A Great British attraction

During the pandemic, so many things that were once normal have become rare or even vanished. Car shows, meets, races and more have all felt the force of social distancing and mitigation measures. Fortunately, things are now a little better, with more and bigger events now becoming a reality.

So now is the perfect time to introduce you to a great new visitor attraction. These are never a common event, even outside of the pandemic, so we were very excited to see not only a brand-new attraction opening, but one themed entirely around British cars.

The Great British Car Journey (GBCJ) is the brainchild of Richard Usher. If Richard's name is familiar to Veloce subscribers, it could be from his role as owner of Auto Windscreens, which he sold in 2001 to the RAC. If you're a track day fan, or take part in motorsports, you'll likely know him as the founder of Blyton Park circuit.

Richard has created an attraction with a unique aim: rather than showcasing the kind of rare and exotic cars that adorned the posters of our childhood bedrooms, GBCJ focusses on the everyday heroes that our Dads and Mums owned – the cars that heralded a revolution in personal transport worldwide. 

Situated in a former Derbyshire factory, Great British Car Journey has over 100 cars, spanning 100 years, and covering marques including Morris, Hillman, Austin, and Ford, to name a few. Each has been carefully chosen to illustrate how British-made cars changed the world for good, and among them you'll find gems such as the last ever MG Metro, and one of the 360 Morris Minor 'Millions,' of which an example of each was sent to every Morris dealer in the UK. 

For many of us, the cars at GBCJ stir memories of our childhoods, our first drives, and a myriad other personal milestones, and that’s the beauty of the GBCJ. These real-world workhorses are the stars, and their importance in the social and economic fabric of the UK and beyond, as well as the places in our hearts, is the cause of celebration. 

DO NOT TOUCH. Drive!

As with most attractions, the cars on display aren't for prodding or poking. But a unique – and brilliant – feature of GBCJ, is Drive Dad’s Car. Want to know what it felt like to drive your Dad’s Capri, or a Morris Minor Convertible? What about Mum's MG Midget, or your uncle's TR7, or even a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, or a Jaguar XJS? Well, now you can! From just £49, Drive Dad’s Car lets you drive a car from three collections; Classic, Premium, and Luxury, with over 30 models to choose from. Each car has a digital camera onboard, and you’ll be accompanied by an instructor – plus you get free entry to the GBCJ Experience. You can even buy 'bundles' that let you drive a selection of cars across categories.

The pandemic isn't over yet, but safety is paramount at the GBCJ, so you can still visit and enjoy the experience while staying safe (get all the details here). We can’t wait to make a visit ourselves, but in the meantime, book your Drive Dad's Car, and let us know what you think.

GBCJ has only been open for a short time, and we know it's already proving highly popular; we think this is one to watch, and we cannot wait to make a trip in person. We wish Richard and his team great success with the Experience, and we will, of course, be supporting Richard and the GBCJ as it cements its own place in British automotive history: in fact, you’ll very soon be able to choose from a great selection of Veloce books in the GBCJ shop, so you can drive the cars, then read all about their history and importance in British and world motoring.

The GBCJ is a fantastic idea, and we will be supporting Richard and all his team however we can. Even more books covering even more models and marques are planned, so don't be surprised to see them in the GBCJ shop – if you're planning a visit to this great attraction, you can pickup a great book while you're there!

The Great British Cars … of the Velocisti

Unsurprisingly, all this talk of great British cars has created a little reminiscing among the Velocisti, and you'll be even less surprised to hear that British cars feature prominently in our motoring histories. So how does the Velocisti's British Car Journeys stack-up? Let's hear from a few of them … I'll go first:

Kevin Atkins

My Dad didn't drive, so Mum's the word when it comes to my introduction to British cars and motoring. My mother's first car was pre-me (a 1963 Vauxhall Victor saloon with bench seats – still her favourite car). The first car on my radar, was Mum's Mk 1 Ford Cortina, in classic Lagoon and white livery, and with those wonderful 'Ban the Bomb' taillights, that for a '70s kid, were straight out of a science fiction comic. 

A fine example of a Mk1 Cortina, sci-fi taillights shown inset.

Technically, my own motoring adventures began with a 500cc Weslake speedway bike, which was a bit of a handful for an 11 year old,. My road and driving career began proper with a pale brown Morris Marina, purchased from my then-girlfriend's brother for a few hundred quid, and complete with a sports steering wheel. I drove it just twice, and there was a decade gap before my next car; an MG Metro, which was given to me by my then boss; a great little go-kart of a car, albeit with a tendency to occasionally lose its suspension on one side … but I can at least add an MG to my list of owned cars *ahem*.

Jude Brooks, Publisher

"I was gonna say that our first family car was a pale blue Ford Pop, and here’s a pic of us about to set off on our happy hols – only this obviously isn’t a pale blue Ford Pop: it's an Austin Somerset. 

Jude and family, posing with the pale blue Austin Somerset.

"It was this car that overturned when someone hit us – we had to crawl out of the windows! My own first car was a Hillman Imp – dark green – which overheated on a drive from Portsmouth to Yeovil, and my dad had to tow me from Salisbury."

Rod Grainger, Publisher

"My first British car (following several German BMW 3-wheeler Isettas) was a powder blue/rust brown 1959 Ford 100E which I welded back together using steel cut from a scrapped car’s roof! I then resprayed the car in two-tone royal blue and white.

