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[Rick]

REGENT STREET MOTOR SHOW HEADLINED BY ILLINOIS ROUTE 66 HELPS CELEBRATE MILESTONE 200 YEARS

• The UK’s biggest free-to-view car show helps Regent Street mark its 200th anniversary in style
• Full spectrum of motoring past, present and future to honour one of the world’s most-illustrious thoroughfares
• Illinois Route 66 renews partnership with the UK’s most popular car-themed showcase
• Traditional date on the eve of Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run: Saturday 2 November

Already established as the country’s biggest free-to-view car-themed spectacle enjoyed by more than 500,000 visitors, this year’s glittering Illinois Route 66 Regent Street Motor Show (Saturday 2 November) will also serve as one of the stand-out events marking Regent Street’s distinguished 200thanniversary. Adding to the excitement, the Show is teaming up with Illinois Route 66 for the third year in succession.

It was back in 1819 that Regent Street took its name from Prince Regent who had instructed celebrated architect John Nash to build London’s first purpose-built shopping street, and what is today a world famous global destination set right in the heart of the capital city.

To mark this momentous milestone, several stylish celebrations are planned along the length of Nash’s iconic curve throughout the forthcoming months including, of course, the Regent Street Motor Show. As tradition dictates, the crowd-pleasing attraction will be staged on the eve of the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and will feature a magical mix of motoring past, present and future.

Though Regent Street precedes the introduction of Karl Benz’s game-changing 1885 Motorwagen, its hallowed facades have witnessed the full evolution of motoring from those early days of self-propelled horseless carriages right up to the latest city-friendly electric cars – an amazing journey through time, echoes of which will be reflected in the landmark 2019 Show.

As ever the formative early days will be wonderfully represented by more than a hundred extraordinary pre-1905 pioneers taking part in the annual Veteran Car Concours d’Elegance before heading off on their route to Brighton at first light the following morning. The unique concours is always a huge attraction – even more so as many of the intrepid time-travellers, who come from all over the world to be part of the occasion, are dressed in eye-catching period costumes.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Motor Show always provides a glimpse into the next 200 years of powered personal transportation with thought-provoking displays of futuristic vehicles, many propelled by the latest innovative generation of low carbon drivetrains.

Equally arresting collections of evocative classic and desirable contemporary cars bridge the decades between the dawn and impending eras of motoring and take on even more significance this year with Regent Street honouring its full history both as a major thoroughfare and as an internationally renowned shopping destination.

Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club, said “Putting the spotlight on the timeline of the automobile, the Regent Street Motor Show is now one of this country’s top motoring spectacles. This captivating journey through the automobile’s history never fails to capture the imagination of the public; part of its charm is its universal appeal which draws in both the lifelong car enthusiast and the interested passer-by. We are delighted to welcome back Illinois Route 66 as headline partner, and with Regent Street itself celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2019, this year’s Show will take on added significance.”

Now entering its third year, the event’s title partnership with Illinois Route 66 – another of the world’s most historic and famous highways – continues to go from strength-to-strength. The city of Chicago, Illinois' most popular gateway, is home to the start of what is often called the ‘Main Street of America’ or the ‘Mother Road’.

Jan Kemmerling, Acting Director of the Illinois Office of Tourism, said, “We are thrilled to partner with the Regent Street Motor Show for the third consecutive year. We know a significant number of UK visitors enjoy travelling to Chicago each year to experience Route 66 in Illinois, where the journey officially begins. This premier motoring event is the perfect opportunity to inspire more travellers to visit Illinois and travel back in time along the 'Mother Road' - featuring world-famous historical landmarks and must-see sites, from Chicago to Springfield to Alton and many stops in-between. We look forward to promoting Illinois Route 66 road trips to car enthusiasts attending this year's Regent Street Motor Show."

The first 100 miles of the epic 2,448-mile journey to the West coast is situated between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River, a region filled with miles of trails and waterways that stretch from suburban Chicago all the way to Starved Rock State Park.The next stretch of Route 66 is also peppered with iconic landmarks taking travellers through the Springfield region, renowned for its extensive and authentic collection of historic Abraham Lincoln sites, and then into Illinois’ Great Rivers & Routes region, home to another of America’s legendary automotive arteries, the Great River Road along the Mississippi River, stretching north-south from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

Whether it is a road trip on Route 66 or a visit to Regent Street in its 200thyear, there is lots to savour in 2019. Further details of the not-to-be-missed Show will be revealed in the coming months.
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[Rick]

CLASSIC CARS CELEBRATE MILESTONE BIRTHDAYS ON REGENT STREET.

• Mini revives its swinging London past as the trend-setting sixties icon turns 60
• Honouring the golden anniversary of ‘The car you always promised yourself’
• Milestones for British sportscar icons – Austin Healey 3000, Middlebridge Scimitar and Triumph TR6

Next month’s Illinois Route 66 Regent Street Motor Show has all the hallmarks of a bumper birthday celebration.

