The Bristol Blenheim brought the Scramble at Bicester Motion to a standstill on Sunday 4 October, returning to its spiritual home for the first time in three years.
Its mid-morning arrival from Duxford’s Aircraft Restoration Company, flanked by two Spitfires, and its departure in the afternoon crowned another sold-out year for the event.
At the heart of the venue on Orchard Lawn, the year 1976 was celebrated with the newest cars from the year RAF Bicester officially closed. Two cars from the filming of the Hollywood epic Rush were among them, along with a Ferrari 512BB that was the fastest car in the world and a stunning Aston Martin Lagonda. Twelve cars launched in 1976 gathered to honour the year.
Scramble online auction partner Bring a Trailer increased its presence at the event with an unmissable display of centre seat vehicles inside Hangar 113 from Sinclair C5 and David Brown tractor to the Lotus Elise-based fully carbon Analogue Automotive VHPK and stunning McLaren-based Lanzante 95-59. Elsewhere inside the former home of the Blenheim, cars from Bring a Trailer’s Local Partners Sports Purpose and Chase Classics were presented along with a whole host of other automotive treats.
Near to the Orchard Lawn, BMW brought the wraps off the upcoming M350, its first public appearance in the UK, while in the Paddock Top Gear Magazine gave the Jensen Interceptor a world debut.
The hugely successful Bicester ECU Allstar Cheer squad joined a celebration of American cars on Goodwins Green and more than 150 cars from the Scramblers membership lined the Avenues, while a Renault Avantime claimed the spoils in the StarterMotor Golden Ticket concours.
Bicester Motion’s 50 specialists shone, with the only DFV-powered Chevron sports racer alongside a Nissan Primera BTCC Supertourer at Kingsbury Racing, the latest Mercedes-Benz presented by Ranges resident YASA and two Sahara Desert conquering Jeeps together with three of the most famous Jaguar XK120s at Pendine’s Blast House. It was the first time NUB 120, PPE 101 and RJH 400 have ever been seen together, each a veteran of the Alpine Rally in the early 1950s.
The Scramble returns to Bicester Motion on Sunday 10 January, honouring the three-door 4x4 on Orchard Lawn among other displays. Tickets are on sale now.
