The exciting new St James’s Spectacle is an event you can’t afford to miss… and you can afford to attend! With most of Pall Mall closed for the day, the famous central London street will greet families with a special free-to-attend celebration of motoring through the ages and into the future.
The stunning collection of amazing cars on display will span from pioneering Grand Prix winners dating back to the dawn of motorsport right up to the very latest supercars, showcasing revolutionary technologies for a more sustainable future.
The not-to-be-missed, single day automotive experience is organised by the Royal Automobile Club and, aptly, it takes place right on the doorstep of the organisation’s clubhouse in the heart of Westminster.
Running from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday, 2 November, the stellar, eye-catching event is one of the many highlights during the Club’s busy 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 RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
While the incredible selection of cars will be the stars, the Spectacle will also spotlight sustainability and skills, providing visitors with the opportunity to explore career opportunities within the sector and gain intriguing insight into alternatives to fossil fuels.
“The Spectacle really will live up to its name,” enthused Duncan Wiltshire, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club. “Whether it’s the extraordinary collection of Victorian and Edwardian pioneers or the glittering array of equally innovative hypercars furthering the ground-breaking technologies to come, Pall Mall will be packed with automotive legends past, present and future. And, best of all, everyone can enjoy the Spectacle for free!”
With so much to savour, the Spectacle will be split into four distinctive zones:
Zone 1: The St James’s Concours
The Spectacle takes place on the eve of the world-famous RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Run, and around 75 of the remarkable pre-1905 motoring trailblazers will be sparkling on Pall Mall for the St James’s Concours, the premier evaluation of its kind for veteran cars anywhere on the planet. This year’s judging panel includes television personalities Edd China, Alan Titchmarsh, and 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, which will be honoured on the following day’s London to Brighton.
Zone 2: Skills and Sustainability
The Spectacle also provides valuable educational insight into the heritage skills required to preserve automotive history and the cutting-edge technologies of the future. Organisations such as Imperial College, the Royal College of Art, the Heritage Skills Academy, and the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers will all promote career opportunities for the next generation of heritage engineers.
With an eye on the future, SUSTAIN Fuels will provide insight into its game-changing sustainable fuels, amply demonstrated by the four veteran cars entered by the Royal Automobile Club on the following day’s trip from capital to coast.
Zone 3: Heritage Display
The Heritage Display will include an easy-to-follow timeline illustrating the history of powered travel. This timeline follows the car’s evolution from the days of horse-drawn carriages and bicycles through early steam and electric vehicles to the latest, fast-charging Nyobolt battery technology.
Adding further interest, Zone 3 will also spotlight three major automotive anniversaries: 125 years of Fiat and Renault and 50 years of the much-loved VW Golf.
All three gatherings will include past and present models with standout highlights, including Renault’s new all-electric Renault 5 and the legendary 16.2-litre Fiat 130HP, one of the greatest racers from motorsport’s early days.
Zone 4: Modern Design
Exemplifying just how far the car has come over the past century – and previewing what is to come – the Modern Design Zone to the west end of Pall Mall features a mouth-watering line-up of the latest generation of high-tech supercars plus a smattering of design classics from the past.
The latter will include a 1904 Mercedes Simplex, a 1931 Bentley 8-Litre, a Subaru Impreza rally car and one of the gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5s built to promote the James Bond movie Goldfinger. The modern supercar showcase is equally star-studded.
It includes an Aston Martin Valkyrie, Lamborghini Huracan STO, Pagani Huayra Roadster, Koenigsegg Regera, McLaren P1 and a rare UK opportunity for visitors to relish a Porsche 963 prototype from this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Full details of 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.
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