NEWS: Footman James Sponsor Manchester Classic Car Show

One of the UK’s leading specialist classic car insurance brokers – Footman James – has announced it will be sponsoring the Manchester Classic Car Show for the second year running.
Taking place at Event City exhibition centre on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September, the event attracts visitors and exhibitors from all over the UK; this year it will host hundreds of cars from all eras, up to 100 clubs, a significant trade presence, classic market area, restoration demonstrations, classic car dealers, private display entries, a concours competition and live Group B Rally action!
Andy Fairchild, Footman James’ Managing Director said: “We are proud to be associated with the hugely popular annual Manchester Classic Car Show.  Fast establishing itself as a pinnacle event in the industry, this year’s show will offer enthusiasts plenty to keep them entertained across both days.
“We are of course well placed to be main title sponsors for the show as a leading classic car insurer and will use the event to further encourage the huge enthusiasm and diversity of the UK classic car scene.”
The inaugural show took place last year in 2013 with wide acclaim.  Andy Rouse, Show Organiser explained: “The Manchester Classic Car Show aims to reflect and showcase the very best of the UK’s classic motoring scene – and after such a positive response from our first show last year, we’re pretty confident we can meet this!  As a quality national show, we are delighted to be so well supported by Footman James and look forward to a prosperous and beneficial relationship.”
Tickets for the show are as follows:
Advance: £13.00
On the door: £15.00
Children: FREE (under 16s accompanied by a paying adult)
Car parking is free.
For further information about the show please contact Andy Rouse on 01527 910 229, email

amreventsltd@gmail.com or visit www.manchesterclassiccarshow.com.

NEWS: Mallory Park Is Back! March 1st FREE Open Day

Great news for British circuit fans – "The Friendly Circuit," Mallory Park Race Circuit in Leicestershire is set to re-open its gates again, with a Motorsport Extravaganza Open Day on Saturday 1st March. And better still… the whole event is FREE admission to everyone. Get involved! 

In a statement, the management of Real Motorsport Ltd said: "We are pleased to announce that Mallory Park will officially re-open on 1 March from 10.30am, with a special 'Meet the Team' day, when visitors will have the opportunity to view a host of cars and bikes, as well as the chance to talk to the stars. The circuit will be open to all who wish to attend with no admission charges. In addition, the Mallory Park team will be joining forces with its chosen charity, 353.org.uk, to raise funds for our military guys and girls returning from overseas action. We look forward to welcoming all motorsport enthusiasts – young and not so young!"

There will be plenty to see with displays from all aspects of motorsport:
* Classic F1 cars
* BSB Superbike teams
* Rally, including Group B monsters
* Speedway
* Supermoto
* Track day companies (2 and 4 wheel)
* Race driving school
* Mallory Motorsport Club "Club Mallory"
* Classic vintage cars and bikes.
& "Much more – including motorsport celebrities from all activities, and World and National Champions."
Sounds like a really good day out, so come on UK track day and motorsport fans… get behind this iconic, independent circuit and show your support by attending this free event on March 1st, to get Mallory Park back on the track day and motorsport map.

NEWS: Duncan Hamilton To Auction Niki Lauda Ferrari Wing on eBay

Historic car auctioneer, Duncan Hamilton, is selling a piece of iconic motor racing history – the rear wing from Niki Lauda's Ferrari 312T – on eBay! 

After selling Niki Lauda’s championship Ferrari 312T in 1985, Adrian Hamilton acquired the rare rear wing as a piece of racing memorabilia. Now however, 38 years after the French Grand Prix where Lauda was victorious, Duncan Hamilton & Co Ltd will sell on the iconic rear wing on eBay with a reserve of £10,000. Fancy it?! What with all this Rush-film-fever?
The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design that responded to mechanical upgrades.
Nick Maton, Sales Manager at Duncan Hamilton & Co, said: “The recent popularity of blockbuster film ‘Rush’ demonstrates how connected the public is with motorsports both past and present. We are lucky enough to be holding a true piece of motorsport history and we are excited about the prospect of handing this onto a new owner. We have decided to put this piece on eBay so that motorsport fans far and wide will be able to bid for it and we have already seen a real buzz being generated amongst collectors.”
The rear wing of Niki Lauda’s incredible championship Ferrari 312T will go on sale in November on eBay.

