be working with specialist insurance brokers A-Plan Private Clients and Grove & Dean to provide live classic and prestige motor insurance quotes to visitors throughout the show.   Live insurance quoting is a first for The London Classic Car Show and will give enthusiasts and collectors the opportunity to find out if they can get a custom quote for cover tailored to their specific needs before the start of the spring season.   Tom Donachie, Head of Bespoke Underwriting at ERS said: “We are thrilled to be involved with this year’s London Classic Car Show and to be working with A-Plan Private Clients and Grove & Dean to bring a new dimension to the event. Being able to provide live insurance quotes for visitors is a very exciting prospect and we can’t wait to see what incredible cars we get the chance to underwrite.”   Furthermore, renowned motoring broadcaster and enthusiast Jonny Smith will be joining ERS during the show. He will be available to give ERS guests exclusive access to his insights and expertise on their burning motoring questions.   The company will also be sharing findings of research it has undertaken on classic car ownership now and in the future around the show. More updates will be available via the dedicated ERS page on The London Classic Car Show website, www.thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk/ers and on Twitter at @ERSmotor.   All those wanting to attend the 2018 London Classic Car Show can take advantage of significant discounts on offer when booking in advance. If purchased now, adult admission costs just £25 (£30 on the door) and a range of upgraded Premium and Family Tickets are also available online.   Tickets for the ERS Grand Avenue Club are priced from £55 and provide fast-track entry to the show, a complimentary Show Guide, exclusive viewing areas, private bar and catering with two free drinks, dedicated seating and cloakroom.     Moreover, all tickets also include entry to the London Classic Car Show’s sister show Historic Motorsport International, which celebrates the UK’s leading role in all areas of historic motorsport. Full details can be found on the show’s official website – thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk.

HMI KICKS OFF THE 2018 HISTORIC MOTORSPORT SEASON IN SPECTACULAR STYLE  Nigel Mansell tops all-star cast at Historic Motorsport International More exhibitors confirmed as London show expands at ExCeL Innovations include new HMI Paddock and TIGOSE Pavilion Tickets also provide admission to The London Classic Car Show Now established as the launch pad to the UK’s thriving retro racing and rallying season, next month’s Historic Motorsport International (15-18 February), staged at London’s ExCeL, is gearing up to start the year in spectacular and star-studded style.   Among a host of famous faces already confirmed are Nigel Mansell CBE, the 1992 FIA Formula One World Champion plus renowned motoring TV personalities Vicki Butler-Henderson and Quentin Willson. All three will be interviewed by well-known host Henry Hope-Frost in the Supagard Theatre, one of HMI’s many standout attractions returning by popular demand in 2018.         Indeed, after its hugely successful debut show in 2017, HMI has expanded for its second year and now features a number of innovative new highlights alongside all the outstanding features that established the new London pre-season show as such an instant hit with competitors, preparers and enthusiasts alike.   As already confirmed, HMI has now moved halls within the exhibition centre to join its sister event The London Classic Car Show. It is a change that has produced many advantages – not least that HMI will now boast its own paddock supported by Octane magazine.   This paddock will be home to six unique racing cars. These icons will be on permanent public display when not being fired up for eye-catching and thunderous parades on central The Grand Avenue, the show’s revolutionary in-door automotive catwalk.   Other innovations planned for HMI in 2018 include a special hospitality hub open exclusively to exhibitors and their guests, as well as a special display area dedicated to The International Guild of Specialist Engineers. Those already signed up to exhibit in the new TIGOSE Pavilion include Crosthwaite and Gardner, Haynes Motor Museum, Renaissance Classics, Tandler Precision and Classic Performance Engineering.   Building on last year’s triumph, the show’s growing roster of exhibitors reads like a who’s who of the historic motorsport world. They include a host of premier organising clubs such as the Under 2-Litre Touring Car (U2TC) and Pre ’63 GT Championships, Paris-based Peter Auto, the Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC), the Classic & Sportscar Club, Equipe GTS and the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association (HGPCA).   Cosworth, the company that created the most victorious engine in F1 history, is also taking space, alongside other major enterprises in the thriving historic motor sport sector including Dunlop Motorsport, JE Pistons and The Crosslé Car Company, the world’s longest-established constructor of racing cars and the company that provided a young Nigel Mansell with his early wins in Formula Ford. Coys will also be returning with an important auction of sports, sports racing and competition cars.   “This year’s HMI is clearly building on the huge success of last February’s launch show,” reported event director Alexia Antikides. “Its expansion – together with so many exciting new innovations – further reflects HMI’s position in showcasing the UK’s leading role in the world of classic motor racing and rallying. HMI has already become the leading platform for engineering and preparation experts, event organisers and promoters and participants. With so much great content now confirmed – topped by the appearance of Nigel Mansell, one of this country’s best-ever F1 champions – next month’s show is going to be a fantastic start to what promises to be another blockbuster season of historic motorsport.”   Historic Motorsport International and the London Classic Car Show are staged by Brand Events, the company behind a raft of successful motoring events including CarFest, Fast and Furious Live and Scotland’s IGNITION Festival of Motoring.   Tickets are currently on sale, with significant discounts on offer for those booking in advance. If purchased now, adult admission costs just £25 (£30 on the door) and a range of upgraded Premium and Family Tickets are also available online.   Moreover, all tickets also include entry to The London Classic Car Show, HMI’s sister show, which features more than 700 of the world’s finest cars from yesteryear. Full details can be found on the shows’ two official websites – historicmotorsportinternational.co.uk andthelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk.

