Michael Satterfield
More than 700 cars from 38 clubs are already booked to take part in Simply Japanese, one of Beaulieu’s biggest Simply events which is shaping up to break even more records again this year.
The massive celebration of Japanese cars will be held in the grounds of the National Motor Museum on Sunday July 30th, as owners’ groups, clubs and visitors take part in the show.
Look out for the Skyline Owners Forum with an impressive 30 of these mega-performance Nissan Skylines. Members of the RX-7 FB forum and the RX-8 Owners Club UK will also be displaying more than 60 rotary-powered Mazdas between them.
Celebrating the diversity of cars from the land of the rising sun, the bustling event will be open to every type of Japanese car, from high-octane machines to frugal city cars by Honda, Lexus, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Mazda and Suzuki. Drivers can park their cars in the colourful line-up, before chatting to like-minded enthusiasts, comparing vehicles and exploring all of the features of the Beaulieu attraction.
There will be plenty of powerful performance classics on show, including the Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Evo and Honda Integra Type R, while very different but equally popular will be an eye-catching line-up of Mazda Bongo Friendee campers. For retro appeal, look out for 1970s and 1980s Japanese cars parked alongside their modern-day counterparts.
Later in the day, visitors will have the chance to vote for their favourite Japanese vehicle of the show in the People’s Choice Award, with the owner of the most popular machine presented with a commemorative Beaulieu trophy and a special Autoglym prize.
Tickets for rally participants, who will be displaying their Japanese vehicle in the event, are £10 for an adult and £5 for a child and can be bought on arrival at Beaulieu, or online in advance at www.beaulieu.co.uk/events.
Entry into the Beaulieu parkland for participants is from 9am, when the Brabazon restaurant will be serving hot and cold drinks and breakfast snacks. Entry for car clubs with pre-booked club stands is from 8am, while all other attraction visitors should enter Beaulieu through the Beaulieu Visitor Reception building, which is open from 10am.
For Japanese car clubs wishing to book a stand, contact the Beaulieu Events team at least two weeks before the event on 01590 614614 or at [email protected]. Friends who want to park up together at the show must all arrive together.
Included in the admission ticket is access to all of the Beaulieu attraction, including the National Motor Museum and its collection of more than 250 vehicles, the World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House – which has been home to the Montagu family since 1538 – and its stunning grounds and gardens.
Simply Japanese is one of eight Simply rallies in the 2017 Beaulieu season. Simply Land Rover is next on June 25th, Simply Jaguar on July 9th and Simply Smart on November 12th. Each event celebrates a particular marque or motoring theme, giving enthusiasts and attraction visitors the chance to see some of their favourite machines close up.
For more information on the 2017 Beaulieu events calendar, visit www.beaulieu.co.uk/events
