Pall Mall prepared for the exciting new St. James's Spectacle

 

With most of Pall Mall closed for the day, the historic London thoroughfare will greet families with a special free-to-attend celebration of motoring through the ages. The collection of cars on display will span from pioneering Grand Prix winners dating back to the dawn of motor sport, up to the very latest supercars. The single-day automotive exhibition is organised by the Royal Automobile Club and, aptly, takes place right on the doorstep of the Edwardian clubhouse in the heart of St. James's.

 

Running from ten o'clock to three o'clock on Saturday, November 2nd, the event is one of the highlights of the Club’s London Motor Week 2024, which also includes lectures, award presentations, the Art of Motoring Exhibition in the Iconic Images Gallery, and concludes with the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

 

The Spectacle will be split into four distinctive zones:

 

 

 

The event takes place on the eve of the world-famous London to Brighton Veteran Run, and around 75 of the pre-1905 machines will be on Pall Mall for the St. James’s Concours, the premier event of its kind for veteran cars. This year’s judging panel includes television personalities Edd China and Alan Titchmarsh as well as Doug Hill, Chief Engineer from the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Among the coveted awards to be presented are special accolades for female drivers in recognition of the 120th anniversary of the Ladies’ Automobile Club being honoured on the following day’s London to Brighton.

 

 

 

The Spectacle also provides a valuable educational insight into heritage skills required to preserve automotive history, and the technologies of the future. Organisations including Imperial College, the Royal College of Art, the Heritage Skills Academy and the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers will all be promoting career opportunities for the next generation of heritage engineers. With an eye on the future, SUSTAIN Fuels will provide insight into its sustainable fuels, aptly demonstrated by the four veteran cars entered by the Royal Automobile Club on the following day’s trip from capital to coast.

 

 

 

Illustrating the history of powered travel, the Heritage Display will include an easy-to-follow timeline. This follows the car’s evolution from the days of horse-drawn carriages and bicycles, through early steam and electric vehicles, right up to the latest, fast-charging Nyobolt battery technology. Adding further interest, Zone 3 will also put the spotlight on three automotive anniversaries: 125 years of Fiat and Renault as well as 50 years of the Volkswagen Golf. All three gatherings will include past and present models, including the new electric Renault 5 and the 16.2-litre 1907 FIAT 130hp, one of the greatest racers from motor sport’s early days.

 

 

 

Exemplifying just how far the car has come over the past century—and previewing what may be to come—the Modern Design Zone to the west end of Pall Mall features a line-up of the latest generation of high-tech supercars, plus a smattering of prominent vehicles from the past. The latter will include a 1904 Mercédès Simplex, a 1931 Bentley Eight-Litre, a Subaru Impreza rally car and one of the gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5s built to promote the James Bond picture Goldfinger. The modern supercar showcase includes an Aston Martin Valkyrie, Lamborghini Huracan STO, Pagani Huayra Roadster, Koenigsegg Regera, McLaren P1 and a Porsche 963 prototype from this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

 

Full details of both the St James’s Motoring Spectacle and the RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run are available on the official www.veterancarrun.com website.