 

Rod's 100E. 

"Performance from the tired 1172cc side-valve engine was pretty poor, but the car’s party-piece was a vacuum-driven wiper system: meaning the harder the engine was working the slower the wipers moved, almost stopping on steep hills!"

Matt Bassett 

"A Rover P6 3500. The spare tyre mounted on the boot when luggage space was needed. I remember a couple of holidays getting the train via Motorail, from Brokenhurst to Inverness, then driving around Sutherland and the Eastern Highlands, where the country roads weren’t so much tarmaced, but consisted of two strips of fur from from the many, many crushed rabbits. 

Rover P6 3500, ram skeleton NOT included.

"The car struggled with the gradients, so frequent stops because of overheating were needed. The highlight for the seven or eight year old me, was finding a ram’s skeleton that had been picked clean by ants, but I wasn’t allowed to keep the skull."

Emma Shanes

"The first car I bought was a Ford KA. I have a Vauxhall Adam now; I wanted a newer car, as my go-to mechanics (my Dad and my brother) would often be away racing (Editor: Emma's brother is motorcycle racer James Shane, #ShamelessNameDrop) and wouldn’t always be around should I have a problem. Plus it looked nice and I wanted cruise control after a long journey home one night, where I had to pull over because my ankle and foot were hurting. 

Ford KA – that's 'Kaa' not 'Kay-Ay', BTW.

"Before the Adam, I was insured to drive a one-mirrored, 4 speed 1989 Nissan Micra (called Poppy), so to be honest, all I wanted for my first car was a blue car that had 2 mirrors, a rev-counter (I was shocking at hill starts), and a CD player. I wasn’t fussy or anything!"  

Kevin Quinn

"My Dad never actually owned a car, but occasionally (very occasionally) he would borrow his brother’s. The first car I ever remember being in was my uncle’s Austin A35 (a tiny, cream-coloured thing). 

An Austin A35 – not-so-happy motoring memories.

"My overriding memory is being squeezed into the back seat next to my cousin, with my Dad and uncle in the front, windows steamed up, and feeling dreadfully car sick the whole journey, as it lurched, rattled and struggled to even move. Hated having to go anywhere in that thing."

Becky Martin

"My first car was a lovely yellow Vauxhall Viva with brown vinyl seats. I seem to remember lots of jokes about the ‘Yellow Peril.’ I bought it very cheaply from a friend of my uncle, while I was learning to drive, and although it wasn’t the prettiest of cars, it helped me get some experience and pass my test.

A Vauxhall Viva – not the 'Yellow Peril' Becky remembers, but close.
Photo credit: SG2012, CC BY 2.0.

"It didn’t last long though – it broke down in the middle of nowhere late one night, and I had to hitch a ride to a phone box to call out someone to rescue me (pre-mobile phone days!)."

Becky's current daily driver … usually.

It seems Becky may have form in this respect; she currently enjoys driving an MGB GT … which has just broken down with a fuel pump issue. Perhaps a copy of Your expert guide to MGB & MGB GT problems and how to fix them will help?

A different kind of family album

Whilst all of us here have strong memories of our childhood car experiences, finding photos of the actual cars our families owned is tricky. Fortunately, we have a 'family album' of a different kind, in the shape of our current and back-catalogue, so we took photos from some of our British marque books.

The perfect books for British car nerds.

The colours and trim may vary a bit, but these are essentially the cars we recognise from our own personal great British car journeys. With books like our A Pictorial History series, or The Cars of the BMC (coming soon) to name just a few, finding the model was surprisingly easy …

… although …

Whilst our catalogue covers dozens of marques and hundreds of models, it still has a few gaps that we'd love to fill. One such gap is Vauxhall, another great British marque. If you have next-level knowledge of Vauxhall cars, or know someone who does, and think you can author a book on the subject – whether it's a buyer's guide, a marque history, or something else entirely – get in touch to discuss. Email us at writeforus@veloce.co.uk and tell us your idea; we'll take a look, and you could see your book in print with Veloce!

Oliver Winterbottom Monthly Bulletin - April 2019

1 April I write up description of the contents of my book for the Amazon Author Central Team in the USA. It explains the 'inside the business' nature of the story, and the changes from design with pencil and paper to design with computer.

2 April Tom Smith, who owns the Lotus M90 / X100 prototype in Texas, has requested permission to write an article for the USA Lotus Ltd Club magazine. I am happy to permit it! It may assist the publicity for the book.

3 April I send a copy of my book contents description for Amazon USA to Paul Shipley. He says he will use it in the next advertising for the May 1st event near Burton-upon-Trent.

4 April I complete the presentation for the PJS Sports evening on May 1st.

8 April I finally manage to access the PJS Sports Cars website. It doesn’t like Apple computers! The event is as shown below:

PJS Sports Cars Presents - An Evening with Oliver Winterbottom

A talk, questions and answers session and book signing by Lotus, Jaguar and TVR designer Oliver Winterbottom.

Ticket price (£10) includes tea, coffee and sandwiches. 

Ticket profits go to the Midlands Air Ambulance.