NEWS: ROFGO Cars Hit Goodwood Revival This Weekend

It's one of the stella auto events of the year – Goodwood's retro chic Revival this weekend: A thrilling step back in time, loaded with some of the most iconic cars imaginable – on display and racing the historic circuit – period aeroplanes, amazing classic car parts and accessories on sale and a superb sense of occasion, made by the bulk of the attendees dressing up in period clothing. 

See our last Revival event Road Magazine report here and more images on our Facebook page.
One of the star attractions this year has to be leading specialist in fine historic cars, Duncan Hamilton & Co Ltd presenting a 1965 Ford GT40 and a Mirage M1 GT40 from the world-renowned ROFGO collection. The iconic cars will be on show throughout the revival as well as taking part in the high speed parade on Friday and Saturday.
And Adrian Hamilton, son of renowned British racing driver Duncan Hamilton, will be present at the event and is happy to meet with the media to discuss the cars on show as well as the classic and competition car sector as a whole. 

Check it out and do share your images from the event with us on Twitter and Facebook.

VIDEO: Retro Rides Gathering @ Prescott Hill Climb

Superb video by Dan Osborne of some superb Summer fun at Prescott for the Retro Rides Gathering with some awesome cult classics on display. What's your fav?

NEWS: Goodwood Revival Ford GT40 & Ferrai 250 LM Races

Ford GT40 and Ferrari 250 LM: Two more great reasons to go to Goodwood Revival this year – if you needed any more than it being the best period racing meet is history! 

Further to the recent announcement that Goodwood will be staging a unique all-Ford GT40 race at this year’s Goodwood Revival (13-15 September) to mark 50 years since development of this exceptional mid-engined Anglo-American racer began, another legendary mid-mounted endurance racer will now also be competing at this September’s event.
Like the Ford, the revered Ferrari 250 LM celebrates its half century this year, having premiered at the Paris salon late in 1963. Also like the Ford, the 250 LM went on to win the Le Mans 24 Hours race, with the North American Racing Team-entered car – driven by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory – taking the chequered flag in the 1965 event. This remains the last time Ferrari took overall victory in the French endurance classic.
The 250 LM raced in the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood in 1964, where it finished fourth, and last competed in this race in the modern era at the Revival in 2000. An example of the Ferrari has also run in the Whitsun Trophy race at the Revival in various years.
For the 2013 Revival, a number of 250 LMs will be returning to the prestigious Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration race for the first time in 13 years, campaigning against fierce competition from Ferrari 250 GTOs, AC Cobras, lightweight Jaguar E-types, Maserati 151s, Aston Martin DB4s, and many other rare and mouth watering machines to create the most valuable historic motor race in the world.
Tickets, grandstand seats, camping and other products for the 2013 Goodwood Revival can be purchased via the Goodwood website (www.goodwood.com/motor sport/), or the Ticket Hotline as follows: Telephone: +44 (0)1243 755055

Image: www.roylemedia.co.uk and www.facebook.com/roylemedia

NEWS: Amazing Car Auction @ Race Retro Event, Feb 22-24

Race Retro at Stoneleigh Park is closing in, taking place February 22-24th this year. As usual, the event will be packed with great old school cool cars, drivers, displays and activities with themes this year including covering Team Lotus, the Renault Alpine and Group B Rally beasts. Nice. One of the biggest attractions also has to be the amazing Silverstone Auctions sale, which (as ever) is loaded with amazing old skool cool machinery. 

One that stood out for us – (a) because we've always wanted to own one having been on a few, hairy, memorable stages in a similar one,  (b) have seen it rally back in the late 1980s and (c) because it's a bargain – is this 1985 Ford Sierra Cosworth Group B rally car, still wrapped in its 1988 Ulster Rally livery, as driven by Gwyndaf Evans there and in the Lombard RAC of that year and 1987. Bertie Fisher also drive the car on the 1987 Manx International Rally. Legends. 

Originally a press car, the Ford special vehicle competition team at Boreham turned the "Cossie" into a full works Group N vehicle and its recently been revamped by BGMsport, to meet current historic MSA and FIA regs. And, with 291bhp on tap from the Cosworth turbo engine and rear-wheel drive, C234 HVM, is one hell of a lot of fun waiting to happen. It's also a steal if it hits its estimate of just £27,000-£30,000. Sorely tempted! Are you?

See more images on our Facebook page. 

