Simply Smart has successfully completed Beaulieu’s season of Simply rallies, bringing the total number of visitors to 3,000 extra for this year’s season. The number of visitors attending Simply rallies has risen by more than a third, from 7,500 in 2015 to 10,700 this year.
For Simply Smart on November 13th, 137 Smart cars gathered in the grounds of the National Motor Museum, adding an extra 17 colourful Smart cars to last year’s event.
Beaulieu Events Manager Judith Maddox said: “Loyal Smart car owners travelled to the event from as far away as South Wales and we were pleased to also welcome some new enthusiasts.
“It was a fitting end to a tremendously successful season for Simply rallies at Beaulieu. We are already looking forward to an exciting new season in 2017 and have just announced our Simply events dates, from April to November, for visitors to plan ahead.”
Celebrating some of the smallest and most cheerful cars on the road, the annual get-together of Smart owners saw all varities of the compact city car in the Beaulieu Events Arena, from the original Smart ForTwo to the family-friendly ForFour and highly prized Roadster.
Event-goers chose their favourites from the colourful display which included personalised examples and factory-spec versions. The winner of the People’s Choice Award was Tony Williams with his Smart ForTwo Passion in blue metallic and silver. Tony, who had travelled from Bristol, was presented with his tophy and prize of an Autoglym professional car care pack and a bar of Lord Montagu’s chocolate by Visitor Services Manager Jon Tee.
Runners-up included Ian Wilde-Dolphin, who travelled from the Forest of Dean in his purple Smart 451 decorated with dolphins, and Dean Prior, from Bordon in Hampshire, for his Smart Brabus in Gulf petrol colours of light blue and orange. Each received an Autoglym perfect bodywork pack and a bar of Lord Montagu’s chocolate. They led a cavalcade of nine cars around the grounds of the attraction.
Simply Smart is traditionally held on Remembrance Sunday and the date for next year’s event has already been set for November 12th. A two-minute silence is held during the event at 11am, which visitors are invited to take part in.
For the full calendar of 2017 Simply events see www.beaulieu.co.uk/events or call 01590 612888 for more details.
Admission to Simply events includes entrance to the whole of the Beaulieu attraction including the National Motor Museum, the World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Palace House and the 13th century Beaulieu Abbey and grounds.