The Oliver Winterbottom Diaries – Hinckley Classic Show

If you have been following our blog recently, you will be aware that Oliver Winterbottom has been gearing-up to make an appearance at this year's Hinckley Classic Show. To say the event was a roaring success would be an understatement, and Oliver documented his time there, which we now share with you. 

Hinkley, Leicestershire, is a town dating from the earliest times and which was the centre of hosiery manufacturing until recently. As that industry shrank, Hinckley started to decline, but thanks to the efforts of the Business Improvement Development and a team of local volunteers, much is being done to reinvigorate the town. I am sure many would not expect it to have the remains of a medieval castle, a fine parish church standing in parkland, and a traditional Market Square (traditional, as all the Market Squares that I know, are triangular).

Thus it was that I arrived at Hinckley Market Square on the morning of 16 September. There were 800 plus vehicles also filling the town centre, all interesting. Two Lotus Elites graced the middle of the area, with the organisers' gazebo alongside. It was here I set-up to supply and sign my book, A Life in Car Design, to those that requested it. The Steward, Stuart Elliott had cleverly arranged them as the Elites were a past design of mine. It was Stuart who got me into this in the first place!

As my sister lives near Hinckley, I visit her and her local pub, The Heathcote Arms, Croft. Stuart and Sue Elliott also visit occasionally and earlier this year we discussed my presence at the Classic Motorshow. I agreed to bring some of my books, a pen and a cheery smile – not sure about that – and support this massive event. It is possibly the largest town Classic show in the country. In advance, I had contacted various clubs, and Stuart had landlady Hannah's permission to post a poster in the back bar. To the left, myself and poster in The Heathcote Arms.

Many folk assisted me being able to be ready. These included Emma and Kevin Atkins at my publishers Veloce, who not only supplied some books but also a large poster. 

Stuart organised my transport via an original Mini 1000, driven with enthusiasm by Rob Milne, an enthusiastic member of the Leicester Sturgess motor business. 

I had huge moral support from the members of the LotusExcel.net club, with Richard Wollaston bringing his Lotus Elite, resplendent with an emblem incorporating my signature. Embarrassed to proud – well a bit of both!

Another vehicle that was part of my past was the "wedge" TVR and I was happy that Andy Hutcheson ("andytank") had passed on details at the annual meeting, so we had one of those cars present. Unfortunately it was not possible to completely take over Hinckley, so they were parked down streets nearby.

The other members of my book title trio, Jaguar, were surprisingly short in supply. A red E-Type convertible was a couple of car spaces beyond the Lotuses. 

For me, what made the event so interesting was the diversity of the exhibits. They were not parked as a group but scattered around, so one went from say, a Ferrari, to a Triumph TR7 to an Austin 7 to a DeLorean. There were many forms of transport, the steam roller winning Special Vehicle of the show! Prizes were awarded for scooters, motorcycles, classic cars and commercial vehicles. There were pre-war and post-war machines, stock cars, modified saloons, American cars – you name it, it was probably there. As were an awful lot of people!

All the pubs and cafes were open and doing a roaring trade all day as literally thousands of people strolled the streets – all free of charge – enjoying the day. 

My pitch on Hinckley Market Square, alongside a lovely Lotus Elite

The two Lotuses, with the gazebo behind

A TVR 350i enjoying the double yellow lines in Regent Street

This beautiful Rover 3.5 litre Coupé was brought by Coventry Transport Museum

Not only did we have a DeLorean, but also an ex-senior executive of the marque present. The bar across the door opening was to prevent unwanted passengers entering!

This Ford Mustang dated from 1971 – they still look the same!

The two Lotus Elites had an Excel for company. There was also an Eclat elsewhere

Here I am being interviewed live on local radio

Sue and Stuart Elliott on the left, receiving a much deserved award in recognition of their efforts organising this wonderful event

We all retired to the Heathcote for a well deserved pint after a wonderful day. Hinckley hopefully will continue to thrive – it deserves to!

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

Bye Bye Beetle!

Another iconic car is set to become a thing of the past, as it was announced last Thursday that Volkswagen are to stop producing the Beetle in 2019.

The move comes as Volkswagen plans to focus more on what consumers are looking for in a new car, such as electric cars and larger family-orientated vehicles. Although there are no plans to replace it, there is a 'Never Say Never' attitude towards it, just like when the company decided to unveil a revamped Volkswagen Bus last year. 