Book available on the night at £37.50 or in advance at £35.00 (see ticket options)

1 May, 19:00 – 22:00

Tatenhill Village Hall, Main St, Tatenhill, Burton-on-Trent DE13 9SD, UK

9 April Receive a message from Richard Woollaston, who is organising the Lotus Elite/Eclat/Excel Club display at the Donington Historic race meeting, to say the organisers are arranging for me to drive to the display. I plan to attend on Friday 3 May. In return, I agree to be interviewed by the commentator which could help publicise the book. 

Lotus Excel website states: Update – Oliver Winterbottom will be joining us at Donington on Friday 3 May, so a good opportunity to meet him and talk about the cars if you haven't done so already!

It looks like he'll also be giving an interview at the event.

Cheers, Richard.

                45 years since the launch of the Lotus Elite

10 April I circulate comments on an Autocar Opinion article, criticising the low profile tyres and dreadful ride of many current cars. My talk on The Lotus DNA had 2 slides explaining the traditional Lotus approach which gave a suburb ride as well as premier handling.

I am asked if I would give a talk to Club Lotus Cambridge which I would be happy to do. I sent my “no go” diary dates and await their response.

11 April  I get a message to say that Venisse Thibault is no longer involved with Club Lotus France. He allowed an English Lotus Excel to park on the club display at Dijon Prenois historic races. I signed a copy of my book for him two years ago. I am attempting to find a new contact. I succeed! Serge Audigier to be contacted by Tony Poll who would like to park his Excel with them.

13 April Arrive at Silverstone for the VSCC Historic races and have to talk my way into parking inside the circuit. I meet up with Paddins Dowling who runs the 1935 ERA R10B (ERA racing cars were created by my cousin, Raymond Mays.) Paddins lives in the USA but keeps the car in Britain. He kindly purchased a book, which I happily signed. He said he planned to read it on the flight home.

15 April I travel up to Yorkshire to visit a recently widowed friend. I was delighted to sign her copy of my book.

18 April I am contacted by Lotus Cars' PR Dept asking if I would be prepared to be interviewed for their new in-house magazine for their staff. Cleverly titled Us Lot (I am sure you can work that out) I am delighted to co-operate. I await a suitable diary date.

Diary date is in; just two hours later! A telephone interview with George Chapman, a London journalist. He will write up on the back page. I discuss my talk, entitled Lotus DNA: Some Views on Colin Chapman’s Philosophies. George was most interested in the comment that Colin was more interested in design efficiency than weight. He did however once utter “simplicate*, and add lightness.” I had wondered what simplicate meant for many years, so had looked it up. It was first used by W. S. Stout, an American who designed a car and an aircraft.
*Simplicate: to make something simpler through a process that initially seems daunting or complicated.

20 April A 1:43 scale model Lotus Elite arrives in the mail from Grand Prix Models. It joins my collection of cars that I had a hand in. Looks nice alongside a TVR Tasmin Coupe – although I say it myself. A nice Easter present.

The model Lotus Elite

23 April An old friend, John Ashley, joins me for a trip to Lincolnshire. We visit the superb Newark Air Museum and whilst there, fall into conversation with a volunteer guide. He has a Clan Crusader, a sports car built by ex-Lotus engineers in the early 1970s. I mention my book to him at least three times!

24 April I arrive at the Blyton Park track for the annual BRM Association Track Day. This brings together BRM and associated racing cars for demonstrations on the track. There is no racing but some of the most exciting cars can be seen.

I was keeping an eye out for Dick Salmon, who is another Veloce published author, ex-BRM V16 mechanic, ex-Lotus Quality Manager in the early 1970s a former customer of the Wicklewood Cherry Tree! His superb book, BRM A Mechanics Tale, is still selling, now as a reprint. 

Dick Salmon and a wonderful BRM V16 which he worked upon

Another pleasant meeting was with Malcolm Kenwood of the Bourne Motor Racing Club. We had a brief chat about my forthcoming talk to the club on the 10 October.

Howden Ganley, who drove the BRM P180 competitively in the early 1970s was present and I was delighted to talk to him at the event. His book, The Road to Monaco: My Life in Motor Racing, was on display at the BRM Association kiosk, alongside mine. I suggested that if he bought mine, I would buy his! He declined, as his book was actually a donated raffle prize. I bought a few tickets and asked Dick Salmon, who was to draw the winner, how much a bribe would cost... It proved unnecessary as I won a prize anyway, yes, it was Howden Ganley’s book – and it's signed! Despite the generous offer to display my book, none were sold.

26 April Tom Smith, current owner of the prototype Lotus M90/X100 in Texas, sends me his final copy of an article he has written for the Lotus Ltd. Club in the USA. It traces the restoration of the car which is now as good as new. The story will appear in the club magazine Remarque. He has kindly mentioned: “Oliver told many interesting stories about the X100’s development and his dealings with Chapman, most of which he later documented in his book, A Life in Car Design (A good read for any Lotus aficionado, by the way.)” Many thanks, Tom.

My copy of Club Lotus News magazine arrives. Inside it is my letter, concerning the aerodynamic stability of the 1974 Lotus Elite. The final sentence: “For more information, may I recommend my book, A Life in Car Design, which attempts to describe the birth of the Lotus Elite as I remember it.” 

I am delighted that my car pass for the Donington Historic races for Friday 3 May has arrived. I am due to meet up with the Lotus Elite/Eclat/Excel Club and possibly give a public interview.

