An album of some unusual cars, photographed at the Festival of Speed between 1999 and 2025













Visited in 2017
The British Motor Museum claims to be home to ‘the world’s largest collection of historic British cars’. The Midlands has always been the centre of car manufacturing in the United Kingdom and it still is, although there are fewer companies active than in say, the nineteen fifties. The museum tells the story of the birth, decline and rebirth of the motor industry and the cars it produced. It is arranged by major theme, such as motoring history time road, design and concept cars, sport cars, movie cars etc.
Address:
Banbury Road,
Gaydon,
Warwickshire CV35 0BJ
England
Website: britishmotormuseum.co.uk
Visited in 2017
Coventry Transport Museum collection includes around 250 cars, commercial vehicles and buses, 100 motorcycles and over 350 bicycles. It focuses on Coventry’s role in British transport heritage.
Shown here is a sample of the numerous makes that were built in and around Coventry.
Address:
Millennium Place,
Hales Street,
Coventry CV1 1JD,
England
Website: transport-museum.com
Visited in 2013
Brooklands is the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation. It was the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit. The cars in the museum all raced in period at Brooklands. In addition to the museum, there is the famous Test Hill to see, the remaining sections of the original Brooklands track and the aviation museum.
Check the Brooklands Museum website for opening times and other details.
Address:
Brooklands Museum,
Brooklands Road,
Weybridge,
Surrey,
England
Website: brooklandsmuseum.com
Visited in 2018
Bicester Heritage is NOT a museum as such. It is a business campus dedicated to historic motoring, based at the former RAF Bicester airforce base. It is home to numerous classic car specialists and is open ‘by appointment only’. Please check the website for opening hours and visitor policy, and if necessary make an appointment. However, Bicester Heritage, and the companies located there, organise classic car events throughout the year, so it is worth checking what’s on and when.
Address:
Bicester Heritage,
Buckingham Road,
Bicester,
Oxfordshire OX27 8AL
Website: bicesterheritage.co.uk
1905: John Marston Limited
1920: S T D Motors Limited
1935: Rootes Group
1967: Chrysler Europe
Defunct, marque owned since 1978 by Groupe PSA / Stellantis.
Austin Healey. Austin-Morris Division, BMC, Longbridge, Birmingham, England 1953-1972
Austin-Healey was a British sports car maker established in 1952 through a joint venture between the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and the Donald Healey Motor Company (Healey)
Austin-Healey 100 1953–59
Austin-Healey 3000 1959–68
Austin-Healey Sprite 1958–71
Vanden Plas (England), London 1960 – 1970; Austin-Morris Division of BMC / British Leyland 1970 – …
Started off as the British branch of the Belgian coachbuilder. The company made bodies for luxury cars such as Bentleys.
Triumph. Coventry, Warwickshire, England 1923 – 1984
Initially part of Standard Motors Ltd, then Leyland Motors Ltd. and finally British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd / BL plc. The marque was retired in 1984, but acquired by BMW in 1994.
Standard Motor Co Ltd. Coventry, Warwickshire, England 1903 – 1963