Burghley House – Rolls-Royce & Bentley Annual Rally
Red is not a colour that many Rolls-Royces or Bentleys were painted in, so this Bentley Turbo really stood out. The impressive Burghley House sits in the background.
A little while ago I wrote a blog about the Festival of the Unexceptional, an event all about those ordinary cars your dad drove when you were a kid. This week though I am going to cover an event on the complete opposite end of the scale: The Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club (RREC) Annual Rally at Burghley House. The event was unfortunately scaled back this year to 250 cars on a single day but normally this is the largest gathering of Rolls-Royce & Bentleys in the world that can see nearly 2000 cars over three days sit on the grounds of this grand sixteenth century manor. Rumoured to feature as Wayne Manor in the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster - The Flash, the cars on display would certainly be worthy of Bruce Wayne. Speaking to a club member on the day he mentioned that events used to rotate location every three years, but this was actually the club’s fifth year here and the central location in the country certainly makes it easier for people to travel from all over.
Marshalls were in place to direct owners to where their cars needed to line up upon arrival.
Despite the scaled down event there were still 250 cars present. If you were looking for a specific model then you would’ve probably been in luck.
It’s quite easy to get overwhelmed by everything on display, normally you’d only see at most a few in one place so to see hundreds all at once is quite something. What makes it even more interesting is the hand built and bespoke nature of these cars. You’ll rarely if ever see two cars exactly the same, with the original owners having picked out their preferred spec, and subsequent owners then making alterations to suit their own needs. One thing you can guarantee between cars though is quality. Just looking at the interiors, it quickly becomes apparent the high level of craftsmanship that went into making them and features like deep lamb’s wool carpets sends the message that you are in something far beyond the usual offerings by the likes of Jaguar or Mercedes. It’s hard not to want one of these shiny slices of high society, even if I am many years off being able to afford it.
I feel comfier just looking at the rear seats of this Phantom VI. The fabric trim of the rear contrasted with the blue leather for the driver up front.
As for the event itself, with it being stripped down we were without the usual trade stalls and judging as well as a lack of cars that would normally drive over from the continent. However, despite all that the Rolls-Royce Factory had sent down new examples of the Ghost, Phantom & Cullinan to give the public a chance to look at all three up close with staff on hand in talk you through the features. The event was then rounded off towards the end with a procession of select cars passing by the front gates of Burghley House itself. This lowkey affair meant there was still plenty of time in the day to wander around speaking to owners about their cars, as well as get the deck chairs out to have yourself a grand picnic. Thankfully, the cavernous boot space of these cars lends themselves to this rather well.
The new cars brought along by the Rolls-Royce factory still attracted plenty of attention, although with Covid restrictions you couldn’t sit inside.
Food was on sale but many people took to having picnics next to their cars.
The cavernous boots of theses cars are ideal for transporting everything you need for your grand picnic.
Don’t just think that the event itself is the place to see interesting cars however, the car park for the often has a few gems of its own including on this occasion a striking Aston Martin Lagonda. Was there ever a more elegant wedge conceived for use on the road? Overall, this is a great annual event for those of us who love two of the most quintessentially British marques, regardless of if you prefer the old or the new. The owners are always friendly and happy to have a chat about the history of their vehicles and all the small modifications and why they remain enthusiastic about owning one. Hopefully, next year Covid will be completely banished, and the event can once again be run over three days at maximum capacity and, from past experience, you really will need all three of those days to see everything. At least in the meantime I can daydream about owning the finest that Crewe has to offer and hopefully get a chance to shoot a few more features on them.
Sometimes the carpark for the event can turn up something special like this Aston Martin Lagonda.
This isn’t just any Silver Ghost, this is The Silver Ghost, perhaps the most famous Rolls-Royce and most expensive car in the world. It established the reputation the marque enjoys today through its record breaking runs between London and Glasgow. It is most often referred to as AX 201 and after its restoration in 1990 it is absolutely spotless.
New Ghost meets the old Ghost. Playing off its history is an important part of marketing for Rolls-Royce.
Keep an eye out for other special cars. This particular Phantom II was previously used as a parade car for the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The infamous Rolls-Royce Carmague, the first post-war car to not be designed in-house (Pininfarina). At the time is was the most expensive production car in the world and subsequently sold in very small numbers. Its wasn’t very well received at the time and its looks remain controversial even today.
A true Rolls-Royce flagship, this Phantom VI was a palace on wheels that was built for twenty two years and only saw a successor model after BMW assumed ownership in 2003.
The breathtaking 7428cc inline six engine of a 40/50 Silver Ghost. The man who restored this car was also involved in the restoration of AX201 and ownership has now passed to his son.
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