Chelsea AutoLegends to celebrate London’s swinging 60s in style
Following the resounding success of the inaugural Chelsea AutoLegends in 2010, plans are announced today – Thursday 10 March – for an even bigger and more spectacular show in 2011. Tickets are now on sale with discounts available for those booking in advance.
Last year’s opening event drew widespread praise not only for the exceptional number of rare and important cars on display – many for the very first time in London – but also for its relaxed garden party atmosphere. Building on the acclaim, Chelsea AutoLegends will again be staged in the magnificent grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Sunday September 4th and will showcase the very best of the past and present with impressive displays of iconic historic, competition and supercars.
With expanded exhibition areas, though, this year’s event will feature many added attractions and extra appeal for those of all ages. It will also continue raising funds for the Chelsea Pensioners – residents of the Royal Hospital – via a special auction and other activities. “It’s fair to say that we were all bowled over by the universally positive response to the first Chelsea AutoLegends,” said Eric Verdon-Roe, Chairman of Chelsea AutoLegends. “More than five thousand people savoured what was a truly remarkable display of automotive history and feedback from the public, media, stand holders, Chelsea Pensioners and all the others involved has been incredibly supportive. Far from resting on our laurels, we are now announcing what’s going to be an even more exciting show for this September.”
The overall theme for the 2011 Chelsea AutoLegends (Sunday 4 September) will be ‘The Swinging Sixties’ – no surprise, perhaps, as the Royal Hospital is located so close to the Kings Road in London, the spiritual home of the hedonistic decade’s colourful fashion revolution.
A comprehensive collection of Le Mans cars will remain at the heart of the show – this time with the spotlight firmly on many of the racers that competed in the world’s most famous 24-Hours endurance classic during its heydays in the Sixties. These include the renowned Ferrari GTO and Ford GT40 models.
In 2011 Chelsea AutoLegends will also celebrate many of the era’s highly respected ‘Patrons’ – celebrated private owners such as Rob Walker, John Coombs, Sir Tommy Sopwith and Colonel Ronnie Hoare who entered cars in F1, Le Mans and many sportscar races such as the Goodwood TT for many of the generation’s top drivers including Graham Hill, Innes Ireland and Sir Stirling Moss.
Among a long list of other highlights, London’s premier automotive event will mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary Jaguar E-Type (photo below), which was launched to UK customers in the summer of 1961. Whether it’s through on-track victories or starring roles in Austin Powers movies, the Jaguar remains one of the most iconic British sportscars from ‘The Swinging Sixties’. To mark the special occasion a wide-ranging collection of E-Types will be one of the most significant and evocative drawcards at this year’s Chelsea AutoLegends.
An impressive line-up of contemporary supercars – a major hit with the many thousands of showgoers in 2010 – will feature strongly, too. Already confirmed is a rare appearance of the World’s fastest production car: the 267mph Bugatti Veyron Super Sport as driven by James May on BBC2’s Top Gear.
Further details of other highlights will be announced in the coming weeks as well as confirmed appearances of famous racing drivers and renowned car enthusiasts from the entertainment world. A whole host of famous faces were present at last year’s Chelsea AutoLegends including Sir Stirling Moss, five-times Le Mans winner Derek Bell MBE, TV chef James Martin plus music stars such as Jamiroquai’s Jay Kay and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason.
Tickets for this year’s Chelsea AutoLegends are now on sale either via the event’s new website (ChelseaAutoLegends.com) or from the ticket hotline on 0844 581 0760. Those pre-booking can take advantage of considerable savings with adult tickets priced at £15 in advance rather than £20 on the gate. Underlining the event’s family entertainment values, accompanied children aged under 12 will be admitted free of charge.
As in 2010, there will be the opportunity for owners of past and present classic and supercars to be an integral part of the show. For them a limited number of reserved parking places (£20 per vehicle) are available on the Showgrounds, which are situated right at the heart of the event on the Royal Hospital’s picturesque South Grounds alongside the Thames.
Following the runaway success of the first Chelsea AutoLegends last September and the even bigger crowd expected in 2011, this year’s event will benefit from greatly enhanced quality food offering as well as increased entertainment for junior visitors.
