The Silverstone Classic 2013 was an undeniable success. Over 1,000 exotic cars competed in more than 20 exciting races, whilst around 7,000 classic cars from the most iconic manufacturers were on show throughout the three-day festival; it was a feast for motor enthusiasts. So much so, that even sat atop BMW's 40-foot high Ferris wheel, it was impossible to take in all that Silverstone had to offer.
The excitement was palpable amongst fans that crowded eagerly into the BMW area, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the first mass-market
BMW electric car. Unfortunately the new i3 didn't make an appearance at the event (hence the lack of sneaky snaps!). But BMW buffs won't be disappointed for long, as the long-awaited model is rumoured to be making an appearance at the
Goodwood Revival in September.
Although for some, the idea of an afternoon staring at classic cars of every shape and size may seem akin to the proverbial paint drying, for others cars are marvellous, mechanical art. And it would appear our enthusiasm is shared by BMW, who has a history of hiring famous artists to paint its cars. In 1975, Alexander Calder was commissioned to paint the BMW 3.0CSL driven by Hervé Poulain at the
24 Hours of Le Mans. There are now 17 of these
'Art Cars', which have even been honoured with a viewing platform at the Louvre. The Silverstone Festival was an awe-inspiring museum of beautifully-crafted cars, and the acclaimed works of each manufacturing artist were on display for everyone to see. Whether you were an autogeek or a festival first-timer, the history and art of the cars was brought to life. What had only been seen in print or on screen, or played with as a toy, became a life-size, tangible reality.
There was much to enjoy at Silverstone. We listened to music legends The Hollies rock out and screamed in the passenger seat of a rally car around its track, but our personal highlight came when traversing the car club paddocks... Everyone has a classic car they would love to see (or own) and ours is the BMW 328 - just look at those curves; beautiful!
I'd never seen one in the flesh and probably reacted like my wife would upon seeing Bruce Springsteen; this car is an A-list celebrity, and I was mingling with it on the red carpet; childhood dreams and fantasies had finally become substantiated by memory. Every visitor of every age appeared to have a moment like this; Silverstone didn't fail to deliver.
The many exciting races over the weekend, enjoyed by young and old alike, were also some of my Silverstone 'best bits'. If seeing the cars in their paddocks felt like visiting the zoo, then the racetrack was the jungle, where we watched the ferocious creations of car manufacturers show us what they were made for. The races were also littered with top drivers from the past and present; former F1 driver and Le Mans winner Jackie Oliver won the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars Driving, whilst sports car specialist Nic Minassian smashed the Classic lap record in the Group C endurance race, which spectacularly replicated the 1980s Le Mans cars. History repeating itself? No, history remade! These races were art in motion, much like Alexander Calder's BMW 3.0CSL Art Car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975. Exhilarating moments like this are what make Silverstone the biggest and best event of its kind, offering an unbeatable experience for car-lovers, and of course, creating new Silverstoners to enjoy the festival for years to come.
Guest Post - 14 Aug 2013