RSS Share 13/10/2005
London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

Renault UK knows its reputation for innovation rests on know-how gathered throughout its history, which is why celebrating its heritage is so important.

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is an ideal opportunity to do that and in this year's event 22 of the 490 entries will be Renault machines - making it the best-represented existing manufacturer.

"It will be a real spectacle to see all those veteran cars out together again," said Renault UK's Director of Press and PR Tim Jackson. "These machines are the foundation of this year's New Clio. They may not look alike, but without these prototypes our modern world would be a very different place. We're all standing on the shoulders of giants."

Renault UK will be involved in this year's event from start to finish with 10 of the marque's 22 entries taking part in an International Concours in Regent Street - a piece of theatre taking the famous shopping street back to a bygone age. The event will give Londoners a chance to see the veteran cars before Sunday's 7.15am start from Hyde Park.

At the halfway point in Crawley a Renault Minute service area will be providing mechanical assistance to the pre-1905 cars with workshops, safety and technical repairs plus servicing.

At the end of the route there will be a Renault enclosure on the famous sea front of Madeira Drive where the 22 Renault entries, including a 1900 Tonneau driven by Jim Worsley and a 1901 racing two-seater driven by Ron Walker, will be on display.

"People have a special affinity with these machines," said Mr Worsley, who worked in Renault's fleet after sales department for 24 years. "I use a modern car to get from A to B but it's more of a love affair and a challenge with these old ladies. I can take it apart and see how it works and put it back together again - you can't do that with a modern car.

"They are where motoring started and Renault had some brilliant ideas that still carry on to this day - like drive shafts. It gives you a thrill driving along in these masterpieces and the fact that it stops ever so often just enriches the experience."