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National Corvette Museum debuts ‘Pop Culture and Corvette’

by | Nov 21, 2024 | 0 comments

National Corvette Museum debuts ‘Pop Culture and Corvette’

 Special exhibition charts 71 years of Corvettes with connections to film, TV, music, games, celebrities, and the American lifestyle

The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., has broadened its “American Love Affair” exhibit with “Pop Culture and Corvette.” The elevated exhibit is a road trip through Corvette’s impact on entertainment and popular culture. More than a dozen Corvettes are on display with the pop culture stories that made them famous.

The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., has broadened its “American Love Affair” exhibit with “Pop Culture and Corvette.” The exhibit elevated exhibit is a road trip through Corvette’s impact on entertainment and popular culture. It will be displayed through 2025. (Photos courtesy of the museum or as credited)

BY MARK MAYNARD

The National Corvette Museum has debuted a new exhibit around the Chevrolet Corvette and pop culture. Whether in film, music, TV, literature, sports, or video games, the Corvette is a powerhouse of pop culture relevance.

In tribute, the National Corvette Museum has broadened its “American Love Affair” exhibit with “Pop Culture and Corvette.” The elevated exhibit is a road trip through Corvette’s impact on entertainment and popular culture. More than a dozen Corvettes are on display with the pop culture stories that made them famous.

Opened in mid-October, the exhibit focuses on Corvettes with connections to media and the American lifestyle. Corvettes from every generation illustrate how America’s Sports Car has evolved over 71 years.

“Pop Culture and Corvette” explores how the Corvette has made its mark on everything from Hollywood blockbusters to music videos. Display elements span Elvis Presley’s 1959 Stingray Racer in “Clambake” to the Corvette-inspired characters in the “Transformers” franchise.

“Corvette has always been a pop culture icon,” Robert Maxhimer, director of curatorial affairs, said in a release. “Pop Culture and Corvette” shows how the sports car starred in moments that defined generations.

Gemini and Apollo mission astronaut Jim Lovell’s 1968 Silverstone Silver Corvette.

Gemini and Apollo mission astronaut Jim Lovell’s 1968 Silverstone Silver Corvette.

Exhibition Highlights

  • Screen Legends: A Medium Blue Metallic 1973 Corvette is featured in the reboot of “Hawaii Five-0” (2010-2020). And the “Transformers” film series introduced the Corvette-based concepts of “Crosshairs” and “Sideswipe.”
  • Gaming Great: A concept version of the C7 Corvette was brought to life in the virtual racing world of “Gran Turismo 6.” The gaming influence highlights how Corvette has reached new audiences.
  • Famous Owners: Aficionados of the nameplate might be surprised and pleased by some of the celeb’s Corvettes on view and their stories. Among them are country music icon Brad Paisley, Major League Baseball star Reggie Jackson, and rockabilly pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis.
  • Six Strings for the Z06 and 1960: A Z06-themed Paul Reed Smith guitar is signed by Corvette Hall of Famer Ron Fellows (2011). The six-string features the Corvette emblem and other flourishes. Also on display is a Les Paul guitar with styling cues from the 1960 Corvette signed by Zora Arkus-Duntov.
  • To the Moon: Astronaut Jim Lovell has shared his 1968 Silverstone Silver Corvette and artifacts from flight. Included are Lovell’s astronaut gloves and an autographed lunar navigational chart; it is on loan from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.
Roy Orbison’s Rally Red 1967 Sting Ray L68, with a 427cubic inch, 400-horsepower V-8.

Roy Orbison’s Rally Red 1967 Sting Ray L68, with a 427 cubic inch, 400-horsepower V-8.

Immersive Display

More than a display of cars, the exhibition is an immersion into Corvette’s cultural legacy. The exhibit includes a multimedia presentation of iconic Corvette moments in film, television, and music. The presentation shows how this automotive icon has shaped — and been influenced by — American pop culture.

The museum’s exhibits are regularly updated, deepening the storytelling that connects Corvette to American history. Exploring the intersection of Corvette and pop culture was a natural progression,” said Kaye Wagner, Chair of the National Corvette Museum Board. “With ‘Pop Culture and Corvette,’ we celebrate how Corvette has transcended the road to become a true cultural icon.”

Reggie Jackson’s 1978 Corvette Pace Car replica (center).

Reggie Jackson’s 1978 Corvette Pace Car replica (center).