"The loss of the Beetle after three generations, over nearly seven decades, will evoke a host of emotions from the Beetle's many devoted fans." – Heinrich J. Woebcken, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group America.

Volkswagen will finish the run by adding a pair of Final Edition models – the Final Edition SE and the Final Edition SEL – to the line up, available in both coupé and convertible body styles. Along with colours such as Pure White, Deep Black Pearl and Platinum Grey, these models will feature two unique colours: Safari Uni, a reinvention of Harvest Moon Beige, a colour from the New Beetle, and Stonewashed Blue, which pays homage to the 1970 Jeans Bug, as well as being more recently seen on the 2016 Beetle Denim. Convertible Final Edition SEL models will be available in all colours (expect Safari Uni) with a unique Brown soft top.

A timely publication, Richard Copping's Volkswagen Beetle – A Celebration of the World's Most Popular Car charts every aspect of the original Beetle's lengthy history – from Porsche's design for Hitler to it's successful move to South America. Written by an enthusiast, this tome contains a wealth of archive imagery, including some rarely seen photographs of the Beetle across the decades. What better way to help commemorate the end of an era than with this excellent book.

The third generation Beetle is set to become a collector's item with this latest announcement. It really is a shame to be saying goodbye to such an iconic model. 

New exhibition at the Louwman Museum

Here at Veloce, we are rather fond of Mercedes Benz, having published many titles on this iconic marque. This summer, the Louwman Museum, in the Netherlands, will host a special exhibition dedicated to a racing classic. 

Following the successful 'Silver Arrows 1934 - 1939' exhibition held in 2012, the Louwman Museum, in close cooperation with Mercedes-Benz Classic in Stuttgart, Germany, is proud to host an exhibition of the legendary Mercedes-Benz racing cars from the 1950s during the summer months (July 7 to September 2). The seven unique cars represent one of the most heroic periods in the history of motor racing. 

All the cars have earned their place in the motor racing history books. However for Dutch enthusiasts, the No. 8W 196R featured in the key visual of the exhibition is extra special. 

Then reigning Formula One World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1955 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort in this car, finishing just 0.3 seconds ahead of his teammate Stirling Moss. This was just one month after Moss' and Fangio's legendary one-two victory with the 300SLR racing sports car in the gruelling Mille Miglia. Film footage will be shown to illustrate these epic races. 

Probably the most valuable car in the world, the 300SLR 'Uhlenhaut-Coupé', will be on display in Holland for the first time. 

This coupé version of the 300SLR (W196S) never actually took part in an official race, but it is regarded as the first supercar of the era: a two-seater thoroughbred racing car featuring a roof and gull-wing doors. Based on the extremely successful W196R Formula One car, it had a top speed of almost 300km/h (186mph): a sensational speed – not only at the time. 

Just as special is the 'Blue Wonder', the racing car transporter, which was built in 1955 to transport and service the Mercedes-Benz racing cars during long-distance races. This ultimate service vehicle was based on both the 300 S and 300 SL and had a top speed of 170km/h (105mph): the fastest racing car transporter ever. 

The 'Silver Arrows, Mercedes-Benz Racing cars of the 50s' exhibition includes Formula One cars and sports cars that won not only Grand Prix events, but also long-distance races, such as the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio within the sports car championship. The link between racing and series production is demonstrated by two 300SL 'Gullwing' exhibits: the W194 racing car from 1952 and the W198 production car which was derived from it. All of the cars have an extensive racing history, involving such famous racing drivers as Juan Manual Fangio, Stirling Moss, Karl Kling and Hans Herrmann. 

The cars in this temporary exhibition are without exception first class exhibits from the permanent collection of Mercedes-Benz Classic in Stuttgart, Germany. 

Robert Ackerson's limited edition book Two Summers – The Mercedes-Benz W196R Racing Cars explores the Mercedes-Benz W196R's historic roots, development, and its place in Grand Prix racing, detailing its triumphs, struggles and disappointments, as well as the spirited challenges from Maserati, Ferrari, Gordon and Lancia. If you can't make it over to the Louwman Museum this summer – and you really should, as it is an excellent place, full of a huge array of fantastic cars! – then this book would be perfect for those who want to learn more about this historic icon.

New MOT comes into effect

There are big changes coming to the MOT as of this Sunday, so are you aware of what these could mean for you and your vehicle?