2018 SILVERSTONE CLASSIC - DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER  • Return of Tin Top Sunday at the 2018 Silverstone Classic • Celebrating 60 years of the British Touring Car Championship • Spectacular showdowns for full spectrum of historic racing saloons  • Minis, Mustangs, Capris, Rovers, M3s, RS500s, Lagunas and more • Cost-saving Early Bird tickets available until the end of March This year’s record-breaking Silverstone Classic (20-22 July) will celebrate the 60th anniversary of one of the country’s most popular, prominent and enduring race series – the MSA British Touring Car Championship – with its biggest-ever homage to racing saloon cars.   Working closely with TOCA – the organisation which has been the driving force behind the illustrious BTCC for nearly half the series’ acclaimed history – the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival is planning to honour the diamond jubilee in supreme style.   A number of exciting announcements ­– including some promoting the current series, which continues to flourish with live TV coverage and record grid numbers – are planned for the coming months.   The first of these is the return of ‘Tin Top Sunday’. Staged only once previously in 2016, Tin Top Sunday – on Sunday, 22 July – will be a must for touring car fans of all ages, with the action-packed race programme featuring no fewer than four magical races for iconic BTCC cars from bygone eras. Close to 200 of the BTCC’s most illustrious machines will be reliving their glory years on the full Silverstone Grand Prix circuit, many raced by past and present BTCC legends.   Ensuring the maximum spectrum of the epic championship’s 60-year history is showcased, the selected grids will put the spotlight on four very different generations of bumper-to-bumper entertainment.         Turning the clock right back to the early sixties, the ever-popular Under 2-Litre Touring Cars (U2TC) grid is an ultra-competitive contest featuring Alfa Romeo GTAs, BMW TiSAs, Lotus Cortinas and hordes of giant-killing Mini Coopers. Highlighting its status, multiple BTCC champions Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden teamed up to win this rousing race in 2015.   While the BTCC’s formative seasons were dominated by sporty versions of locally produced European saloons, by the mid-sixties, mighty American V8 muscle cars had come, seen and conquered. It is a thunderous epoch perfectly represented on the ‘Tin Top Sunday’ bill at the 2018 Silverstone Classic by the return of the fearsome Trans-Atlantic Touring Car Trophy – fans can look forward to a massive 50+ car grid laden with Mustangs, Galaxies and Falcons.   By the mid-seventies, the Yank Tanks had been outlawed and in their place, BTCC grids were filled with Capris, Rover Vitesses and smaller-hearted speedsters such as the Triumph Dolomite Sprint, Alfa Romeo GTV and BMW M3. All these icons – and many more – are included in the exciting Historic Touring Car Challenge (HTCC), which makes a very welcome return to the Classic roster after its spectacular debut in 2016.   Adding to the retro drama, the U2TC, Trans-Atlantic and HTCC close encounters will all include a compulsory mid-race pit-stop and optional driver change.   Completing the BTCC diamond jubilee story will be double-header rounds of the JET Super Touring Car Trophy, putting the spotlight on the high-tech tourers from the nineties when, for many, saloon car racing reached its absolute zenith.   “These four evocative grids on Tin Top Sunday will be a wonderful tribute to 60 memorable years of great fender-bending BTCC action,” enthused Nick Wigley, CEO of Goose Live Events, organiser of the Silverstone Classic. “The BTCC boasts an incredible history of thrills and spills stretching right back to 1958 and in its diamond anniversary year we are excited to be celebrating its unrivalled provenance both on and off the track at this summer’s very special Classic.”   Adding further to the celebrations, a large number of past and present BTCC star drivers will be joining the party. Indeed, many notable touring car aces have become regular competitors at the Silverstone festival and fans can expect a bumper turn-out in 2018.   Those revving up in recent years have included past champs Neal, Shedden, John Cleland, Tim Harvey and Colin Turkington as well as tin-top legends such as Jeff Allam, Gianfranco Brancatelli, Rob Huff, Jim Richards and Steve Soper.   Fans wishing to join the diamond jubilee party must buy their tickets in advance. Those purchasing before 31 March can take advantage of a range of Early Bird offers, with adult admission starting from £37.   Once again, all advance tickets will give access to both Silverstone racing paddocks, all open trackside grandstands, live music concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings, air shows, funfair rides and the vast majority of the family entertainment on offer. Full details of all 2018 ticket prices are available on the silverstoneclassic.com website.   Another date for BTCC fans comes just a week after the Classic when the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship stages a unique Diamond Double race at Snetterton on Sunday, 31 July.