On Saturday 2nd November, the country’s biggest free-to-view car-themed spectacle will also be honouring stand-out landmarks of no fewer than five British motoring industry icons: the 60th birthdays of both the iconic Mini and Austin Healey 3000 sportscar; 50th birthdays of the Ford Capri and Triumph TR6 as well as 30 years since the final incarnation of the much-admired Middlebridge Scimitar.

Regent Street is also marking a milestone as it celebrates 200 years at the heart of the capital. With the street pedestrianised for the day between Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus, enthusiastic car clubs representing all five of these marques and models will be showcasing special kerbside static displays within the event’s evocative Classic Motoring Zone for Show visitors to enjoy.

It was back in 1959 that Sir Alec Issigonis stunned the world by introducing his revolutionary design for the Mini. Its diminutive stature, nimble handling and cheeky looks quickly found favour with those in cities right around the world, notably in ‘with-it’ London where it became a fashion symbol of flower power and the Swinging Sixties. Early Minis were a common sight on Regent Street where today, the BMW-inspired continuation model remains equally at home.

Soft-top British sportscars were also all the rage back in the Sixties – a decade neatly bookended by the Austin Healey 3000 and TR6. Both two-seater roadsters boasted six-cylinder engines but were born a decade apart – the former in 1959, the latter ten years later in 1969. Today they are both highly collectable and much-loved symbols of a halcyon era of fun-loving hedonism.

Jumping on the fashion band-wagon, Ford introduced its new Capri in the same year as the Michelotti-penned TR6 and marketed it as ‘the car you have always promised yourself’. Despite its coupé compromises and humble underpinnings, the Mustang-inspired fastback was a head-turner and half a century’s passage has not dulled its attractiveness.

The equally striking Scimitar also dates back to the same times and is renowned for its Royal Family connections. Back in 1970, HRH The Princess Royal was given an original Scimitar GTE shooting brake (now more commonly known as the estate car) as a joint 20th birthday and Christmas present by Her Majesty The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and still owns one of the final run of born-again Middlebridge Scimitar models. Those date back to 1989 hence the birthday celebrations.

The anniversary-themed Classic Motoring Zone is just one of the many attractions for huge numbers of visitors to the Illinois Route 66 Regent Street Motor Show to savour – an event which in 2019 will be acclaiming Regent Street’s full automotive history.

Though not quite spanning the full 200 years, cars on display will stretch back to the Victorian and Edwardian days, wonderfully represented by more than a hundred extraordinary pre-1905 pioneers taking part in the annual Veteran Car Concours d’Elegance before heading off the following morning on the annual Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. Bringing the story right up-to-date, Go Ultra Low will be demonstrating the latest generation of electric cars that are becoming symbols of the style of motoring coming in the years ahead.

“The amazing popularity of the Illinois Route 66 Regent Street Motor Show has always been that it illuminates the full spectrum of automotive history, so there really is something for anyone with even the slightest interest in motoring past, present or, indeed, future,” explained Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club. “While we can’t quite match Regent Street’s double century, we are delighted to be adding some more candles to the cake by celebrating the birthdays of these five marvelous British classics.”
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Rick - Admin
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[Rick]

HOLLYWOOD REVS UP ON REGENT STREET

• Special curtain-raiser for soon-to-be-released Le Mans ’66 movie
• Ford v Ferrari film starring Academy Award-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale
• Opportunity for show-goers to win tickets to the UK premier

Visitors to the fast approaching Illinois Route 66 Regent Street Motor Show (Saturday 2 November) will be treated to a sneak preview of the eagerly-awaited Le Mans ’66 movie which will be released in UK cinemas from Friday, 15 November.

The film is based on a furious Henry Ford II’s ultimately successful campaign to wreak revenge on fellow car company supremo Enzo Ferrari – in America, the motion picture is actually titled: Ford v Ferrari.

The remarkable true story goes that back in the early sixties, Ford came close to buying Ferrari only to have Enzo pull out of the sale at the last minute. The jilted Henry Ford II vowed to get even and targeted his vengeance at the Italian company’s illustrious Le Mans record which led to the birth of the iconic Ford GT40 – a British-designed V8 powered mid-engined racer that finally ended Ferrari’s unbroken five-year winning streak with an all-conquering 1-2-3 clean sweep of the podium in 1966. Underlining the huge sense of occasion, it was America’s first-ever win at the celebrated Le Mans 24 Hours and the once dominant Ferrari has never won since.

The movie, produced by 20th Century Fox, stars Academy Award-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale and received very positive reviews when given its world premier at the Telluride Film Festival at the end of August, with critics praising the performances and racing sequences.

Those on Regent Street will be given a taste of that eye-catching action with the film’s official trailer being aired on screen alongside dazzling examples of both the victorious GT40 – so named as 40 was the height of the roof-line from the ground in inches – and the Ferrari.

Racing fans among those attending the annual Illinois Route 66 Regent Street Motor Show will also be treated to a dedicated Motorsport Zone and other popular attractions at the country’s biggest free-to-view car-themed spectacle. The Show will represent the full evolution of motoring from the early pioneering pre-1905 veterans contesting the International Concours d’Elegance right up to the latest generation of electric cars as presented by Go Ultra Low, a joint government and motor industry campaign set up to provide information to those considering a switch to plug-in technology.
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
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