There are three main areas where the MOT is changing, and these include:

• New defect types, and new items to be tested
• Stricter rules for diesel car emissions
• Change of circumstances for certain cars over 40 years old

From the 20th of May, any defects found while the testing is being carried out will be classed as either dangerous, major, or minor. Any fault classed as dangerous or major will be an instant fail on the MOT, where as a minor fault would still be a pass. Further details on there faults are as follows.

Dangerous faults mean that there is a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or a serious impact on the environment. You will not be allowed to drive the vehicle until the fault has been repaired. 

Major faults mean that they may affect the vehicle's safety, put other road users at risk, or have an impact on the environment. You will be advised to repair a major fault immediately. 

Minor faults will be those that have no significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment. You will be advised to repair any minor faults as soon as possible.

MOT testers will also tell you of any advisory problems, which could become more serious in the future unless monitored and repaired when necessary. However, there have been concerns that this new way of classifying faults can be too confusing for motorists. Simon Williams, a spokesman for the RAC, said that the new classifications "will surely be open to interpretation which may lead to greater inconsistency from one test centre to another."

In addition to the new defect types, there will be a number of new items that will be tested for during the MOT. The main ones include:

• If the tyres are obviously under inflated
• If the brake fluid has been contaminated in any way
• If there are any fluid leaks that pose an environmental risk
• The brake pad warning light and if brake pads or discs are missing
• The reversing lights on vehicles first used from 1 September 2009
• The headlight washers on vehicles first used from 1 September 2009, if they have them
• The daytime running lights on vehicles first used from 1 March 2018; most of these vehicles won't have their MOT until 2021

Limits for emissions are getting stricter for diesel cars with diesel particulate filters (DPF). If your car's exhaust emits smoke of any colour, or if the tester finds evidence that the DPF has even tampered with, it will be classed as a major fault and will fail the MOT test. 

There is good news if you have a classic that was first registered in 1978, as cars, vans, motorcycles, and other light passenger vehicles that are 40 years old or more will no longer require an MOT – so long as they have not been substantially modified. However, each time you tax your historic vehicle, you will need to declare that it meets the rules for not needing an MOT certificate. 

So, what do you think of these changes? Do any of them work in your favour, or will it strike up a lot of confusion? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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!

The Classic Car Boot Sale dates

If you're a lover of classic, vintage, or retro cars, The Classic Car Boot Sale is probably already on your radar. A great place to celebrate music, food, fashion, design, and, of course, vehicles, this year's first dates have been announced …

The first Classic Car Boot Sale of 2018 falls over the weekend of 28th & 29th April, at King's Cross, London, and if you're in the area, we recommend a visit. Car and bike lovers are well catered for, of course, with a truly outstanding selection of vehicles, all driven to the event by the owners, who are more than happy to chat.

But this is no ordinary car boot. You'll certainly find a wealth of traders, selling everything from vintage clothing and accessories, to homewares, collectibles, and vinyl, but you can also grab yourself a classic vehicle.

If your budget doesn't stretch to vehicles, then you can browse the stalls, enjoy some of the finest street food in London, or simply enjoy the DJs playing vinyl-only sets … from the top of a Routemaster, of course! You can even apply for a stall, so you can sell your own goods.

Pencil the dates in your diary, and pop along to one of the finest car boot sales in the land. You can buy an advance ticket for just £4 … and you won't be disappointed.

The Classic Car Boot Sale
Sat 28th – Sun 29th April 2018, 10am-6pm
King's Cross, London

Buy advance tickets here

Find out more at www.classiccarbootsale.co.uk or check Class Car Boot Sale's facebook, twitter, and other social media channels for more details.

Here yesteryear, gone tomorrow ...

Now, I'm a 90's kid, so it's nice to see a resurgence of things that I grew up with, such as Blind Date, Nokia reissues, and of course, the revival of the much loved Tamagotchi. It's a shame that the same cannot be said for the cars of this, which are heading the same way as the dinosaurs from that famous 1993 film... 

New research from Honest John Classics shows that the cars we grew up with, that our mums and dads drove us around in, are dying out. To give you an idea, 2613 Rover 400s were taken off the road in 2016 – that's just over a fifth of the total number left. At this rate of decreased use, they will all be gone in five years.

It's a similar story for the Vauxhall Cavalier and the Citroen Saxo. Once beloved of sales reps everywhere, just over 10% of 1990s Cavaliers have been scrapped. While the Saxo, which defined modified motoring for the Max Power generation saw 2505 destroyed – almost a quarter of the total left!

