London Classic Car Show 2019 preview: legendary 'Grand Avenue' returns to ExCel

[#Dobe~ClasSy!☠]

he London Classic Car Show returns to ExCel London this week, with a plethora of historic cars to suit all interests and budgets, including live domonstrations of significant vehicles on the Grand Avenue that runs through the centre of the show halls.

This year, The Grand Avenue celebrates Motoring Firsts and the 60th anniversary of the Mini. Among the 60-odd cars taking part in the demonstrations will be a collection of rare and outstanding Minis, along with F1 cars raced by Sir Stirling Moss, a history-making Bentley and many more including some of the pioneering models that helped cement the car's place in our affections.

Surviving cars from renowned chase movie The Italian Job will be reunited in a special exhibit to mark the film’s 50th anniversary. The highlight of the surviving models will be the film’s pair of Jaguar E-Types – the dark blue Fixed Head Coupé (registered 619 DXX) and red 3.8L Roadster (848 CRY). The coupé was in the owner’s possession for almost 20 years before a friend spotted that it could be the car featured in the film. Further investigation proved positive and it has now been restored to its original factory specification. 

Originally a demonstrator and raced in 1961, the red Roadster was sold to model Richard Essame in 1962 who landed a part in the film as one of the Mini Cooper drivers. Essame drove the car to location in Italy, where the production team saw it and thought it would be ideal for the film and purchased it from him. 

Rounding out the three originals from the film is the Aston Martin DB4 Convertible (163 ELT) that was supposedly tipped over a cliff by a bulldozer. Despite its apparent demise, this 1961 convertible was switched for a Lancia Flaminia during filming, allowing the DB4 to survive the cliff scene.

Unfortunately, the iconic red, white and blue Minis made so famous by the production no longer exist, but identical replicas will be featured to celebrate the film’s anniversary. 

A hundred years of Citroën innovation will also be celebrated, with a selection of vehicles that have made the boldest marks on the automotive industry since 1919, from the vintage Type A through to modern classics.