Classic Car Convocation at Blenheim Palace

Classic Cars

Calling all classic car fans! Blenheim Palace is hosting the Pre-50 American Auto Club ‘Rally of Giants’ on 27th July. This superlative gathering offers a rare opportunity for collectors and admirers to see the finest and most valuable examples found anywhere in Europe.

                     

There will be more than 400 classic American vehicles attending, including some of the best examples of motoring history and the most valuable. Dating from the early 1920’s through to the 1970’s the Rally of Giants is a must visit for those with a passion for American motorcars. For those with only a passing interest in motoring avocation expect your interest to be piqued with this remarkable collection of American motorcars, trucks, military vehicles and bikes.

Collectors from the UK and continental Europe will congregate to celebrate this amazing display in Blenheim Palace’s iconic landscape. The laid-back and friendly atmosphere is perfect for admiring, dreaming of buying, purchasing and selling. The rally offers a fabulous backdrop to a really good time at Blenheim Palace.

Enjoy a full day out in Blenheim Palace’s house and gardens with delicious food and refreshments available in the wonderful eateries.

To find out more information about the Pre50AAC and the ‘Rally of Giants’ visit the Pre '50 American Auto Club website: pre50aac.com

www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events

WHAT:            The Pre 50 American Auto Club ‘Rally of Giants’

WHEN:            27^th July

WHY VISIT:    A must visit for classic car enthusiasts and collectors.

ADMISSION:  Park & Gardens ticket required: Adult £13.50/ Child £6.60 (5-16 yrs)/ Concession £10.20/ Family £36 (2 adults, 2 children)

WEBSITE:       www.blenheimpalace.com for more information

INFO LINE:     0800 849 6500           

Simply Porsche

Beaulieu - Simply Porsche Rally

Beaulieu - Simply Porsche Rally

Beaulieu - Simply Porsche Rally

On Sunday 22nd June, Beaulieu’s popular Simply Porsche rally, in association with the Independent Porsche Enthusiasts Club, will be welcoming Porsche owners to display their vehicles in the grounds of the National Motor Museum for the day.

This fantastic rally is open to all Porsche owners, with all ages and models of the marque eligible to join the display. This is a great opportunity to view hundreds of Porsches, meet other like-minded enthusiasts, browse a selection of trade stands and enjoy a great day out at the Beaulieu attraction.

See the museum’s stunning collection of over 250 vehicles and its two brand new displays. The Motorcycle Story takes you on a journey through motorcycling history, covering road safety, British youth culture of the 1950s and 60s and a wide range of racing disciplines. For Britain & For The Hell Of It is a fascinating multi-media display featuring the museum’s iconic Land Speed Record cars and a temporary exhibition of alternative Land Speed Record vehicles.

Check out the newly updated and redisplayed World of Top Gear with actual vehicles from the TV motoring show. The exhibition includes a scaled-down version of the Dunsfold Park track where fans can drive remote-control models of some of the most popular Top Gear challenge cars in the World of Top Gear Test Track Challenge and enjoy a ride in the Top Gear simulator.*

Take a stroll through the beautiful gardens, visit Palace House, home of the Montagu family since 1538, and enjoy the peaceful serenity of 13th century Beaulieu Abbey, plus explore the grounds with a ride on the high-level monorail or open-topped veteran bus.

As with all Simply Rallies, visitors to Beaulieu on the day of the event will be invited to vote for their favourite vehicle in the People’s Choice Awards. The owner of the winning car will receive a Beaulieu Trophy in an afternoon presentation ceremony and will be given the opportunity to lead a cavalcade of Porsches through the attraction.

For entrants arriving in a Porsche and joining the event on the Beaulieu parkland, entry prices are adult £10 and child £5. Tickets are available to purchase on the day or you can buy advance tickets up until 5pm on the 20th June either by telephone on 01590 612888 or online at www.beaulieushop.co.uk. For all Porsche-related trade stand enquiries, telephone 01590 614614. All other visitors should enter Beaulieu via the Admissions Hall at normal Beaulieu attraction admission prices.

Entry into the Beaulieu parkland with your Porsche is from 9.30am with catering available.  The event opens to the public at 10am. Admission to the event includes entry to the whole Beaulieu attraction; the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, Beaulieu Abbey, and Palace House and gardens.

Simply Porsche is part of Beaulieu’s calendar of Simply events, which includes a wide variety of themes covering a range of makes and models.

For more information please visit www.beaulieuevents.co.uk or join the conversation with @Beaulieu_Hants on Twitter using #simplyporsche.

*A good value extra charge applies to both these activities.

Simply Ford 2014 - Beaulieu

Cavalcade

Main arena

The first of Beaulieu’s 2014 calendar of Simply rallies, Simply Ford, was held in the grounds of the Beaulieu attraction on the 4th May. Participants of this popular event which is now in its fifth year, had a perfect day to show off their motors and relax in the sunshine.