 Take a Pop Quiz

This quiz might win you a couple of bar bets from those less informed.

  • In the 1967 American beach party musical “Clambake,” this actor-singer starred as Scott Hayward. An heir to an oil fortune, Hayward trades places with a water ski instructor at a Florida hotel. In the movie, Hayward drove a 1959 Stingray Racer.
  • This film franchise features two Corvette-inspired Autobot characters,  Sideswipe and Crosshairs. Sideswipe’s design is based on the 2009 Corvette Stingray concept. Crosshairs started as a deep green and black 2014 Corvette with a distinctive rear spoiler. It was updated to a 2016 Corvette with a slightly different livery.
  • This video game helped introduce the Corvette to a new generation. Released in 2013, this driving simulator featured a concept version of the C7. The game provided auto racing fans a digital “drive” of the then-brand-new Corvette.
  • Who was the Major League Baseball Hall of Famer nicknamed “Mr. October”? This slugger is known for his postseason clutch hitting with the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. He was one of the lucky few to own a 1978 “Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500” Corvette.
  • Who was the pioneer of rockabilly music nicknamed “The Killer.” His 1954 Corvette roadster was repossessed by the IRS in 1980 to cover his back taxes.
  • Based in Nashville, rock stars such as Jimmy Page and Slash highly regard this renowned guitar maker. This custom guitar features styling details borrowed from the 1960 Corvette and signed by Zora Arkus-Duntov. The body is Tuxedo Black with an ivory scoop similar to the car’s side “scoop” design.
The 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Racer in concept form.

The 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Racer in concept form. (Photo courtesy of Chevrolet)

IF YOU GO

“Pop Culture and Corvette: An American Love Affair”  will be displayed through 2025. For more information or to plan your visit, go to corvettemuseum.org. And follow the museum on Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and X.

About the National Corvette Museum

The National Corvette Museum is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit foundation. The museum is an educational and research institution. It is located a mile from General Motors’ Bowling Green Assembly Plant, where the Corvette has been built since 1981. The Museum Campus has 115,000 square feet of exhibition and event space. The exhibits showcase more than 100 historically significant Corvettes, 50,000 Corvette artifacts, and the NCM Motorsports Park.

American Honda Collection Honors Car Clubs, Community at Dec. 14 Event

by | Nov 19, 2024 | 0 comments

American Honda Collection Honors Car Clubs, Community at Dec. 14 Event

Bimonthly Cars, Bikes & Coffee Show at the American Honda Collection Hall in Torrance, Calif., is an enthusiasts’ open house 

Car enthusiasts stroll the lobby of American Honda in Torrance California

Shop for Honda-Acura merch in the American Honda lobby in Torrance, Calif. (Photos courtesy of American Honda)

BY MARK MAYNARD

American Honda is in the holiday spirit for its Dec. 14 Cars, Bikes & Coffee Show. This gathering of the third Saturday events honors Clubs & Community and features a Toy Drive. Clubs will get special entry and space to display vehicles and promote their work. The toy drive is in collaboration with the City of Torrance. Those who bring a new, unwrapped toy will receive a special thank you commemorative item.

The Cars, Bikes & Coffee Show is a free enthusiast event held every other month. Fans of all models, makes, and eras of automobiles and motorcycles are welcome. Each show includes free admittance to the museum and the Power of Dreams boutique of Honda-Acura merch.

The gatherings also feature:

  • DJ Music
  • Vendors
  • Starbucks and food trucks
  • Giveaways
  • Special exhibitors
a formula style race car on view in the Honda American Collection Hall

Honda Racing has a big presence in the museum.

The 20,000-square-foot Collection Hall museum opened in mid-September 2024. More than 60 vehicles are displayed from Honda and Acura, including motorcycles, power products, engines, and racing machines.

Each cars and coffee show attracts a consistent 1,200 vehicles and 2,500 enthusiasts, Carl Pulley, American Honda Heritage, said in a release. The grand opening of the Collection Hall was last September.

2025 CARS, BIKES & COFFEE SHOWS

Feb. 15; April 5; June 21; Aug. 16; Oct. 18; Dec. 13.

IF YOU GO

The American Honda Collection Hall is at 1919 Torrance Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90501. Gates to the American Honda parking lot open at 7:30 a.m., with showtime from 9 a.m. to noon.

Learn more about American Honda Heritage here.

