Euro Festival 2011
Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina
AllCarCentral.com's many thanks to Geoff Wheatley and Rick Feibusch, for the photos and information on this event.
Text and photos By Geoff Wheatley
Euro Festival 2011
Located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina is one of
the most modern vehicle production plants in the world producing an average
of thirty SUV's every working hour, five days a week, fifty two weeks a
year. I am of course referring to the BMW production complex in
Greenville S.C.
For the past sixteen years a unique Motor Event has taken place every
October, a major car display presented on thirty acres of landscape grounds
adjacent to the main BMW building. The name of this event is the EURO
FESTIVAL. Which attracts cars and their owners from all over the country.
This year British vehicles were the feature for 2011 with the MG and Austin
Healey being the chosen Marque However, not to be outdone Jaguar owners
presented a formative display inspired I think by the fact that 2011 was/is
the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Jaguar E Type. This reminded me of
two things, first what a wonderful expression of car design the E Type
represents and, that I am certainly getting old as I remember seeing my
first E Type at the Earle's Court Motor Show back in 1961! Like the Jaguar
120 that was first exhibited in 1949 at the same Motor Display the E Type
stole the show. It would not be wrong to say that this vehicle was a true
legend in its life time! This year BMW restricted the number of display
entries to 400 divided into twenty four groups. Obviously both MG and Austin
Healey, the featured manufacturers were highlighted and the display of cars
certainly lived up to all expectations. From the popular MGB to the T Types
and of course the attractive MGA. If you are into Italian cars there was a
broad range including Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and a special section called
Italian Exotic . One car certainly caught my eye, a concept vehicle
produced in Italy in 1953 for the American Hudson Motor company. It
certainly was a very attractive car and way ahead of the styling for that
period. Was America ready for such design in 1953? I fear I have to say;
"Certainly Not" it was still chrome everywhere with shining teeth for the
front grill. It has been suggested that this was the result of the Cold War,
a show of strength etc!... (I leave it at that!)
What British car buff is not hooked on Morgan and there were some excellent
examples including the three wheel version. Triumph also had a very good
showing starting with the early TR2 through to several TR6 versions again
most in Concour's condition.
In the Mini section the display was a little disappointing. I had expected
to see a number of the original Mini's that I recall back in the early
sixties and of course always associated with the original version of the
movie "The Italian Job".( A short personal story about that film, saw it on
a Monday and by the weekend had purchased a Mini Cooper. Who says
advertising "Don't Work?" There were a number of the BMW versions on display
all quite attractive but not quite the Mini that I remember... It's had to
realize that the first Mini rolled out of the Longbridge factory in the fall
of 1959. A nice display of Lotus cars caught my eye also a Mini Moke
standing alone and attracting quite a lot of attention. If you are not sure
what a Moke is the best way to describe the car is an open Jeep type Mini
that back in the 1960's you would see dashing up and down the sun soaked
beach. Not very practical and certainly not weather friendly but a fun
vehicle. Eventually they were banned from such activity throughout Europe
and the UK as being dangerous.
Don't know if they ever caught on in the US and I have to say that my only
experience with this car was in England which on reflection was never
subject to sub soaked beaches for more than a few days each summer.
Obviously the BMW display was by any standards impressive. Vehicles from
the early 60's through to the last decade graced the field and the display
of several BMW Motor Cycles was for me, the cherry on the cake. If you were
a Volkswagen fan there was more than enough to make your day. I have never
been that keen on the brand but I think this goes back to my short ownership
of an early Beetle. The heater its that's the correct name, did more to kill
me with engine fumes than warm any part of my lower body. Starting was easy
but stopping was another matter. Also noticed was an early Austin Cambridge,
and a 1947 Rover that looked like it should have been in the Rolls section
had there been one! What a magnificent example of prewar car design for a
medium priced car. Obviously one of the last to come out of the Rover
factory before their postwar designs took over such as the Rover P4 that hit
the showroom floors in 1950 and was a success. The selection of Porsche on
display was also impressive but you expect that with this manufacturer no
matter what is on show.
The whole experience of Euro Festival 2011 was both enjoyable and certainly
educational even for an old car buff like me. There are not many events
where you still have cars to see by the end of the day and wish you had come
earlier. For anyone who has never been to Greenville plan to visit Euro Fest
2012 you won't regret it.
Geoff Wheatley October 2011
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Jaguar
Euro Festival 2011
Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina
Geoff Wheatley 2011
Moke
Euro Festival 2011
Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina
Geoff Wheatley 2011
Austin Healey
Euro Festival 2011
Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina
Geoff Wheatley 2011
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