New-build housing estates to my right, Porsche 911s in front of me and a bright yellow sign on my left that reads: 'Bicester Scramble pre-bought tickets only'. I must be en route to Bicester Heritage's first event of the year.
That sign really means 'sold out: don't waste your time unless you've already bought a ticket'. I've been to one Scramble before: the very first one. That had around 300 people at it. Today, it's more like 7000.
A few things have changed, other than the queues to get in and out. For one, there's new stuff. Previously, it was bunker this, hangar that, but now manufacturers such as Alpine and Polestar have big showings. You can even take a Polestar 2 for a test drive.
The largest and most palpable difference, though, is the age of visitors. There's a torrent of young people in every direction, a cascade of zoomers in baggy jeans and mullet haircuts with their phones out (naturally held in portrait format), snapping away for Instagram, TikTok and BeReal.
I have been to hundreds of classic car shows in my time, and this isn't generally how things are done. A typical Sunday morning run involves middle-aged men, fried food in a roll and deckchairs.
How has Bicester substituted panama hats for Crocs? If anyone knows, it's CEO Dan Geoghegan.
He is the mastermind behind the Bicester Heritage site and was responsible for acquiring this former RAF base and transforming it into the 444-acre car theme park here today.
When I sit down with him in the central clubhouse, he attracts people like Twitter users to an EV fire-well-wishers, colleagues and irritating journalists alike. It brought memories of the often-spoofed West Wing TV series featuring Martin Sheen walking through a corridor with a fleet of people vying for his attention.
この記事は Autocar UK の January 24, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Autocar UK の January 24, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Rolls enters an era of expansion
New CEO predicts exciting future’ as factory gets extra capacity for personalisation
VW Polo gets five more years after dodging emissions bullet
THE VOLKSWAGEN POLO could be on sale for another five years, having been given a stay of execution by the relaxation of upcoming EU emissions legislation.
AUDI SQ8 E-TRON SPORTBACK
Four-up, luggage-laden, long-haul drives reveal its true colours
MERCEDES-AMG G63
Off-roader turned madcap performance car is given-shock! -hybrid technology
EX90 showcases Volvo's future
UK-bound, \"software-defined\" flagship SUV is a \"big step towards zero collisions\"
An Autocar Great Woman of a century ago
AUTOCAR RECENTLY HONOURED the female high-fliers of the British automotive industry at our annual Great Women awards ceremony.
VOLVO V90
Our resident estate fangirl asks an SUV-buying friend to explain herself
NEW WORLD ORDER
Audi is a past master of slick electric SUVs while Lotus is a class rookie. Can the new Eletre compete alongside the SQ8 E-tron? Matt Saunders decides
TURNED OUT NICE AGAIN
Cars have got bigger, heavier and more expensive in the electric era. Helpfully, this faithful recreation of the old Mini reverses two of those trends. Matt Prior drives it
Used EVS plummet to ICE price
Average two-to four-year-old EV now worth £16k while equivalent diesel is £18k