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Ooh la la! The 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is looming

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August 9, 2017
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There will be a distinctly French flavour at the 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in November.

The archetypal British motoring event will doff its cap to the French who dominated the early development of the motor car.

In 1903 alone, for example, more than 30,000 cars were built just the other side of the Channel… representing almost half the world’s total output that year.

To celebrate the great Gallic contribution to the pioneering days of motoring, the 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run will welcome some very early and rare French automobiles.

Heading the entry will be models from Renault which was established in 1899 and Peugeot which first built cars in 1889, but they will be joined by vehicles from more than a dozen less familiar manufacturers.

Among them will De Dion-Bouton, Panhard et Lavassor, Mors, Clément, Bolide, and the patriotically named, Napoleon.

2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run attracts the rarest models

The 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run also promises the rarest of models, including what is thought to be the last remaining Créanche.

Built-in 1900 by Société Louis Créanche of Courbevoie, Seine, the voiturette is powered by a single-cylinder De Dion engine. Everything except the body – an exact replica constructed in 1972 – is original.

Also expected to hit the road for Brighton is another French rarity – and possibly also the only surviving example – an 1896 Raynaud vis-à-vis. Powered by a 3.8-litre two-cylinder engine, it was advanced for its day and has a wheel rather than tiller steering.

It was discovered in Southern France in 1975 and, aside from a repaint and new solid tyres, it’s absolutely original.

Red Flag Act commemorated by 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

The illustrious 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run on November 5 celebrates the passing into law of the Locomotives on the Highway Act in November 1896, also known as the Red Flag Act and refers to a time when these new-fangled machines had to follow a man holding a red flag.

The 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is just one element of the Royal Automobile Club’s London Motor Week featuring events, awards and functions.

Other highlights include the free-to-view Regent Street Motor Show on Saturday, November 4, when London’s premier shopping street is transformed into a motoring showcase that puts the spotlight on veterans, classics and moderns alike.

Auction house Bonhams will hold its annual Veteran Car sale on Friday, November 3, while other events include a motoring Forum at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall and a motoring art exhibition.

Up close and personal at the 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

While your car might not be eligible for the 2017 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run the event is a great occasion at which to show it off as you get the chance to drive in unofficial convoy with the seniors on the 60-mile trip. Contact the experts at Adrian Flux to find out how much you can save on vintage car insurance.

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