2014 Corvette Museum Sinkhole 10 Years Later

by | Jun 26, 2024 | 0 comments

2014 Corvette Museum Sinkhole 10 Years Later

“Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined” will run through Sept. 15 in the National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, Ky.

The main show space of the display “Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined”

Corvettes retrieved from the sinkhole and brought out of storage include the ZR-1 Spyder, 1962 Corvette, and the 2009 1.5 millionth Corvette. (Photos courtesy of the National Corvette Museum)

REWRITE BY MARK MAYNARD

The National Corvette Museum has opened a limited engagement exhibit that chronicles the 2014 sinkhole that captured worldwide attention.

“Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined” tells a story of resilience encapsulating a decade of progress since the cave-in. Visitors will be able to reflect on the recovery of one of the most shocking automotive stories of all time.

On Feb. 12, 2014, car enthusiasts worldwide tuned in to a captivating but cringeworthy story.  Eight iconic Corvettes had fallen 30 feet in a massive sinkhole through the museum’s show floor in Bowling Green, Ky. In the days, weeks, and years that would follow, the National Corvette Museum would recover all eight cars.

A milestone chart from 2014 to 2024

The decade’s long milestones of restoring the sinkhole damage.

Now, a decade later, the museum is telling the story of recovery and rebuilding. The three-month, limited-engagement exhibit opened June 14 and will run through Sept. 15, 2024. Among the special features are:

Recovered Sinkhole Corvettes: Corvettes retrieved from the sinkhole and brought out of storage include the ZR-1 Spyder, 1962 Corvette, and the 1.5 Millionth Corvette. These icons will be displayed alongside the 2009 ZR-1 Blue Devil and 1 Millionth Corvette.

Personal Interviews: Museum staff members give firsthand accounts of the sinkhole’s discovery, recovery, and current progress.

Museum Chronology: Reflect on the museum’s transformative journey over the past decade. Highlights include the repair of the sinkhole, two dozen new exhibits, and capital improvements to the McMichael Education Gallery.

The Ground to Sky display area

The “Road to Sky” exhibit will run through Sept. 15, 2024, in the National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, Ky.

PLAN A VISIT

“Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined” opened June 14 and will run through Sept. 15. Plan a visit at this link.

Museum admission includes access to the Skydome, which features a viewing platform for the 40-foot sinkhole. Visitors can also see the boulder that impacted the 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06, the last Corvette pulled out of the sinkhole. It is now outside the Stingray Grill.

The display will have special braille labels for all five Corvettes. The project was created with the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Ky.

A crushed corvette that fell into the musem

The 2009 1.5 millionth Corvette.

IF YOU GO

National Corvette Museum is at 350 Corvette Drive, Bowling Green, Ky 42101.

CONTACT: (270) 781-7973

MUSEUM HOURS:

Sunday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST

COST:

General admission is $25 for ages 13-61; $14 for youth 5-12; $23 ages 62 years and older. See ticket pricing and packages here.

UPCOMING HOURS

Nov. 1-Dec. 31 – Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 5 pm. CST; Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST

Jan. 1-Feb. 28, 2025 – Monday -Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Tuesdays; Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Tuesdays in January and February

*The last admission tickets are sold by 4:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on-site or online. The museum is closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Marvelous Motorama Exhibit of GM Dream Cars

by | Mar 1, 2024 | 0 comments

Marvelous Motorama Exhibit of GM Dream Cars

A special display of six GM Motorama concept cars will be on view through March 2026 in the Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles

A black and white image of a crowd to see the 1953 GM Motorama dream cars

The 1953 GM Motorama display in the Waldorf Astoria New York. (Petersen Museum/GM)

BY MARK MAYNARD

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles will celebrate “Dream Cars” from the 1950s with its newest exhibit, “GM’s Marvelous Motorama: Dream Cars From the Joe Bortz Collection.” The unique display will open on March 16 and run through March 2026. The exhibit will feature six concept cars, displayed initially at GM Motorama shows in 1953, 1954, and 1955.

Staged in the Audrey and Martin Gruss Foundation Gallery, the exhibit will explore the history of General Motors’ traveling Motorama shows. Legendary GM stylist Harley Earl used the shows to present experimental non-production cars that featured design and technological concepts. Some of his creations were put into production, including the 1953 Corvette.

