Over 450 of the world’s most prestigious supercars roared and thundered into the grounds of the National Motor Museum to join the first ever Beaulieu Supercar Weekend, on 20th and 21st August 2016.
Over 13,000 visitors to this new two-day celebration of high-performance motoring had the opportunity to get up-close to some of the most incredible performance cars in the world, to watch these machines in action with demonstration runs throughout the weekend, and to enjoy the special displays set in the picturesque Beaulieu parkland.
The first event to run as part of a strategic partnership between Beaulieu Enterprises and Brand Events, Beaulieu Supercar Weekend brought together a diverse display featuring every variety of supercar, both modern and classic, including marques such as Porsche, Aston Martin, Jaguar, TVR, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Lotus and more.
Demonstration runs delivered high octane excitement on both days, with owners of participating supercars parading their prized machines through the Action Arena, before accelerating down the Demonstration Straight, treating spectators to the sights and sounds of these cars doing what they were built to do.
In the Action Arena, the Top Gear Stunt Team thrilled show-goers with adrenalin-fuelled driving displays throughout the weekend, as the skilled stunt drivers put hot hatchbacks, mega-power drift cars and even a deceptively powerful London taxi through their paces.
A special tribute collection on the lawns of Palace House honoured the iconic voice of Formula One, Murray Walker, with an exclusive display curated by the broadcasting legend himself. From historic racers, such as the Grand Prix winning Maserati 250F and the F1 cars driven by championship winners Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill, to historic rally cars and iconic motorcycles, the tribute display spanned Murray’s long and distinguished career.
Saturday’s exclusive VIP Gala Evening, hosted by racing driver and TV presenter Tiff Needell, saw a selection of guests and motorsport personalities pay tribute to Murray, including 1981 British Grand Prix winner John Watson.
The Aston Martin tribute collection, set in front of Palace House, the historic home of the Montagu family, showcased some of the most iconic Aston Martins, from the classic DB2/4 of the 1950s, to the company’s latest creation, the stunning DB11.
Ferruccio Lamborghini: 100 Years celebrated the man who brought us some of the most memorable supercars ever made, with a display of some of the cars that are part of his legacy. From the 1960s 400 GT to the modern Gallardo, through icons such as the Miura P400S, Countach and Diablo, the line-up covered the Italian manufacturer’s history.
Supercar to Race Car demonstrated the influence of motorsport on supercar design, with back-to-back comparisons between road-going and race-spec versions of the Jaguar XJ220 and F-type, the Nissan GT-R and the Ford GT40. There were some surprises to be found in the Super-SUV Secret Garden, with high-performance luxury 4X4s from manufacturers such as Jaguar, Bentley, Porsche and Lamborghini.
Supercar fans were spoilt for choice by the sheer variety of performance cars on display. Examples of the astonishing McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari hypercars rubbed shoulders with machines as varied as the Jaguar E-type, Honda NSX, Noble M12, Ariel Atom, Ferrari F40 and more.
For information on next year’s Beaulieu Supercar Weekend, be sure to sign up to our newsletter at www.beaulieusupercarweekend.co.uk. Join the #beaulieusupercar conversations on Twitter @Beaulieu_Hants, on Facebook at /nationalmotormuseum or Instagram @national_motor_museum.
