Historic and futuristic car runs through East Surrey on the horizon (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Historic and futuristic car runs through East Surrey on the horizon

12:45pm Monday 13th August 2012 in Local News

Organisers of this year's London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and RAC Future Car Challenge have released details of the events, both set to motor through the Life area.

The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) will be hosting the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, the world's oldest motoring event, on Sunday, November 4, while the third annual RAC Future Car Challenge will take place the previous day.

Thousands of motoring fans line the events’ 60-mile route each year - the historic veteran vehicles travelling down from London’s Hyde Park and the city suburbs, through Croydon, Purley and Redhill, passing Gatwick on the A23, Horley on the A23 London Road, and then motoring on towards the coast.

The Future Car Challenge runs on the same route, but in reverse, starting from Brighton.

Both events draw the crowds as world showcases – the London to Brighton for pre-1905 motor cars, and the Future Car Challenge for futuristic low-energy vehicles.

As a measure of the Future Car Challenge’s importance, many major motor manufacturers have debuted models in the run which were previously unseen in Britain.

The entry list has established it as one of the largest live promotions of eco-friendly motoring in the world, complementing the Veteran Car Run’s title as the world's longest-running motoring event.

Together, the runs form a weekend Celebration of Motoring that also includes the Regent Street Motor Show, also on Saturday, November 3, celebrating the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries of motoring.

One hundred and sixteen years since it was first held, the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run will feature a maximum entry of 550 pre-1905 vehicles.

This year’s Future Car Challenge is expected to feature more than 80 electric, hybrid and low-fuel consumption conventional vehicles, again some of which will be making their debut on UK roads.

The RAC Future Car Challenge will support the charity Help for Heroes, while the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run will support The Royal British Legion.

Ben Cussons, chairman of the RAC Motoring Committee, said: "In just a couple of years the RAC Future Car Challenge has emerged as the most important annual motoring event for showcasing the vehicles people will be driving in years to come.

“The support from major motor manufacturers worldwide has been tremendous, and many of them have already expressed their intention to enter the 2012 Challenge."

For more details visit the event websites: www.veterancarrun.com and www.futurecarchallenge.com