If you are planning on visiting the 3rd running of Flywheel Festival this weekend here are a few things in store:
Score of motorbikes spanning 50 years
Five decades of British, American and European two-wheeled engineering excellence will add to the excitement at this year’s Flywheel at Bicester Heritage. Taking place at the UK’s best preserved Second World War Bomber Station this weekend, 24th and 25th June, the celebration of classic wings and wheels will see more than 20 performance motorbikes taking to the live action demonstration track while further examples will be on show in the paddock.
Covering the period from 1920 through to 1970, manufacturers represented at the show will include AJS, Harley Davidson, Moto Guzzi, Norton, Triumph, Velocette and Vincent. The oldest confirmed entrant is a 1924 Henley, closely followed by the Yorkshire-built Scott motorcycle, built in 1928, a very innovative machine being the first ever two-stroke motorcycle to win the coveted Isle of Man TT races.
The exclusive Brough Superior motorcycles are widely regarded as being the ‘Rolls Royce of motorcycles’ and a pair from 1930 and 1931 represent the British inter-war period. For those who appreciate motorcycle engineering, the Birmingham-built 1937 Velocette is descended from the very first overhead camshaft engine type from this maker which first enjoyed competition success in the mid-1920s.
Adding to the mix is a 1928 Ariel road machine and, at the other end of the timeframe, a 1969 Manx Norton built by noted tuner Ray Petty and ridden at Flywheel by Ray’s grandson. A 1966 Triumph racing outfit which runs on methanol will also be on display.
For a seriously different take, a recreation of an early board track racer, based on a period Peugeot frame but powered by a scaled-down nine cylinder 100cc aircraft radial engine normally used to power model aircraft, offers a visual and aural treat. There’s further small-sized engineering in the form of a 1956 100cc Laverda, a 1956 175cc Moto Morini and a 1958 Ducati single.
Launch of the brand-new Atalanta Motors Flightline Enclosure package.
Flywheel brings together the best in live action classic cars, motorbikes, aircraft and military vehicles for a fun-filled weekend at a renowned former RAF base at the start of summer. With free-ranging paddock access, visitors can get close to the action, meet the drivers and chat with the owners. The Atalanta Motors Flightline Enclosure package takes this to another level, providing hospitality guests with morning and afternoon teas and a two-course buffet lunch, enabling visitors to relax and enjoy the event in style.
Hospitality guests have the use of a private hospitality enclosure and private garden seating area, offering the best seat in the house when it comes to watching the air displays and aircraft flying in and out of the former Second World War airbase. The hospitality suite, which includes a pay bar, is also handily situated near the motor sport paddock, where notable cars of all eras will gather.
Martyn Corfield, CEO at Atalanta Motors, added “With an 80-year heritage, Atalanta Motors is an ideal fit for Flywheel’s time period. We’re really excited to launch a premium hospitality option to event visitors and look forward to meeting fans and families alike in our exclusive Flightline Enclosure.”
Flywheel announces inaugural Footman James Cup
The winner of the newly-launched Footman James Cup, a prestigious award for the best car in the paddock, will be announced at this year’s Flywheel at Bicester Heritage. The celebration of classic wings and wheels takes place at the country’s best-preserved Second World War bomber station, Oxfordshire, on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th June 2017.
More than 100 competition cars are set to take to the demonstration track at the unique event, which also features an action-packed programme of aerial displays. The partnership with specialist vehicle insurance broker Footman James, new for this year, will see a shortlist of ten exceptional cars selected in advance by a panel of experts and put up for a public vote in the run-up to the festival, with the overall winner announced at Flywheel on the Sunday.
Voting opens on Friday 2nd June, where visitors to the Footman James website (www.footmanjames.co.uk) can choose their favourite car from the shortlist. Those that vote will also be eligible to enter a prize draw. The winner will receive a free family ticket to Flywheel and an exclusive, high-octane, passenger ride in either a classic Jaguar E-Type, Ford Mustang or Classic Porsche 911 courtesy of U Drive Cars.
Brightwells opens its doors for viewing at Flywheel
Hot on the heels of the inaugural Bicester Heritage sale, Brightwells returns on Saturday 24th June as the official auction partner for Flywheel.
The first Brightwells at Bicester Heritage auction, on 5th April, posted an impressive 75% sale rate, grossed more than £1m in sales value and attracted buyers from as far afield Canada, Dubai and Singapore.
Quality classics with interesting histories are the order of the day for Saturday, one of the star lots, a 1930 straight-eight Delage (estimate £150,000 – £180,000) having been owned by Big Band Impresario Philip Cardew before the War. Retaining its original VdP tourer coachwork, this magnificent and exotic four-litre, four-carburettor tourer has also starred in numerous films, including Tender is the Night, Brideshead Revisited and Fortunes of War, and has created a storm of interest from collectors around the globe.
At the other end of the spectrum, Brightwells is offering an ultra-rare Lamborghini Jalpa (£70,000 – £80,000). Only 410 were ever completed, with just 35 of these in right hand drive. Being sold with a considerable history and sounding superb, this fascinating ‘Prancing Horse’ alternative looks enormous fun. Other more affordable Italian exotics include an immaculate 1995 Maserati Ghibli (£8,000 – £10,000), charming 1942 Lancia Ardea (£10,000 – £12,000), a baby Aprilia complete with brilliant pillar-less monocoque and typical Lancia sliding-pillars and a 1975 Alfa Giulia Super (£14,000 – £16,000).
For those who prefer something more British and traditional there’s the beautifully restored Rolls-Royce Twenty with Lawton and Goodman Landaulette coachwork (£35,000 – £40,000).
Auction details:
Entrance to the Brightwells at Flywheel auction on Saturday 24th June is by catalogue only, with advance orders available from www.flywheelfestival.com/auction for just £10, which allows entry for two people (catalogues will be £20 each on the day). All visitors attending the auction will also need a Saturday ticket for Flywheel; access to the Brightwells Auction Hangar will be through the Flywheel event.
Flywheel details:
Prices for advance tickets for Flywheel at Bicester Heritage start from just £23 per adult and £52 per family. Adult tickets include free parking as well as a complimentary souvenir programme, while admission for children under the age of five years is free. Tickets are available to purchase online, atwww.flywheelfestival.com.
The Full timetable of action for the event can be found here
