7 replies to this topic

[BRG]

I went up to Regent Street today,expecting a good show of veteran, vintage and classic cars as promised in the media.

 

But what a disappointment - many of the London-Brighton Run veterans were there preparing for tomorrow, and were lovely - but hardly anything else.  A squadron of Mustangs, a platoon of Porsches and that's your lot, mate.  Apart from some modern car displays from Tesla, Renault/Infiniti and Morgan.  Great weather and lots of empty tarmac. Where were the classics and racing machines we were promised  

 

Only fun point was getting a Renault guy to uncover the rear-mounted engine in the new Twingo.  He kept protesting that no-one ever asked to see the engine, but the two chaps with European accents and yours truly insisted that WE were very interested.  It is neat little three cylinder job, in case you were wondering.  But, as my European colleague said, who looks at a new car without seeing the motor?  No-one from TNF, I am sure, but the sales guy seemed to think otherwise.  What is the world coming too!

Edited by BRG, 01 November 2014 - 20:48.

[Lee Nicolle]

People buy cars these days on the internet! They read the specs and negotiate a price/ deal/ lease on line. 

Those are the people, often normally intelligent who usually buy the lemons of this world.

Never believe any thing, especially vehicle reports on the net.

Though stupid here did buy a phone[over the counter though] based on internet specs and reports. And yes the phone was junk. Though lots of people buy TV phones that occasionally make and recieve calls. 

 

As for the motor show where are the pics? Sounds as if there was some interesting cars there. And I like Mustangs common as they are.

[BRG]

No cars, no pics.

[Dipster]

I went up to Regent Street today,expecting a good show of veteran, vintage and classic cars as promised in the media.

 

Only fun point was getting a Renault guy to uncover the rear-mounted engine in the new Twingo.  He kept protesting that no-one ever asked to see the engine, but the two chaps with European accents and yours truly insisted that WE were very interested. 

 

How often can you actually see the engine nowadays? In my experience most are buried under vast sheets of plastic.......   

 

I have reached the stage where few modern cars interest me. They often look the same and share platforms, mechanics etc..  And seem to be offered in strange colours too.   I would much rather have an older car.  So one of the old Mustangs or Porsches mentioned would suit me quite nicely. 

[Allan Lupton]

At least you could see the Brighton Run Veterans in good weather yesterday!

Those lining the route today will probably have got wet (as usual) and will once again have asked themselves how Henry Cornelius managed to arrange perfect weather when he was directing "Genevieve" of happy memory in 1952.

[Bloggsworth]

 

Only fun point was getting a Renault guy to uncover the rear-mounted engine in the new Twingo.  He kept protesting that no-one ever asked to see the engine, but the two chaps with European accents and yours truly insisted that WE were very interested.  It is neat little three cylinder job, in case you were wondering.  But, as my European colleague said, who looks at a new car without seeing the motor?  No-one from TNF, I am sure, but the sales guy seemed to think otherwise.  What is the world coming too!

 

Sounds like a rear engine kit-car in the making...

[Dipster]

At least you could see the Brighton Run Veterans in good weather yesterday!

Those lining the route today will probably have got wet (as usual) and will once again have asked themselves how Henry Cornelius managed to arrange perfect weather when he was directing "Genevieve" of happy memory in 1952.

So why is the run held when poor weather is a probability?

[Vitesse2]

So why is the run held when poor weather is a probability?

It's always held on the first Sunday in November - as was the original in 1896. Wherever possible it follows the original route, most of which is trunk roads and the first part of which follows the main route south from central London through Lambeth and Streatham: while it would undoubtedly be more pleasant for the participants to travel down to Brighton on a sunny day in July, the consequences for both participants and other road users would be horrendous!

 

In early November there's not much traffic on the roads of South London early on a Sunday morning. Even so, the traffic gets heavier the nearer you get to Brighton. Whereas in July ...

 

The chances of accidents would be much greater too: Joe Public, cocooned in his modern ABS-equipped identibox, doesn't necessarily appreciate that stopping or taking avoiding action on a 120-year-old de Dion isn't all that easy!