30 April All packed and ready to leave for the Midlands. PJS Sports Cars evening talk tomorrow and Donington Historic race meeting and interview on Friday 3 May.

Oliver Winterbottom's Diary – December

As we move into 2019 proper, we take a look back at Oliver's diary from the end of November to the New Year. This time, we have archives, institutes, Christmas cards … and pub lunches, of course!

26–28 November – Worked on constructing my annual 'newsletter' Christmas card.


30 November – Met up with the son of my late best buddy, who came to historic motor races with me for 40 years. He spends much time in India and now knows the book (A Life in Car Design) exists!

I returned to the Brisley Bell for lunch – yes it’s that good!

1 December – I start going through my archives to get more history on the 1974 Lotus Elite (2019 will be its 45th anniversary). I find a copy of the Eastern Daily Press newspaper dated Saturday 18 October 1975. The headline is that Lotus got £8.5 million orders at the London Motor Show. The Lotus Esprit got a Gold, the Eclat a Gold, and the Elite a Silver medal from IBCAM. The Elite was in the unlimited price class. This meant it competed with Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, etc.


The Institute of British Carriage and Automobile Manufacturers (IBCAM) was established in 1881. It merged with the Institute of Body Engineers in 1965 and, in 2004, it merged with the Society of Automobile Engineers, UK.


Coachwork Awards at the British Motor Show were given to vehicles which met very rigorous design, fit and finish of car bodies. Entries were divided into classes dependant on type and vehicle price. In August 1977 I was elected to the Institute of British Carriage and Automobile Manufacturers and was also elected as a Royal Chartered Designer by the MSIAD.  I felt proud all over again!


4 December – Veloce's monthly newsletter On the Grid shows that John Elwin of Estrée-Wamin (France) has won a £50 voucher. John, whom I keep in touch with, was a Buyer at Lotus when we did the Elite in the early 1970s. It seems he won the voucher after purchasing my book! That’s very nearly bribery!


10 December  – Veloce circulate their list of reduced price books; I am pleased to see that mine is not one of them. In case you want to know why – the less the book sells for, the less the author gets. Of course, selling reduced is better than not selling at all.

A planned re-union lunch has had to be postponed 24 hours before due to various medical intrusions. Great pity as would bring ex-Lotus CEO Mike Kimberley, ex-Lotus MD Richard Morley, ex-Lotus Marketing Director (and later Chairman Ford UK) Roger Putnam, ex-Lotus Purchasing Director Martin Long, myself and all choreographed by Mike Hamlin, ex-Lotus aircraft driver. Hopefully, we can try again in the new year.


15 December – Good old Amazon reduced the price again, to £24.37. It seems to have a rollercoaster price system that might confuse purchasers.


16 December – I think I have completed sending my Christmas greetings to all my friends around the world. I use email letter describing my year in lieu of a traditional card. I have sent 98 messages so far! I have had many replies with, sadly, a few with sad news but that’s probably my age.


21 December – Get down to work on a talk to a Lotus club audience on the 'Lotus DNA.'


25 December – My sister gives me a copy of John Bailie’s superb book, Donington Park, The Pioneers. It is incredibly comprehensive and must have taken much effort to garner the information. I am sorry it’s not a Veloce publication but it deserves much praise.


26 December – I visit friends of my sister and meet the host’s brother, who received my book as a Christmas gift last year. He has a beautiful Lotus Esprit circa 1984, that he enjoys: however, he finds the non-power steering rather heavy. This vindicates my adopting power assistance for the S4 model.


31 December – Best wishes to one and all for 2019.

The Oliver Winterbottom Diaries – Lotus 70th Anniversary

2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the Lotus car company, and the occasion was marked with a huge celebration at its factory in Hethel on 29 September. If you have been following Oliver Winterbottom's diary here on the blog, you'll know that he was invited to attend this incredible event. In today's blog, we bring you his account of a truly historic day. Take it away, Oliver!

The day dawned sunny and bright, and I left my home at 8:50am for the five and a half mile drive to the Hethel Engineering Centre. This was the car park for VIP guests arriving in non-Lotus machines. My Google map showed a solid traffic jam from Wymondham so I was a bit pessimistic. The last mile was slow, but I was parked and in the minibus provided for the last half mile by my target time of 9:30am.

Patrick Peal, ex-Lotus and now Chief Executive of the East Anglia Air Ambulance service, was another passenger as we crept up Potash Lane, passing Martin Cliffe, ex-Lotus, now running Omicron Lancia services, who was arriving on foot. In front, Mike Kimberley was making his way in, despite agreeing to meet me at the car park! All is forgiven, Mike. On the way, we passed the beautiful new HQ for Classic Team Lotus, which I understand was finally occupied last week.

Upon arrival, my first call was to Club Lotus. The various Lotus clubs were located on the front factory car park, and a fine sight too. Rows of Lotus Sunbeam's, Carelton's and all varieties of pure Lotus shone in the morning sun.

Just a small fraction of the Lotus Club area

I was making for Club Lotus, as they exhibited my book, A Life in Car Design, taking orders on the day. The event rules prevented actual sales, so it will be dispatching the books over the next few days.

I supplied a sample book and poster to assist Jane Woollestone in her efforts. I understand very successfully.