THE LONDON CLASSIC CAR SHOW - MANSELL MANIA IS COMING TO LONDON

MANSELL MANIA IS COMING TO LONDON   • Nigel Mansell to star at the capital city’s not-to-be-missed classic car show  • Special ‘Icon’ display honouring exploits of heroic F1 World Champion • Unsurpassed showcase highlights unique racing achievements • Fans’ favourite to share his extraordinary memories with show-goers The remarkable motor racing career of home hero Nigel Mansell CBE will be celebrated with a spectacular showcase at next month’s London Classic Car Show at ExCeL London (15-18 February).   It is now 25 years since the indomitable Englishman finally achieved his holy grail by winning the FIA Formula One World Championship title in 1992 and to mark that milestone a special display of his cars, trophies and other rarely seen memorabilia will take pole position at the capital’s premier event for those with a passion for automotive nostalgia.   Mansell himself will also be present at ExCeL to meet his many lifelong fans, sign autographs and share memories with show-goers during public interviews staged in the event’s busy Supagard Theatre – one of the many highlights to be found at the London Classic Car Show’s sister show Historic Motorsport International, admission to which is included free for all ticket-holders.   “I’m delighted, honoured and, indeed, somewhat humbled that The London Classic Car Show has selected me to be its special ‘Icon' at this year’s event,” enthused Mansell. “Seeing all those amazing cars which I raced during my career always brings back some incredible memories, and I’m very much looking forward to sharing many of my emotional experiences with those coming to what’s clearly going to be a really great show at ExCeL. I’m really looking forward to it.”    Mansell, now aged 64, first came to prominence when winning the British Formula Ford Championship in 1977 before graduating to Formula Three. He then made his Formula One debut for Lotus in 1980 and over the following 15 years won no fewer than 31 Grands Prix with Williams and Ferrari – an amazing tally only now topped by reigning champion Lewis Hamilton among British F1 drivers.   The Englishman is also in the record books for being the only driver to win back-to-back Formula One World Championship and CART IndyCar World Series crowns, a feat he achieved when clinching America’s premier open-wheel title in 1993.        Although Mansell’s outstanding race record marks him out as one of motor sport’s greatest-ever drivers, it was his astonishing ability to overcome adversity that won him special respect and affection with fans right around the globe.   It was this incredible fighting spirit which caught the public’s imagination, earning him the nickname ‘Il Leone’ (The Lion) from Ferrari’s famous fans, the Tifosi. His courage was equally adored by British followers, with ‘Mansell Mania’ erupting at Silverstone as ‘Our Nige’ overcame the odds to score emotional victories in front of record crowds.   Now memories of that magical era will be coming to London with the biggest and most comprehensive display ever dedicated to one of Britain’s best-loved sporting heroes. In previous years, the award-winning London Classic Car Show has put the spotlight on F1’s greatest car designer Adrian Newey, the sensational McLaren F1 supercar and 70 years of Ferrari history. As this year’s chosen ‘Icon’, the Mansell showcase will be every bit eye-catching and breathtaking as previous star-studded attractions.    “The heroics of Nigel Mansell are legendary and we will be recreating many of those magical memories at this year’s London Classic Car Show,” enthused Bas Bungish, Event Director. “More thrillingly, Nigel will be with us to share his recollections with all those coming to ExCeL – that’s something no motorsport fan will want to miss.”   The very special Mansell tribute is just one of many standout crowd pullers at the ever-expanding London Classic Car Show. A further showcase, this time curated by TV star Philip Glenister, is dedicated to notorious Getaway Cars as used by criminals in the movies while the central Grand Avenue will once again provide visitors with a unique opportunity to see and hear many of their favourite classic cars in glorious action as they parade on the automotive catwalk.   Whether discerning classic car owners, collectors, experts or enthusiasts – or diehard Nigel Mansell fans – those not wanting to miss the 2018 London Classic Car Show can take advantage of significant discounts on offer when booking in advance. If purchased now, adult admission costs just £25 (£30 on the door) and a range of upgraded Premium and Family Tickets are also available online.   Moreover, all tickets also include entry to the London Classic Car Show’s sister show Historic Motorsport International, which celebrates the UK’s leading role in all areas of historic motorsport. Full details can be found on the show’s official website – thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk.

