London Motor Week, at the Royal Automobile Club, always brings together the most stimulating elements of motoring culture, topped off by the RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. This year’s has had so much to offer. Where else can you get a glimpse into the future for Europe’s motor industry, at the same time as admiring the world’s first car with its less-then-one horsepower engine?
On Monday evening we hosted a brand new event in association with Autocar and Classic & Sports Car magazines, all about the state of the classic car market. ‘What’s Hot, What’s Not?’ packed the Committee Room with members and guests to key into sage expertise from a panel of experts.
On Tuesday, the Mountbatten Room hosted our annual Industry Dinner. The guest of honour was Jim Baumbick, in charge of Ford of Europe, who gave illuminating insight into the future of car-manufacturing in the region today and in the future.
That day we brought stunning examples of the world’s first internal-combustion-engine motor vehicles into the rotunda, revealing the 1895 Daimler motorcycle and 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen in all their primitive splendour… with little more than two horsepower between them!
The action on Wednesday moved across the road to the Iconic Images Gallery for the Art of Motoring exhibition, which over the years has elevated itself to be the leading art show of its kind in Europe. After drinks and a chance to place red dots on favourite works, it was back to the clubhouse for the Motoring Book Awards. A brilliant new title on the life of Ayrton Senna was revealed as Motoring Book of the Year.
We had special displays in the library throughout the week to interest and intrigue visitors, including artefacts charting the 130-year history of the London to Brighton Run, and a selection of cars to illustrate the 140-year-long story of the car itself.
The popularity of the St James’s Motoring Spectacle this year has amazed everyone. Pall Mall was closed to traffic on Saturday and had a festival atmosphere. More than 15,000 visitors enjoyed the veteran car concours, modern supercars, motoring anniversaries, city transport gems, educational opportunities and – perhaps most popular of all – the chance to get up-close to a real Formula 1 car AND the Club’s British Grand Prix trophy for unrepeatable selfies.
Finally, on Sunday, more than 400 beautiful veteran cars carried their plucky drivers and passengers the 60 miles south from London to Brighton on the RM Sotheby’s Veteran Car Run. The weather was benign and the atmosphere was even better as the jewel in the crown of our annual events calendar brought joy and wonderment every step of the way.