Immediately I bumped into John Mountain, past electrical engineer who served for many years. We started to walk back towards the test track but stopped at the LotusExcel.net club site, where Woollaston's superb Lotus Elite shone in the sun. We learned that Angus Marshall, stalwart leader of the club, was unable to come due to an electrical fault on his Excel. Not John's fault after nearly 40 years!

Woollaston's Elite 

On my way to the VIP Reception Centre, I found Brian Angus and Geoff Davidson, with wives, filling the pathway. After a brief hello, I suggested trying to meet after the show. As yet, that hasn't happened, which is a shame, as both gentlemen played a significant role in my career.

Upon arrival at the VIP Lounge, close to the ex-wartime Control Tower/Clubhouse, the first person I saw was 'The Ginn'! Malcolm Ginsberg was the PRO in the early 1970s and we haven't met since. Amazingly, he has barely changed! Next was Russell Carr. Russell is the Head of Styling and Design at Lotus, and it was great to meet up again. It was cut short, so I hope we can catch up again in the future. He told me that he posted photographs of the Lotus designers in the studio, but sadly I did not have time to look at them myself!

Andy Tempest, ex-Financial Director, was my next meet, followed by instructions about my interview from Alastair Florance. I was to follow Clive Chapman in being asked questions by Guy Munday, the commentator. I managed a pretty decent plug for my book, and perhaps surprised some by answering the question, what made me most proud, with: Finishing the Opel Vauxhall safety project already 22 months shorter than GM Europe could manage – with the first car on the production line in Luton two weeks early. That was Lotus!

I then returned to the Club Lotus stand, as I promised to be there in person to support the book sales. (These, incidentally, were very good.) I love the enthusiasm of the Lotus followers; I signed a spoiler, an engine bay and had my name on the side of a fine example of the product. Various folk asked for me to pose by their cars, all of which I was very happy to do.

It was now getting past lunchtime, and I returned to the Hospitality Lounge. I was delighted to see Hazel Chapman arrive, 91-years-old, and I sat with her and had a good chat.

One interesting observation was that a number of Chinese attendees were amazed at the noise the Classic Team Lotus racing cars made. These days, Forumla 1 is somewhat quieter!

My next meet was with Van der Koi, the Lotus dealer in Kwinkweerd (love the street name), Lochen, The Netherlands. I was there in May 2011 with Bauke Kooistra, a great enthusiast, to give a talk after a great day at Appeldorn. Although Bauke was at Hethel, I failed to find him – hi Bauke!

My next task was to find the beautiful green Elite shown above. This car now has Mike Kimberley's and my signatures in the engine bay! While admiring this car, three retired ex-Pattern Shop lads came up. They told me that the old skills – and they were as good as any – have now been replaced by computer modelling equipment. Apparently, Lotus still have a traditional timber shaping workshop, but it is only used for production issues. Sad for me – but then I am from the pencil and paper, carve the wood, era.

Throughout the day, there were various demonstrations on the test rack. Geely Lotus had a large grandstand and the VIPs got to view from the old Clubhouse. Clive Chapman had a huge exhibition, but also had an amazing number of Formula 1 cars running. How they could prepare that many, I am amazed. They ranged throughout the whole history of Team Lotus, and were a joy to watch and hear.

Racing cars driving around Hethel – that brought back some memories!

I recall, back in the early 1970's, Formula 1 cars were tested on the old track, driven by the works drivers like Fittipaldi or Peterson. Everyone in the main office would be looking at their watches to time the car as it roared past the front door. If the lap time came down, there would be an audible murmur. Not very good for productivity, but superb for morale!

My next meeting was with Roger Pestle, who lives in the cottage at Ketteringham Hall that was my first daughter's birthplace. He told me he still did odd jobs for Clive's Classic Team Lotus.

Chris Dunster, one of Lotus' longest serving design engineers, was my next reunion. Chris spends most of his time sailing in his retirement, so it was nice to see him on dry land. A few minutes later and Anthony Kimberly, Mike's 'middle' son arrived. "My, how you have grown" seemed appropriate, as I hadn't seen him since he was about 7-years-old – he is now in his 50s.

I needed the toilet, and was surprised at the quality of the VIP temporary facilities. However, it summed up the quality of the whole day to read on a website that the 'ordinary folk' arrangements are way above the normal, flimsy Portaloo's used at open air events. The same website correspondences also praised the quality and price of the food and drink. I think that summed up the atmosphere of the day.

A very rewarding chat was held with Feng Qingfeng, the Chinese CEO of Lotus. I have great sympathy for him, as he does not speak English (but has an efficient interpreter) and is living in a completely new culture. I had sympathy, having experienced the same in reverse when I worked in China. I wished him every success, and have been so impressed with the future outlook for Lotus.

With 1500 Lotus cars and 7000 ticket holding people, it was a very fitting day to celebrate Lotus being in existence for 70 years. I believe that its new caretaker, Geely, will see it safely into the future.

The Chinese have a great respect for the company's history, and the day before the event, announced the creation of a new Heritage centre for Hethel's history and Lotus. This is an interesting reversal of the events back in 1998, when the historic collection of cars was sold.

The attempt to fill the whole 2.5 mile test track with cars nearly worked! What a sight!