Not even the youngest cars from the 'dot-com' decade are safe. The Ford Focus changed car design forever when it was launched in 1998, but examples are vanishing at the rate of 25% a year – meaning, if they continue to disappear at the current rate, there will be no 1990s Mk1 Focuses left in just four years. It's a similar story for the Ford KA, with 29% of examples disappearing every 12 months.

"Many people think of a classic car as an MGB or and E-type Jag, but the reality is that there's a huge amount of interest in cars from the 1990s. I'm not talking about the supercars that adorned posters on bedroom walls, I'm thinking about the cars that we grew up with. The cars that our dads had – that took us to school, to the cinema, on holiday. These cars were part of our lives every single day – and now they're nearly all gone," said editor of Honest John Classics, Keith Moody.

"The startling survival rates of the cars that you used to see on every street and at every service station means that demand for them is starting to outstrip supply. And while we've seen a lot of 1990s nostalgia in the past few years, with everything from Britpop to Blind Date making a comeback, it's shocking that the cars from this decade in automotive history are on the brink of extinction."

But why are many of the cars our dads used to drive on the endangered species' list? There are several reasons, but one of the biggest is that 2009-10 scrapage scheme. Here, the Government encouraged people to trade-in cars more than ten years old for £2000 off a new car – a discount that you could've got by haggling. In total, 392,227 future classics were taken off the road because of the scrapage scheme.

When does a car become a classic?

While some turn their nose up at 1990s 'bangers', such as the Ford Mondeo and the Vauxhall Cavalier, by saying that they will never be proper classics, research from Honest John Classics shows this simply isn't the case.

Honest John researchers looked at the most recent MoT data to find out when a car made the transformation from cheap runabout to cherished family member. Analysing the data, they were able to see when the rate of cars failing their annual roadworthiness test stopped declining and started to rise again. 

"This is the point at which a car crosses over from a banger that gets run into the ground to something that is appreciated and that the owner wants to invest both time and money in. This is the decisive moment – this is the point where values stop falling and prices start rising," says Keith Moody. 

Currently, cars from the year 2000 have the worst MoT pass rate with just over half failing. After this point, the figure improves for older cars as they find their way into he hands of enthusiastic owners. In fact, cars from 1993 have a better pass rate than cars from 2005, with 56.5% passing the annual roadworthiness test compared to 55.3%. A fact that underlines 1990s cars as emerging classics.

"Petrolheads in their 30s and 40s grew up with these 1990s cars. They learnt to drive in them. They went on family holidays in them. They are the next-generation of classic cars – and they're being bought by enthusiasts who want to be reminded of their connection to times, people, and places who might no longer be with them," adds Keith Moody.

The best selling cars from 25 years ago

A quarter of a century ago, the Mk5 Ford Escort was Britain's best-selling car. It sold 122,002 units that year – but now there are just about 460 of those left on the road. That's a survival rate of 0.37%. It's a similar story with the Mk3 Fiesta, which was second in the best-sellers list with 110,449 finding new homes in 1993. Now just 435 of those are still on the road – a survival rate of 0.39%. In fact, non of the best selling cars from 1993 have a survival rate of more than 1% – that means 99% have been crushed.

Maybe it's time to do your bit for the classic car scene of the future, and start nurturing these soon-to-be-forgotten models! And if any of you want to try your hand at writing an Essential Buyer's Guide to one of these future classics, then get in touch, as we'd love to do our bit to help preserve classic cars! – Siân

Iconic TV car sells for a 'cushtie' amount!

This past weekend saw the NEC Classic Car Show take place, and, again, it was a raging success! Classic car fans and aficionados alike descended upon Birmingham to see the sights that this year's show had to offer. 

One of the highlights of the show, year-in and year-out, is the Silverstone Auctions' Classic Motor Show Sale. The auction sees a wide variety of items passing through, from motoring memorabilia to bikes, and watches to cars. Among this years lot an iconic piece of television history went under the hammer, and sold for an amount that its small-screen owners could have only dreamed of earning ...

I'm of course talking about Del Boy's 1968 Reliant Regal which starred in the highly popular BBC comedy 'Only Fools and Horses!' A star of the legendary series, the 1968 Reliant Regal van is easily one of the most recognisable and loved classic cars of the small screen, transporting Del Boy and Rodney on their many riotous adventures in the smash-hit comedy.

