With 149 makes from 26 countries on a 500-strong entry list – and a spread of petrol-, steam- and electric-powered vehicles – this year’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is set to be one of the best ever.
The annual 60-mile dash from London’s Hyde Park to Brighton’s Madeira Drive takes place on 6 November with cars coming from as far afield as China, Australia and South Africa – in addition to one from Mexico and another from the Bahamas.
They’ll join the UK’s 404 entries, with the 26-strong German contingent the next biggest group by nationality and De Dion-Bouton making up the largest representation by marque at 86 cars, a quarter of which will be vis-à-vis models.
Adding to the mix will be 22 steam-powered cars, together with three electric vehicles, including a 1900 Cleveland Stanhope from Ireland, a 1902 Columbia Tonneau from the USA and a British-entered 1903 Waverley Surrey.
An impressive 47 of the pre-1905 cars taking part were built before 1900, while a strong turnout of German marques including Benz, Daimler and Mercedes – together with Adler, Beaufort, Bergmann and Opel-Darracq – will support the 125th-anniversary celebrations of event sponsor Mercedes-Benz.
The German car-maker will field the most powerful car on this year’s run, too: a four-cylinder 1903 Simplex from Mercedes-Benz Classic, which puts out 60hp.
Least powerful is Matt Robert’s 1.25hp 1897 Marot Gardon tricycle, while the oldest car on the run is an 1894 Benz Velo driven by the youngest participant, 17 year-old Oliver Wright.
One hundred of the cars will be on display as part of the Regent Street Concours, in central London, the day before.
See London to Brighton Veteran Car Run for more.
Graeme Hurst