This was a day to remember, and with talk of another gathering next year as a possibility, I cannot wait for it.

Thank you Geely, thank you Lotus, and thank you Lotus Forum. It was worth what must have been very hard work.

You can purchase your own copy of A Life in Car Design here, and make sure you keep checking the Veloce blog for the next instalment of Winterbottom's diary!

Drive-It Day 2018

Who doesn't love a classic car? Drive-It Day 2018 is taking place this Sunday, April 22nd, and although many of the popular events to celebrate the day have sold out, there are plenty of ways to participate.

Drive-It Day takes place every year to help raise awareness of the classic vehicle movement in the UK and encourages classic vehicle owners to show off their classics as much as possible. Organised by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC), Drive-It Day celebrates the UK's rich transport heritage.

Now into its 13th year, Drive-It Day commemorates The Thousand Mile Trial, which took place on April 23rd, 1900. Organised by the Automobile Club, a gathering of 65 cars embarked on a highly ambitious voyage around the country. Starting in London, the Trial went through Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Derby, Kendal, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, and back to London.

Events around the country

Drive your classic to the British Motor Museum, Warwickshire and receive discounted entry to the world's largest collection of British-built vehicles – including the vehicle that won The Thousand Mile Trial, an 1899 Wolseley Voiturette. Many other classics sure to be in attendance will be on display out front of the museum, and free guided tours will be taking place throughout the day.

The Classic Motor Hub in Gloucestershire will be expecting large crowds to attend a special opening of its historic collection at RAF Bibury, where visitors can also see the arrival of a special Drive-It Day rally from Chateau Impney. Highlights include the Hub's superb display of around 70 cars, which currently includes Bentley and Aston Martin Le Mans racers from the 1920s, and the 1924 V12 Delage DH land speed record-holder. Still a fairly new venue, this place is well worth a visit in you are in the area!

It's estimated that around 100 classics will descend upon the Lakeland Motor Museum in Cumbria, joining a display of classics outside the museum. If you arrive in your classic, you'll get discounted entry into the museum!

Since it's first Drive-It Day 'Sunday Scramble' back in 2014, the event at Bicester Heritage, Oxfordshire has become bigger and better every year. This unique venue combines wartime heritage with a fascinating assortment of businesses furnishing the classic car industry. Another attraction on the day us the launch of a new photography exhibition by Amy Shore.

So if you're up for a museum visit, a leisurely drive around the countryside, or fancy watching any number of the convoys happening up and down the country, there is something for everyone this Drive-It Day!

70 years of the Land Rover

At the beginning of the year, we posted a blog listing all the major automotive anniversaries and celebrations that will be taking place over the course of 2018. However, there was one glaringly obvious one missing from the line up, and that's because we were saving it for its own, dedicated post ...

Of course, I'm talking about the 70th anniversary of the Land Rover! First launched at the Amsterdam motor show back in April 1948, the Series I Land Rover was created for no other reason than to provide a stop-gap model to aide sales in the post-war years. This vehicle was first intended to be just for agricultural purposes, and had a box section steel chassis, and aluminium body work – there was an abundance of aluminium surplus from aircraft manufacturing after the war. Over the years, the Land Rover has developed to become so much more than a farmer's mode of transport, becoming a mainstay for the British Army and utilised by a number of different services, from the Police force to the National Trust. Nowadays, there is a whole range of Land Rovers available, such as the Defender, Discovery, Freelander, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Evoque. They are just as popular with the rich and famous as they are with your average country farmer – even the Duchess of Cambridge drives a Range Rover!

We have a number of books due to be released over the course of the year to help mark this landmark occasion, but the stand out book has got to be Land Rover Design – 70 years of success. Written by Nick Hull, author of Ford Design in the UK – 70 years of success – this book details the personalities involved in the various projects from the late 1940s up to today: the designers, modellers and studio engineers. It charts the development of Land Rover and Range Rover projects in the UK, particularly those designed in the Gaydon studio that opened in 1996, and is still a key part of Jaguar Land Rover's design resource. From the early days of chalk drawings and wooden models to today's digital renderings and milled clay for the latest Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover's designers and technicians have never been short of creativity. This book tells their story, in their own words, and is a fitting tribute to the spirit and ethos of Land Rover design and engineering.

To coincide with the marque's platinum anniversary, Land Rover are set to unveil a limited-edition high-performance version of the iconic Defender, with up to 150 V8-powered examples re-engineered.

The Defender Works V8 pays homage to the early high-powered engines in both the Series III Stage 1 V8 from 1979, and subsequent Defenders, including the 50th Anniversary Edition, which are highly sought after by enthusiasts and
collectors today. Defender Works V8 is the most powerful and fastest version that Land Rover has ever created. The 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol V8 powertrain produces 405PS and 515Nm of torque (the standard Defender delivered 122PS and 360Nm). The Defender Works V8 will accelerated from 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds, while top speed is increased to 106mph.

Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Classics Director, said: "It's fitting that we've been able to release the full potential of the iconic Defender, whose much-loved shape remains synonymous with Land Rover, 70 years since is was seen in public for the first time. The idea of reintroducing a V8 Defender was something we were discussing as far back as 2014, when we were still building the Defender in Solihull. We knew the demand was there for a powerful and fast Defender; the Land Rover authenticity is the ultimate finishing touch for discerning clients purchasing these collector's edition Defenders."