A mid 1980s photo of Joe Bortz in the Warhoops scrap yard leaning on a GM Motorama dream car in complete disrepair.

In the mid-1980s, collector Joe Bortz purchased the four cars from the Warhoops scrapyard in Sterling Heights, Mich. Here, he rescues the 1955 Chevy Biscayne. (Photo courtesy of Joe Bortz)

“These cars are the Picassos and Rembrandts of this automotive generation. To see six of them together, all from the ’50s, and all the real deal is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” — Joe Bortz, collection owner

The Marvelous Motorama exhibit will feature six cars, including three rescued from near destruction at Warhoops Auto and Truck Parts in Sterling Heights, Mich. After their time in the spotlight, most “Dream Cars” were sent to scrap yards to be cut apart and crushed. Four cars were saved by Warhoops employees and squirreled away among junked car bodies. After hearing rumors about the saved “Dream Cars” in the mid-1980s, collector Joe Bortz purchased the four cars from the scrapyard.

The two tone blue and white 1955 LaSalle II Roadster concept.

The 1955 LaSalle II Roadster concept. (Petersen Automotive Museum/GM)

6 Motorama Cars On View

Museum visitors to the Marvelous Motorama display will see the 1955 LaSalle II Roadster and 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne, which Bortz painstakingly restored after both were cut in half in preparation for the crusher, as well as a 1955 LaSalle Sedan in its “junkyard fresh” condition. Additional cars featured in the exhibit are the 1953 Pontiac Parisienne, 1953 Buick Wildcat, and a wholly original and unrestored 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special.

“These cars are the Picassos and Rembrandts of this automotive generation,” said Bortz. “To see six of them together, all from the ’50s, and all the real deal is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

An artist’s rendering of the 1954 Bonneville Special bubble top.

An artist’s rendering of the 1954 Bonneville Special bubble top. (Petersen Automotive Museum/GM)

“Joe Bortz has an incredibly unique collection of historic cars, the likes of which have never been displayed at the museum,” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “The Motoramas were an important part of automotive history, and we are excited to share these ‘Dream Cars’ with enthusiasts from around the world.”

“GM’s Marvelous Motorama: Dream Cars From the Joe Bortz Collection” will run through March 2026. To purchase tickets or for more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit Petersen.org/exhibits.

A 1955 color image shows two La Salle concepts cars and a Cadillac, all on turntables for the GM Motorama

The 1955 GM Motorama display in the Waldorf Astoria shows La Salle II concept cars. (Petersen Museum/GM)

About the Petersen

The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036.

Admission prices: $21 for general admission adults, $19 for 62+, $13 for youth (12-17), and $13 for children ages 4 to 11. Active military with ID, personal care attendants, and children under age 4 are admitted free.

Museum hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

For general information: (323) 930-CARS or visit Petersen.org.

Chrysler’s Electric Halcyon Concept

by | Feb 14, 2024 | 0 comments

Chrysler’s Electric Halcyon Concept

Chrysler Halcyon Concept exemplifies the brand’s fully electrified future vision with sustainable design and full autonomy paired with personalized driving experiences.

A front view of the Halcyonconcept

The Chrysler Halcyon Concept showcases a fully electrified future of the Chrysler brand with sustainability-driven exterior and interior design, and full autonomy. (Photos courtesy of Stellantis)

BY MARK MAYNARD

FEBRUARY 13, 2024, AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chrysler today unveiled the Chrysler Halcyon Concept, exemplifying a fully electrified future of the Chrysler brand. The concept embraces sustainability-driven exterior and interior design, full autonomy paired with personalized driving experiences and futuristic technology.

Chrysler plans to launch its first battery-electric vehicle in 2025 and is on course to feature an all-electric portfolio in 2028. The Chrysler Halcyon Concept reinforces the brand’s commitment to the plan of Stellantis Dare Forward 2030, which cultivates electrified and more efficient propulsion systems. The goal is for Stellantis to cut its global carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2030 and to lead the transportation industry by achieving net carbon zero by 2038.

A forward view through the front seat area and expansive windshield.

The interior of the Chrysler Halcyon Concept has an almost 360-degree range of view. Chrysler says the design delivers a “digital detox” cockpit through stress-free autonomous features.