SILVERSTONE CLASSIC CELEBRATES MORE MILESTONE BIRTHDAYS IN 2018   • New Year heralds some great new automotive anniversaries • The perfect backdrop for special car club showcases • Ferrari Daytona acclaimed 50 years after its birth • Aston Martins, Austin Healeys and Jaguars in commemorative track parades • Cost-saving Early Bird tickets available until the end of March  With the arrival of 2018 comes a happy New Year packed with exciting automotive anniversaries. And, as tradition now dictates, many of these key motoring milestones will be celebrated in stunning style with mouth-watering displays and eye-catching track parades at the annual Silverstone Classic (20-22 July). In recent years, the famous Silverstone Grand Prix circuit has staged record processions featuring evocative E-type Jaguars, fabulous Ferrari F40s, evergreen Porsche 911s and, last summer, amazing Jaguar XJ220s and cutting-edge McLarens amongst a whole host of other glittering cavalcades. Ferrari is back in the spotlight in 2018, with the standout 365 GTB/4 celebrating its 50th birthday. Better known as the ‘Daytona’ in deference to the Italian company’s 1-2-3 finish in the previous year’s 24 Hours of Daytona, the sensational Pininfarina-styled grand tourer was launched at the Paris Motor Show in 1968 and quickly defined a generation of sports cars. Although rival supercar manufacturers were moving towards a mid-engined layout, Ferrari stuck to the traditional front-engined, rear-drive format to create one of the world’s most iconic fastback GTs. Armed with a potent 4.4-litre V12, the Daytona had plenty of performance to go with its film star good looks and came with a top speed in excess of 170mph. In total, Ferrari produced just 1,406 Daytonas between 1968 and 1973. The majority of these were coupés but 122 were spyder soft-tops, and 15 were lightweight competition cars that took GT class wins at Le Mans in 1972, 1973 and 1974 as well as, pertinently, enjoying considerable success at Daytona in the States. It is hoped examples of all three variants will be part of another soul-stirring gathering at Silverstone in July. Working in partnership with the event organisers, ever-enthusiastic car clubs arrange many of these headline birthday celebrations at the Classic especially for their members – a number are already well-advanced with their plans for even bigger and better parties in 2018. With the marque’s strong competition heritage, it is no surprise that the Porsche Club of Great Britain always revels at the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival. In 2018, the now legendary sports car company will be hailing its very first model – the ground-breaking 356 – which entered production exactly 70 years ago in 1948. The Aston Martin Owners Club, too, will be honouring important anniversaries: 70 years of the DB1 and 60 years of the DB4. The cheeky little Austin Healey Sprite is another notable model turning 60 in 2018.  Jaguar car clubs are similarly always out in force; this July, they will be acclaiming 70 years of the XK120 and 50 years of the XJ saloon.   Whether celebrating or not, unprecedented numbers of motoring clubs now choose to stage their main annual gathering at the Silverstone Classic. Taking advantage of an exclusive ticket offer, a record assemblage of more than 120 clubs attended in 2017, between them displaying more than 10,000 privately-owned cars over the enormous three-day extravaganza. “Nowhere else will you get to see so many famous and legendary marques and models all lovingly maintained and displayed by their owners,” enthused Nick Wigley, CEO of Goose Live Events, the company behind the Silverstone Classic. “The sheer scale of these amazing displays an incredible track parade is a landmark feature of the Silverstone Classic – a real celebration of motoring, auto design and memorabilia.” Members of car clubs registered with the Silverstone Classic (a simple online process) are offered a fantastic advance ticket package. This special deal includes two adult general admission event tickets plus an infield vehicle display pass, allowing classic car owners to park on their club’s allocated stand right at the heart of the event and thus be a major part of the record-breaking three-day extravaganza. Full ticket information – including details of discounted Early Bird offers available until the end of March – is available on the silverstoneclassic.com website.

SYWELL CLASSIC - Happy New Year - here's 20% off Single Day and Adult Weekend Tickets to Sywell Classic!

Happy New Year - here's 20% off Single Day and Adult Weekend Tickets to Sywell Classic!

Sywell Classic: Pistons & Props will be rumbling back into Sywell Aerodrome on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September 2018   We at Sywell Classic: Pistons & Props would like to wish all of our past visitors and their families a very Happy New Year. For your loyalty over the years, we would like to offer you all 20% off Single Day and Adult Weekend Tickets. These tickets can be purchased for yourself or given as a gift. Just enter the code 'VINTAGECHRISTMAS' when booking in the 'Promotional Code' box at the top of the ticketshop.   Offer is valid until Saturday 7th January only.   For full details visit: www.sywellclassic.co.uk

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