A bumper number of over 1,700 joined the event with around 1,000 Ford cars, from early models to custom and modern classics, on display in the Beaulieu parkland.  The event this year celebrated 50 years of the Ford Mustang, one of the marques most iconic cars with a special display of owners’ Mustangs.

Judith Maddox, Beaulieu’s Events Manager said: “Simply Ford goes from strength to strength with 25% more participants this year. The fine weather certainly brought Ford owners out in force and it was lovely to see such a wide variety of cars on show.”

Clubs attending included the Ford Probe Club UK, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Second Generation ‘Gen 2’ Ford Probe, South West Ford, the Escort Cabriolet Club and the XR and ZS Owners’ Clubs. In addition, there were a number of trade stands selling Ford related parts and accessories.

Show regulars, the Ford Heritage Collection supported the event again with a number of their superb vehicles including an Escort Mklll Ghia, a Granada Scorpio 2.9 Auto Estate and an S-Max Titanium MPV. The Hendy Ford dealership also attended with a variety of vehicles from their new Ford range.

A People’s Choice Best in Show trophy was awarded to Mark Hudd, who is currently chairman of the Swindon RS Owners’ Club and a regular attendee at Simply Ford, for his 1986 Ford Escort RS Turbo.

An additional People’s Choice trophy for the Best Mustang was awarded to Terry Bridle from Reading for a1966 black and gold Mustang which he has owned for ten years.

After the trophy presentations by Beaulieu’s Commercial Director, Stephen Munn, the top People’s Choice vehicles took part in a cavalcade around the grounds.

Simply Smart Sunday 10th November at Beaulieu

Simply Smart 10th November

Sunday 10th November will see the welcome return of Beaulieu’s popular Simply Smart rally, when all Smart car owners can drive into the grounds of the National Motor Museum to join a colourful display of these quirky motors. 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the Smart Roadster, so owners of this model are particularly encouraged to take part. The event, now in its third year, has built up a loyal following and there is always a wonderful variety of creative designs and colour themes to be seen.

This event is well supported by owners’ club, SmartManiacs, with a large number of their members attending. At the club’s request, the event is always held around the time of Remembrance Day, 11th November, which this year falls the day after the event. To honour this special day, a two minutes silence will be held at 11am, which visitors are invited to take part in, with Mr Tod Sloan, a retired Royal Navy CPO, providing a reading.

Smart cars lined up in front of Beaulieu

The Ridgeway Group, which owns a number of dealerships throughout Hampshire, will also be in attendance, bringing along a small selection of their pristine Smart models.

On the day, visitors to Beaulieu will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite Smart car on display in the People’s Choice Award. The awards will be presented in the afternoon, with the winner receiving a Beaulieu Trophy and the chance to lead the top ten cars voted for, in a cavalcade through the parkland.

Participants can also enjoy all the delights of the Beaulieu attraction and can take advantage of one of the last chances to see BOND IN MOTION before it closes permanently on the 5th January 2014. This fantastic exhibition showcases 50 vehicles from the James Bond films, including the Lotus Esprit submarine car from The Spy Who Loved Me, affectionately referred to as ‘Wet Nellie’, the iconic Aston Martin DB5 from Goldeneye and the Rolls-Royce Phantom III from Goldfinger.

For entrants arriving on the day in a Smart car and participating in the event, individual ticket prices are £10 per adult and £5 per child.

Book advance tickets online at www.beaulieushop.co.uk or on telephone number 01590 612888, which you can also call for information on group/club entry. For all enquiries regarding trade stands, telephone 01590 614614.

If you buy your Simply Smart event tickets in advance (before 5pm on the 8th November 2013), you will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win an Autoglym Concours Collection Valet Gift Pack. The winner will be announced on the day, during the awards presentation ceremony.*

Entry into the Beaulieu parkland with your Smart car is from 9.30am, when refreshments will be available.

All other visitors who wish to see the event, but not participate in a Smart car should enter Beaulieu via the Main Reception from 10am at normal attraction admission prices.

Admission to the event includes entry to the whole Beaulieu attraction; the National Motor Museum and BOND IN MOTION, World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Beaulieu Abbey, and Palace House and gardens.

Simply Smart is part of a growing calendar of Simply rallies which has rapidly expanded to include a wide variety of themes covering many makes and models. All Simply rallies are run and organised by Beaulieu and take place in the grounds of the National Motor Museum.

For more information please visit www.beaulieuevents.co.uk or join the conversation with @Beaulieu_Hants on Twitter using #simplysmart.

*The prize draw is only available to advance ticket holders, aged 18 years or older, who participate in the event with their Smart car and have their car on display in the showground. The winner must be present to receive the Gift Pack in person. If the first drawn person does not come forward, the prize will go to the next person drawn who is present.

Simply French - Sunday 12th May

Beaulieu’s popular Simply French rally will be making a welcome return on Sunday 12th May for its second year in the National Motor Museum’s busy calendar of events, so if you are a French vehicle owner, don a beret, grab a string of onions and drive down to Beaulieu for a day of French-themed fun!

