The organisers of Chelsea AutoLegends held a press preview day
at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea on Wednesday 18 May, to
showcase the themes for the 2011 edition, to be held at the venue
on Sunday 04 September. The Royal Hospital was founded by
King Charles II in 1682, who commissioned Sir Christopher Wren
to design the buildings to provide “succour and relief of veterans
broken by age and war”, to become the home of the famed
Chelsea Pensioners, with their striking scarlet uniforms, always
worn with great national pride. The grounds of the Royal Hospital
have played host to the world famous Chelsea Flower Show since
1913, and the organisers of AutoLegends think that it would be
nice if there show could enjoy similar longevity, and help in
providing funds for the hospital.
The inaugural running of the event in 2010 was an outstanding
success, far exceeding the expectations of the organisers, with
over 7000 people in attendance during the day. However, the
unprecedented number of attendees put pressure on the catering
and other facilities available, realising this, the organisers have
addressed this aspect for the upcoming gathering in September.
At the presentation it was announced that motor racing legend Sir
Stirling Moss OBE has agreed to be the official patron of the
event, recalling ”Mini Coopers, mini skirts, E-Types, The
Beatles…. Those really were the days”. One of the main themes
for the 2011 event will be “The Swinging Sixties”, very apt, as the
King’s Road, a short distance away in Chelsea, was the centre of
the urban chic fashion scene along with Carnaby Street in the
West End. Apart from cars of the era, like the iconic Jaguar E-
Type, and the Mini Cooper, both celebrating their 50th
anniversaries, it is planned to celebrate the youth culture and
fashion explosion of that decade.
Other showcases for the event will be iconic Le Mans cars, Group
B rally cars, classic motorcycles, the ten most significant road
cars as chosen by Autocar magazine, after publishing their
5000th road test earlier this year, and patrons, the private
entrants, like Rob Walker, who did battle with the manufacturers
teams in international racing. It won’t be all nostalgia though, as
the younger generation is not forgotten, with a display of modern
supercars, Including a Bugatti Veyron SS. Additions to the
programme include a supercar run from the Royal Automobile
Club’s headquarters in Pall Mall to the event, along with another
for motorcycles from the famed sixties motorcyclists hang-out,
the Ace Café, on London’s North Circular Road.
Owners of past and present classic and supercars have the
opportunity to become an integral part of the display area, with a
limited number of reserved parking spaces available at £20 per
vehicle. General admission is £20 per person on the day, with free
admission for accompanied children under 12. A 25% saving can
be made by advance booking, either online
www.ChelseaAutoLegends.com or by calling the ticket hotline on
0844 581 0760. Make a note of the date, 04 September, in your
diary now, for what promises to be another great automobile feast
in central London.
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