The Garage 351

AUTOMECHANIKA
Petrolhead heaven lined up at
Automechanika Birmingham with
iconic racing cars and vehicle displays
Petrolheads and fans of high-octane machinery mustn’t miss
out on the free event offering a great day out with several
unmissable vehicle exhibits.
NAPA Racing UK British Touring Car Championship (BTCC)
aces Dan Rowbottom and former champion Ash Sutton will be
at the show on June 7th and 8th. They will be on the Alliance
Automotive UK stand (R130), where visitors and fans can meet
and chat with the drivers and grab a photo with them.
Fellow BTCC star Jake Hill is at the show on June 6th at
Laser Tools’ stand (M120) with his Laser Tools Racing with MB
Motorsport BMW 330e M Sport car – an evolution of the car
he took three race wins with on his way to third place in the
2022 season.
Leading motor factor Arnold Clark Autoparts will have the
legendary Vampire drag car on display for the duration of the
event – the holder of the UK land speed record and infamous
for being crashed by Richard Hammond on BBC’s Top Gear
in 2006. Autodata at stand T72 will have a 2023-liveried
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 car on display, courtesy of the
team’s sponsors Solera.
Illustrating the history of the aftermarket industry, a
legendary Snap-on Ford Model T, complete with replica tool
storage drawers its sales reps would have used back in the
1920s will be exhibited.
Additionally, the 1993 Rover 216 Honda cabriolet driven by
the Bangers 4 Ben team of LouiseBaker and Rachel Murray is
going up for charity auction at Automechanika Birmingham.
The car returns to its home in the Midlands for the auction to
raise further funds for the charity that supports staff in the
automotive industry.
Louise commented: “I purchased a Rover to use for Bangers
4 Ben as it’s where I started; it’s where I learnt my trade – I
know every nut and bolt on these cars, so it was an ideal
motor to purchase. Buying something of this age not only
came with a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but also a lot of
time and energy went into it to make sure it was up to the
journey.
“It’s a nostalgic car for me and brought back many great
memories. It still even had that Rover smell! I’ve grown quite
attached to it and it will be super sad not to see it on my drive
anymore but I hope whoever purchases it really loves it like I
do!”
The show offers an opportunity to get your hands on one
of the few remaining classic examples of the vehicle, of
which just 207 remain, which raised £1692 for Ben following a
legendary road trip from Birmingham to Monaco in October
2022.
And if that wasn’t enough, the show will celebrate the evolution
of the vehicle, with Bosch bringing its digitally adorned concept
car, giving an insight into what drivers and mechanics can expect
in the not-so-distant future.
Ticket registration is sponsored by BookMyGarage.com.
To claim a complimentary ticket visit:
https://automechanika-2023.reg.buzz/press
20 THE GARAGE
15-22, Automechanika Edit.indd 4 30/05/2023 12:57