Return to Beaulieu - Supercar Showdown

After our trip in March, I didn't think we'd be back at the National Motor Museum anytime soon. But a text on sunday from ours friends Fiona & Phil asking if we were busy on Bank Holiday Monday meant once more we were heading for the New Forest. It was Supercar Showdown, a gathering of some very cool cars in the arena. Phil hadn't been for years and was keen to see the Bond in Motion exhibition too. After a relaxing ride down we grabbed coffee and a cake before heading in. Lily was in full on car spotting mood and wanted to be everywhere.







It was good to look around all the Bond vehicles again, some bikes from the new Skyfall film were added to those we had already seen.









This Shell forecourt was new this year, we spotted it in March but didn't really take it all in.



Also open this time was Wheels, a ride through motoring history. Its cheesy and parts haven't changed since the early 1980s, but Lily was enthralled as she sat between us and gliding along the timeline.







Back outside at lunchtime and we found a spot behind a 12 plate Morgan and alongside and F40 & F50 to eat our picnic.



We then had a walk around the supercar paddock, lots of fairly regular cars, but a few rarities hidden between them.





Yes thats a Transit van and yes that is a stonking great engine in the back! It was a former F1 Cosworth lump, but thats been swapped out for a bit.









Back inside the museum we finished off the last of the Bond cars and the rest of the ground floor.







Before heading outside to watch the supercar run up the short track, we positioned ourselves with ice creams and beer by the end of the run.







Before joining the vast queue for the monorail, a far cry from the personalised Prior family run in March when it was three of us and the driver!





I spy from my monorail, something beginning with F50



We ended our day with a quick tour of the Top Gear challenge cars.









Theres so much we didn't see or get a chance to look at for that long, but it was a warm and dry bank holiday and the last one before Christmas. I'm glad we made the most of it. More snaps can be found here

Steve.

Caterhams at Dunsfold

6.4 litre, 450bhp from 16 cylinders (4 of which are air-cooled), 29 wheels, 8 wheel drive, probably around 3.5 tonnes, ~10 seats and a double bed, no power steering, no ABS and only 3 ECUs... It was a strange convoy that cruised into Dunsfold this morning for the “Caterham Handling Day” Using the Camper as a race support truck, we set up in the paddock to swap from road wheels to ones suitable for ragging around.







With the 7s ready we listened to the drivers briefing before mounting up for the off. There are several activities on offer during the morning session. 0-60 sprints down the runway, a slalom course, a freestyle arena that was wetted down to allow maximum slip and the Top Gear track for fast laps behind a pace car.







For the first trip round the track I hopped in to the snug Tillet seat of Andy Bs Caterham, we set out and trundled round behind a very sedately driven 7







Next up was more slalom time.









Back over to the TG track I nabbed a spot on the final corner to snap the cars coming through.





After a final session on the track it was the end of the AM session and time for the lunch break, before food it was time for a real racer to hit the track, so dropping a donation in to the charity bucket I joined Caterham and Camper owner Angus, who was due to do a few laps for anyone who fancied a sedate lap, we saddled up in the van and followed him round. Rumour has it we managed a sub three minute lap.









With the 7 owners out of the van I did a last brace of laps with the wife and son of one of the marshals, this time I managed a foot to the floor 70mph pass of the “Follow Through”





All that was left to do was swap back over to the road wheels and pack the van.



Before applying my new sticker to the rear window and heading home.



The rest of the photos from a hi-octane morning are here

Steve.