NEWS: Cognoscenti Historic Car Club Launch. What-what!

Meet Cognoscenti – a brand new, very exclsuive car club, for those with a passion for historically important and significant motor cars, driving great roads, living the luxury lifestyle and Scotland! The organisation is set to officially launch this year, but ran its first event late in 2012, with a wonderful drive featuring some 30 incredible classics driving some of the best roads in stunning Scottish surroundings. The first drive also took in a private lunch at the stunning, brilliantly eccentric Candacraig House in the heart of Royal Deeside (Billy Connelly and Pamela Stevenson’s Highland retreat). The event organisers were coy about the value of vehicles taking part on this exclusive excursion but we are estimating somewhere in the region of £15 million!

The club says: "Although designed for those with their own classic car, people can join in by being chauffeured in a 1924 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. This is ultra exclusive and high end club – staying at the best of places not normally available to the public. The trips involve some stunning scenery with the very finest of food and drink. And it's all less than 90 mins away from the City or Gatwick Airports."

The chaps behind The Cognoscenti are David Goodwin and Raymond A Gray. If David has one passion in life, it is classic motor cars and he will drove the launch event in a stunning 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. He said: "I know that there are many people in Scotland and the UK who share my passion for wonderful automobiles. The problem has been getting like-minded people together to share their memories and experiences of their pride and joy. As I regard Scotland has having some of the finest driving roads and some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, I decided to set up The Cognoscenti to allow fellow enthusiasts the chance to actually drive some of these wonderful cars and enjoy the very best that Scotland has to offer." 

The Cognoscenti already has plans for more one-day events such as dinners, whisky tastings and distillery visits but also extensive three and five night tours next year with several routes planned around Scotland staying in some of Scotland’s most iconic properties such as Gleneagles Hotel, Aldourie Castle, Fasque House and Drummuir Castle. Ultimately, it is hoped that historic car enthusiasts from all over the world will travel to Scotland to take part. 

Cognoscenti consultant Helen McKenzie-Smith said: "Although we haven’t yet officially launched The Cognoscenti, word has already began to spread and we have received a number of enquiries from as far away as America and the Far East."
The first drive was filmed by Aberdeen based B4 Films for North American TV channel PBS as part of their TV series ‘Great Estates’ about Scottish Country Estates, to be broadcast coast to coast prime time. later this year
Mike Cantlay, Chairman, Visit Scotland is extremely supportive of The Cognoscenti and their vision of showing the best of Scotland in this unique way. He said: "Scotland is in the fortunate position to be home to a plethora of great driving roads made all the better by some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery. This event and those that are planned for the future will showcase Scotland’s at its very best and act a great endorsement of Scottish tourism."
For more information, please do email david@the-cognoscenti.com or helen@the-cognoscenti.com

Cars included in the first rally included:
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, AC Le Mans Coupe 1964 ‘A98’, Ferrari 250 GT Ellena, Ferrari 246 GT Dino, Maserati Mistral Spyder, Jaguar E-Type Low Drag Coupe, Aston Martin DB6 Volante, Jaguar E-Type S1 Coupe FHC, AC Ace Bristol, AC Cobra 427, Aston Martin DB4 Series V, E-Type Lightweight, Austin Healey 3000 Mk 1 Rally Rep, Jaguar E-Type SIII V12 2+2 Coupe, Rolls Royce Silver Ghost (Ex Maharaja), Bentley 3 / 4 ½, Bentley Continental S1 DHC, Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental, Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III, Rolls-Royce 4 door Barker cabriolet, Austin Healey 100M
Jaguar E-Type SIII Roadster Commemorative. 

See some more images of the first drive event on our Facebook page here.
And visit www.the-cognoscenti.com for more information.

VIDEO: Castle Combe Circuit Action Days 2012

Our good pals at the super-fast, super historic race circuit, Castle Combe in beautiful Wiltshire are gearing up for another great year of Action Days – the paddock display and circuit action events which have now been going 30 years! The first is their Spring Performance Car Action Day, this weekend, on April 28th, followed by the Classic and Sports Car AD on June 30th, the Forge Motorsport AD on September 8th and finally, MiniWorld AD on September 29th. The Action Days are really great events, as car shows should be with plenty to see and do in the paddock and on the speedy track, at the UK's friendly circuit. Get involved! More details at: http://www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk and http://www.facebook.com/CastleCombeCircuit