'BWC 94F' was used in the 2002 Christmas Special, 'If They Could See Us Now,' and also featured in the BBC DVD 'The Story of Only Fools and Horses' as well as in several issues of the fanzine "Hookie Street".

"Del Boy's Reliant Regal is one of the most distinctive cars of BBC comedy history! Only Fools and Horses has a fan base spanning several generations and is something of a British treasure, so to have the van from the series up for auction is a real treat which will no doubt draw the crowds, " explains Nick Whale, managing director of Silverstone Auctions.

Today the van appears exactly as it did on screen, complete with tiger print plush interior and 'Trotters Independent Trading Co' decals. Accessories including a 'Tax in Post' window notice, nodding tiger, roof rack with suitcase, set of furry dice, personalised rubber foot mats, and a set of blow-up plastic dolls. With a reconditioned engine, a full synchromesh gearbox, a remote control key start, a DVD player and cassette radio, and even a smoke machine which emits smoke from the exhaust.

"Disregarding its TV provenance, it's probably the most reliable example of this 'marque' that you will find and has even participated in the London to Brighton rally in 2001 and 2004," concludes Nick. 

With 71778 miles recorded, the van was supplied with its original owners handbook, an MOT until 9th June 2018, and letters in the history file from the BBC which confirm its authenticity. 

The Reliant Regal was part of Sunday's sale, and enthusiastic bidding pushed the price to an incredible £41625, drawing gasps and applause. An amazing amount of money, but worth it when you consider the car's history and relevance to pop culture.  

Although you may not be able to get your hands on this iconic car now, if you fancy restoring your own, then we have just the book for you! How to restore Reliant Regal offers a guide in how to find a suitable Reliant Regal for restoration. It then gives a fully illustrated step-by-step guide on how to dismantle the car, and fully restore the body, chassis, electrics and engine back to showroom condition! 

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. 

The Louwman Museum

The Louwman Museum in the Netherlands is home to the world's oldest private collection of motor cars. Started in 1934 and complied by two generations of the Louwman family, the collection boasts 250 antique and classic cars.

Architecturally, the museum is astounding. The purpose-built infrastructure was opened in 2010 and was designed by one of the renowned 'New York Five' architects, Michael Graves. Graves specialised in maintaining a pure form of modernism in the buildings he designed, and is the architect behind a huge number of outstanding structures, from the Riverbend Music Centre in Cincinnati, to the Team Disney building in Burbank, with many more credits to his name around the world. 

Our company accountant, Amanda, picture outside the museum

With a plethora of cars in the collection, it has listed its own Top Five cars in order to show the scope of vehicles that they own. So, best take a look...

Jaguar D-Type XKD 606 (1956)

This car happens to be the 1957 Le Mans winner, crewed by Flockhart and Bueb. The XKD 606 achieved a hat-trick of consecutive Le Mans wins, covering a record 4397km at an average speed of 183km/h; a record which remained unbroken for four years. After Le Mans, the D-Type ended up on the club racing scene, and then, following a crash, was split in two: body and rear-wheel suspension and front sub-frame and engine. The museum managed to acquire both halves of the car, and after a lengthy – and historically accurate – restoration project, the car was returned to the condition it was in during it's successful run in 1957.

Lagonda M45R (1935)

This Lagonda M45R won Le Mans in 1935, despite running low engine oil and suffering a collision that damaged the steering earlier in the race. This car is displayed in completely original condition, right down to the upholstery; an impressive feat for a car over 80 years old!

AC Racing Special (1924)

Englishman Gordon Rossiter used money gifted to him on his 21st birthday to convert an old 1924 2.0-litre six-cylinder AC into a racing car. AC stands for Auto Carrier, the name of the three-wheeled delivery van launched by the Weller brothers in 1904. Rossiter set a new class record at the Blackwell hill climb in his converted AC, and, while racing at Donington Park, clocked a top speed of 105mph.

Spyker C4 All-Weather Coupe (1922)

This particular Spyker C4 is upholstered in simulated snakeskin, and the luggage rack has a jagged edge to discourage one from hitching a ride on the back. The reliability and luxurious design of this car led to it being known in England as the 'Rolls-Royce of the Continent.' In 1922, Selwyn Francis Edge headed to Brooklands in a C4 for the 'Double Twelve.' The record attempt was held in two 12-hour stints, and Edge set a new speed record of 2860km at an average speed of almost 120km/h.