All French vehicle makes and models are welcome, from major manufacturers Renault, Peugeot and Citroen, to the lesser known Aixam and Gordini. Just drive down, display your vehicle in the grounds, and spend the day admiring other French vehicles, meeting like-minded enthusiasts and enjoying all the delights of the Beaulieu attraction.

This year’s show sponsor, Citroën, will be a welcome addition to the event, displaying a selection of its beautiful models in a bourgeois café scene set up in the parkland, complimented by traditional French music.

As with all Beaulieu’s Simply Rallies, visitors to Beaulieu on the day will be invited to vote for their favourite French vehicle in the People’s Choice Awards. The winning vehicle owner will be presented with a prized Beaulieu Trophy and will be given the opportunity to lead a cavalcade around the grounds of the attraction.

Visitors to the event can also enjoy all the features of the Beaulieu attraction, including the National Motor Museum and its exciting BOND IN MOTION exhibition (see if you can spot the quirky little Citroën 2CV from FOR YOUR EYES ONLY), World of Top Gear, Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House, the gardens, and unlimited rides on the high-level Monorail and open-topped bus.

For entrants arriving on the 12th May in their French vehicles and joining the event on the Beaulieu parkland, entry prices are adult £10 and child £5. Please telephone 01590 612888 or visit www.beaulieushop.co.uk to book advance tickets. For all trade stand enquiries, telephone 01590 614614. All other visitors should enter Beaulieu via the main Reception at normal Beaulieu attraction admission prices.

Entry into the Beaulieu parkland in your French vehicle is from 9.30am. As France is renowned for its fine cuisine, the Brabazon Restaurant will be serving refreshments inspired by the country, including coffee and croissants.

Simply French is part of a growing calendar of Simply Rallies which has rapidly expanded to include a wide variety of themes covering many makes and models. All Simply Rallies are run and organised by Beaulieu and take place in the grounds of the National Motor Museum.

The latest additions to the Simply schedule for 2013 are Simply Porsche on 23rd June, Simply Alfa Romeo on 30th June, Simply Vauxhall on 28th July and Simply Land Rover on 11th August.

Visit www.beaulieuevents.co.uk for more information.

COME TO SIMPLY FORD AT BEAULIEU FOR A SIMPLY FANTASTIC DAY OUT! SUNDAY 6TH MAY 2012

On Sunday 6th May the third annual Simply Ford rally will be gearing up in the grounds of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. All Ford vehicle owners are invited to bring their vehicle to Beaulieu on the day and become part of this popular event.

All models are welcome, but this year, the Ford Cortina will be taking centre-stage, as 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of this model. In celebration, all Cortinas that arrive at Simply Ford will be given pride of place in the Beaulieu Arena, creating a fantastic display of one of Ford’s most successful family cars.

The Ford Motor Company will be bringing along a small selection of vehicles to the event, including a Ford Cortina, in recognition of the model’s anniversary, and a stunning Ford GT. Also on display will be the Ford Supervan 3.  Built on a Ford C100 race car chassis and originally powered by a mid-mounted Ford-Cosworth 650bhp ‘HB’ F1 engine, Supervan 3 first saw the light of day in 1995 when it was displayed at the motor show in Birmingham.  Its top speed is estimated at around 150mph, with acceleration that would not disgrace many sports supercars.

On the day, 10 vehicles from the whole Ford gathering will be chosen to join a Simply Ford cavalcade around the attraction, and one of these selected cars will be the lucky winner of the People’s Choice Award and a Beaulieu Trophy.

As well as being a great opportunity to view hundreds of Ford vehicles and meet up with other like-minded enthusiasts, visitors can also browse a number of trade stands selling Ford-related parts and accessories.

New for this year, weekend camping is now available to event participants arriving in Ford vehicles. Camping must be booked in advance by telephoning 01590 612888 and costs £7 per person per night.

For entrants arriving on the 6th May in their Ford and joining the event on the Beaulieu parkland, entry prices are adult £10 and child £5. To book tickets in advance, please visit www.beaulieushop.co.uk or telephone 01590 612888, which you can also call for information on group or club entry. For all Ford-related trade stand enquiries, telephone 01590 614614. All other visitors should enter Beaulieu via the main Reception at normal admission prices.

Entry into the Beaulieu parkland with your Ford is from 9am and catering will be available.

Admission to the event includes entry to the whole Beaulieu attraction; the National Motor Museum and its exciting BOND IN MOTION exhibition showcasing 50 original James Bond vehicles, World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Beaulieu Abbey, and Palace House and gardens.

Three years ago Simply Ford was the first ever Simply rally to take place at the Beaulieu attraction and proved to be incredibly popular. Now, three years on, it is set to be as successful as ever and is part of the growing calendar of Simply events, which has rapidly expanded to include a wide variety of themes covering many makes and models. The latest additions to the Simply rallies for 2012 are Simply American on 24th June, Simply 4x4 on 12th August and for this year only, a one-off Simply Bond rally on 29th July. For more information please visit www.beaulieuevents.co.uk

This event is sponsored by specialist motor insurance broker Adrian Flux.