The V8 powertrain will be fitted to 150 specially-selected and re-engineered Defenders for the 70th Edition, complemented by an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission with sport mode, uprated brakes, and handling kit (springs, dampers and anti-roll bars), plus exclusive 18-inch diamond-turned Sawtooth alloy wheels and 265/65 R18 all-terrain tyres. Eight standard body colours include two satin finishes – contrasting with Santorini Black roof, wheel arches and front grille – finished with machined aluminium door handles, fuel filler cap and Defender bonnet lettering. A comprehensive lighting upgrade includes bi-LED headlamps. Full Windsor Leather interior trim covers the dashboard, door panels, headlining and Recaro sports seats. Land Rover Classic's own Classic Infotainment System is also fitted. Both 90 and 110 wheelbase Defender Works V8 derivatives will be available to purchase soon from Land Rover Classic, including power upgrades for the TDCi diesel, fast-raid suspension, and braking kits.

There are a number of events that will be taking place, hosted by Land Rover and other motoring organisations, in order to celebrate 70 years of the marque. First on Land Rover's calendar is a unique restoration project, featuring one of the original launch vehicles from the 1940s!

For years the whereabouts of this particular launch car was a mystery. Last on the road in the 1960s, it went on to spend 20 years in a Welsh field, before being brought with every intention of a restoration that never happened. Having spent a fair amount of time sitting dilapidated in someone's garden, it turned up just a few miles outside of Solihull, where the Land Rover was first built – what a surprise to find it had made its way back home!

Image courtesy of Land Rover

The team at Jaguar Land Rover Classic will follow a dedicated process to restore the launch vehicle, which has lots of special features that are unique to the 48 pre-production Land Rovers that were made prior to the mass production run, which includes thicker aluminium body panels, a galvanised chassis and a removable rear tub. The patina of its components will be preserved, including the original Light Green paint applied in 1948.

Come summer time, this year's Classic & Supercars Show will have the Land Rover's 70th anniversary as the main focus of the event. Taking place on the 15th of July, this prestigious charity event will pay homage to this iconic piece of British history.

"Land Rovers, for me, signify the best of British and I'm looking forward to seeing the range from 1948 Series I to the very latest Range Rovers all on display," says Classic & Supercars Show Chairman, Nigel Young.

Needless to say, there will be plenty to keep Land Rover fans entertained over the course of 2018! And I'm sure we will be posting much more about this iconic marque through the year, so keep an eye out on our blog, Facebook, Twitter and On The Grid newsletter!

A Great Way to Close 2017's London Motor Week

Last week we told you that the theme of this year's Regent Street Motor Show was Route 66, and despite a damp start to the day, this year's show was very popular. Once again, the capital's premier shopping destination was transformed into the country's biggest free-to-view motor show. 

The famed street was closed to through traffic for the first Saturday in November and the road was filled with a glittering collection from the past, the present and the future. In addition to Enjoy Illinois' stand promoting the Mother Road, the penultimate event of London Motor Week featured close to 200 vehicles from the days of the horseless carriage, through the classic years right up to the battery and hydrogen-powered cars we will all be driving in the future.

Taking centre stage at the Show, though, were around 100 pioneers dating back to the dawn of motoring – all built before 1905. Among those judging the evocative veteran machines this year was renowned gardener and classic car enthusiast Alan Titchmarsh. After much deliberation, the panel of experts awarded the Overall Winner's trophy to the extraordinary dark green 4-cylinder Darracq owned by Malcolm Ginns.

The French car has a remarkable history, having been entered into the ill-fated Paris to Madrid 'race of death' in 1903. More than two million spectators came to watch along the road to Bordeaux, where this notorious race was officially halted as there had been so many fatal accidents en route – the largest toll of dead and injured persons in motor sport, including the death of Marcel Renault. Along with a number of other entrants, the Darracq's owner, Albert Arvengas went on to Madrid. The car remained in the Arvengas family until the 1970s and to this day still carries its original rear-entrance, tonneau body with five seats.

Further up Regent Street, and bringing the motoring story up to date, were displays of modern cars and bikes from companies including Renault and Triumph. Not content with the present, Go Ultra Low was looking to the future by offering drives in a wide range of contemporary battery-powered electric vehicles and plug-in petrol-electric hybrids from manufacturers including BMW, Renault, VW, Toyota, Kia, and Hyundai. Experts were also on hand to offer advice to anyone considering a zero or low emission and hybrid car as their next purchase. Visitors were also offered a short 'taster' test drive,  allowing them to sample the next generation of environmentally friendly transport.

For those with a need for speed, other displays on Regent Street included a preview of the biggest classic motor sport event on the calendar – the Silverstone Classic. It's stand not only included a huge screen broadcasting highlights from last summer's record-breaking event, but also three of the stand-out racers that will be in action next July. 

Motoring's classic years, meanwhile, were represented by Fiat 500 Club celebrating the 60th birthday of Italy's iconic city car with a colourful collection of original superminis including a rare Giardiniera and 500 Saloon. Closer to Piccadilly Circus, another very special display paid homage to London-built Talbots from the twenties and thirties. 