Renault 40CV Type JP Touring Wiederkehr (1922)

With a six-cylinder engine that has a nine-litre capacity, this is one of the largest Renaults every built, and the one on display at the Louwman museum is the only one still in existence. The 40CV soon became a firm favourite in high society, and was delivered as just a motorised chassis, with the choice of bodywork being left to the customer. In 1925, a 40CV won the Rally Monte Carlo, and in 1926, a special single-seat bodywork 40CV participated in the Montlhery endurance event. 

Fellow Velocista, Amanda, recently visited the Louwman museum, and brought back with her numerous images of the vast collection. Now, aside from the very conventional looking cars that make the museum's top five, here are five cars that stood out for their unique and striking designs!

Brooke 25/30-HP Swan Car (1910)

Created by the eccentric Scotsman Robert Nicholl 'Scotty' Mathewson, the bodywork represents a swan gliding through water, and on the rear is an elaborate lotus flower design in gold leaf. The swan's eyes are even fitted with electric bulbs! Fully restored by the museum in 1991, the car went on to win the Montagu Prize at the 1993 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, held in California.

Fiat 1100 Boat-car Carrozzeri Coriasco (1953)

Despite how it may seem, this is not an amphicar! Coriasco, a bodywork manufacturer in Turin, built this in the '50s to promote the Scuola Nautical Scarani sailing school in Bologna. Lots of nautical details were included, such as portholes, lifeboats and a varnished wooden deck, with the mudguards representing the waves of the ocean.

Lincoln Sedan Delivery Deco Liner & Harley Davidson Sportster Deco Scoot (2008)

Inspired by the bodywork designs of Saoutchik and Figonie et Falaschi in the 1930s, and the art deco movement, Terry Cook and Frank Nicholas of Deco Rides, New Jersey, designed this vehicle based on the 1939 Lincoln Zephyr T. Completed in 2008, the car is powered by an eight-cylinder, 5.7 litre Chevrolet 'small block' engine, and the Chevrolet Blazer four-wheel chassis has an extension to allow for a 1992 Harley Davidson Sportster to be stored in the car.

Taruffi Italcorsa/TARF II

Designed by Italian racing driver and engineer Piero Taruffi, this car is powered by a 1.7-litre 290HP supercharged Maserati engine, and is driven using control sticks, as there is no room for a steering wheel. Achieving a top speed of just under 300km/h on the flying kilometre and flying mile, held on the Via Appia near Rome, it went on to break records over longer distances at Montlhery and Monza over the following years. 

Darracq 12HP 'Genevieve' (1904)

Ah, Genevieve... Those who are regular followers of all things Veloce will recall that we published a book on Genevieve at the end of 2016. Written by Rodney Laredo, A Darracq Called Genevieve is the biography of this 1904 Darracq's life on and off the silver screen. Coincidently, we recently received a review of this fabulous book, which you can read here:

"An enjoyable insight into the Genevieve legend"

"Genevieve, as revealed in the 1953 classic British comedy movie was, and is, a credible tale of veteran motoring mayhem. Veloce has recently published A Darracq Called Genevieve. It's a 154-page hardback detailing the story of the car, the film, and the multifarious and multi-talented characters involved.

"We've got a copy of the book right here in the office and we've been enjoying reading it. New Zealand author Rodney Laredo writes from the heart; this tale reads like a very personal account of his lifelong involvement with the Genevieve story.

"Laredo was just a boy when he became entranced with the film and the 1904 Darracq at the centre. His developing interest led to numerous letters, articles, conversation and finally meeting the late Dinah Sheridan.

"Laredo and family eventually became good friends with Sheridan and other personalities involved in the wider story. Therefore, it was natural enough for the author to also explore the very interesting history of Darracq cars, which is still a largely overlooked- or even unknown- chapter in the annals of motoring history.

"Packed with numerous artifacts from the film, it's hard to see why any hard-core Genevieve fan would not want a copy of this book. But even those with a more casual interest will find this enjoyable.

"If you haven't seen the movie for a while and want to re-view it, you'll be sure to watch it in a much wider light and context after you leaf through this publication. And if you simply want to know something about Darracq cars, here's a pretty good place to start."

–Sump

All of this just scratches the surface of what the Louwman has to offer! Maybe this post has inspired you to plan your own trip over to the Netherlands to see the museum for yourself, and if so, rest assured you will not be disappointed! Visit the Louwman Museum website: https://www.louwmanmuseum.nl

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