As is tradition, to mark the end of London Motor Week, the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run took place on Sunday. More than 400 pioneering veteran cars, their drivers and passengers gathered in Hyde Park waiting for daybreak to signal the start of the annual Run. Acknowledged as the longest running motoring event in the world, it was fitting that the sun rose in a blue sky as participants headed off for a nostalgic drive to the Sussex coast. One of the cars participating was the famous Genevieve, from the film of the same name. Genevieve, now owned by the Louwman Museum, is a regular and popular participant in the Run.

It's Genevieve!

This years Run featured the largest entry in recent years; staged, as it has been since 1930, by the Royal Automobile Club. Although a number of cars were diverted following a road traffic accident involving one of the participants vehicles, 315 of the 401 starters made it to Brighton to claim a coveted finishers' medal. 

In recent years the Chopard Regularity Trial has introduced an additional interesting element to the Run. This year's winner was Robert Abrey, driving a 1899 Daimler, who was awarded with a Chopard Millie Miglia Chronograph worth £4950.

This year's Veteran Car Run marked 121 years since the original Emancipation Run, which was held in 1896 to celebrate the Locomotive on the Highway Act. This raised the speed limit for 'light locomotives' from 4mph to 14mph and abolished the need for a man to walk ahead waving a red flag. First commemorated in 1897 with a re-enactment following the same route in 1927, the event has taken place every November since, apart form the war years and 1947 when petrol was rationed.

For more information on the Regent Street Motor Show and the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, check out there respective websites. 

Get your kicks, on Regent Street!

The Regent Street Motor Show returns this Saturday, but with a State side twist … With that in mind, and with my own personal interest in the Mother Road, today's blog post will take you into this iconic piece of American history,  whilst also giving you all you need to know about this weekend's London event!

Connecting Chicago to Los Angles, Route 66 is known to many as the Main Street of America, as it was one of the primary routes across the country, with as many as 210,000 people travelling it to migrate to California during the Great Depression. 

Though most of the old Route 66 has been bypassed by the various Interstates, much of the 300 miles that stretch across the 'Prairie State' still remains untouched from its heyday. Famous for quirky roadside attractions, many in Illinois, Route 66 is home to such curiosities as Wilmington's Gemini Giant, outside the soon-be-renovated Launching Pad diner; the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum located in Pontiac; and part of the old, original, historic brick road, which can still be found – and driven on – in Springfield. 

Illinois is where Route 66 begins, and as it is the presenting partner to this year's Regent Street Motor Show, the state, and its iconic Route 66 elements, will be showcased in the UK's capital. Director of Illinois' Office of Tourism, Cory Jobe, says, "This partnership is a prime opportunity for our team to highlight in a meaningful way all the Route 66 Americana flair that our international visitors travel to experience." Nick Wigley, CEO of Goose Live Events, the organisers of the show, adds, "We are delighted to welcome Route 66 to London: two iconic roads linked by a rock 'n' roll classic!"

The Regent Street Motor Show is a unique, free-to-view event that takes place as part of the larger London Motor week, run by the Royal Automobile Club." Since its inaugural show in 2005, it has grown in popularity over the years, and has even featured the famous Genevieve last year!

It is a hope to many that the historic Route 66 can be kept alive for many generations to come, and bringing some of this across the pond to us here in the UK is a sure-fire way to not only assist in the preservation of this classic piece of motoring history, but to also introduce it to a whole new audience. 

This certainly sounds like an exciting day, so, if you are near the capital on the 4th of November, and fancy a nice, free, family day out, why not go and get your kicks on the A4201! –Siân

Circuit Historique de Laon, Julian Parish, and … uh … Lederhosen!

Anybody who knows author and 'Drive Guide Guru,' Julian Parish, knows he's a busy man. Whilst Julian has been spending many hours undertaking extensive research for some great forthcoming books, he's still managing to make time for a spot of commentating …

Last week, was no exception, as Julian attended the 26th Circuit Historique de Laon. Taking place over three days, this year saw around 750 cars of all ages and eras tour the city, taking in the sights, and entertaining the crowds.

Fine weather – and fine cars – saw the start of proceedings on Saturday, with a rally around Laon, taking in a stop at Gueux and finishing at Parc Foch with a concours d'élégance and a glass of champagne. Sunday saw the highlight of the weekend, the closed street run. Over 6kms of street were closed to traffic for the run, which incorporated a hill climb (complete with hairpin bends), giving spectators plenty of opportunity to see some fine cars in action. The event was rounded-off with a final Monday morning drive up to Lens, and then home to England for the many British participants.

Here's a few pics of Julian in action, commentating, and giving away copies of the France guide to competition winners … and the senator-mayor of Laon, Antoine Lefèvre  resplendent in Lederhosen! A big 'thank you' to Drive Guide's Dutch friend, Annemieke Dekkers, for taking the photos.

If you missed seeing Julian at Laon, he will be back in action as part of the commentary team at the Grand Prix Historique de Bressuire on June 24/25.

The Essential Guides Twin Pack

In case you missed it, we have a fantastic Twin Pack offer for Julian's Essential Guides. For the price of the France guide alone, the Twin Pack offers both the France and Europe guides in one package. That's a saving of £10.99 … checkout the Twin Pack over at Drive Guide's website …

Get France: The Essential Guide for Car Enthusiasts AND The Essential Guide to Driving in Europe for just £14.99!

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