Chrysler Halcyon: A Forward-Looking Vision for an All-Electric Future

The Chrysler Halcyon Concept imagines a future that utilizes innovative Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer, DWPT. This technology will wirelessly recharge electric vehicles traveling over specially equipped, dedicated road lanes. The power transfer system is intended to allow unlimited range and travel from destinations, such as New York to Seattle, without needing a charger, charge cord, or public charging stations. Stellantis partnered in 2022 to demonstrate the potential of DWPT technology at the Arena del Futuro circuit in Chiari, Italy.

The concept also envisions incorporating breakthrough Lyten 800-volt lithium-sulfur EV batteries that do not use nickel, cobalt or manganese. By not using these mixed metal oxides, Chrysler anticipates an estimated 60 percent lower carbon footprint than today’s best-in-class batteries and a pathway to achieve the lowest emissions EV battery on the global market. In May 2023, Stellantis Ventures, Stellantis’s corporate venture fund, announced an investment in Lyten to accelerate the commercialization of Lyten 3D Graphene applications for the mobility industry.

Interior Design and Features

A cross-car pillar-to-pillar transparent display centers the sculpted cockpit. The screen provides a forward-looking view of information while keeping eyes on the road. A stowable 15.6-inch console screen can be rotated for portrait or landscape orientation and can assist in start-up and quick access to information. Voice recognition commands can fully control the displays.

AI functionality allows the driver to ask the vehicle anything. STLA Brain technology delivers over-the-air updates for software and features. The Stellantis AI system enables the concept to diagnose issues and communicate OTA solutions without visiting a dealership.

The reverse-yoke-designed steering wheel folds away, with pedals also retracting when the steering wheel retracts.

The stylized wing logo for Chrysler

The new version of the Chrysler Wing logo, which first debuted on the Chrysler Airflow Concept.

Detroit’s musical culture and heritage inspire Chrysler’s new wing logo. The logos on the steering wheel and other cabin areas are made from crushed and 100 percent recycled composite material made from post-consumer music CDs.

A glass center console links the cabin spaces from the front to the rear. Lighting is a focal point for the console and continues along the doors, footrest, and footwells.

Lightweight, keystone-shaped front seats can fully retract into the rear seat position, creating a giant accessible area.

Rear seats retract into the trunk area to highlight a potential next-generation vision of Stow’ n Go seating, invented for Chrysler minivans. The rear seats stow away either through biometric identification or voice.

A side view with the doors and canopy all opened.

Chrysler Halcyon Concept

Innovative Materials

The dark gray floor is a malleable, textile-infused wood with a microfiber backing, offering multiple potential applications. The wood is traceable throughout its entire production.

Brushed black copper door and door sill film accents provide an alternative to paint, lowering the concept’s use of volatile organic compounds emitted during the painting process. The thin film transitions in shades from black to brown.

The trunk area also features a textile-infused wood floor and a runnerboard on the floor that can be removed for more storage space. There also is a pass-through from the rear seats.

An overhead view of the concept with all four doors open

The tinted acrylic butterfly-hinged canopy.

Halcyon Concept Bullet Points

  • Based on Chrysler’s STLA Large BEV platform, the Halcyon Concept integrates STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit, and STLA AutoDrive technologies;
  • The concept’s dramatic proportions create a low-to-the-ground profile with a front air blade aerodynamic pass-through for improved BEV range;
  • Butterfly-hinged canopy and red-carpet-style side doors create an open-air feel and give easy access in and out of the vehicle;
  • In Prepare Mode, Stellantis AI assistant preps the cabin to set HVAC levels; predictive navigation provides real-time traffic routing;
A rear view of the Halcyon

The rear of the Chrysler Halcyon concept also carries its own unique silhouette, with a water line that emphasizes the width and shoulders of the car, and the front’s cross-car read and LED-lit Chrysler Wing logo are mirrored in the rear.

  • A Welcome Mode uses biometric identification to greet the driver with LED exterior lighting animation, personalized exterior sounds, and a greeting on interior screens;
  • Personalized vehicle “cymatics” –— sounds and vibrations mirrored through visuals — give calming or energetic sounds based on driver presets;
  • Different sound frequencies prompt corresponding particle shapes on the wide console screen. So-called “calming frequencies” create dispersed particle patterns, while dynamic sounds have energetic shapes;
  • Chrysler’s STLA AutoDrive technology platform enables Level 4 autonomous driving;
  • A dimmable glass canopy and windshield can turn opaque with seats laid back for a unique augmented-reality Stargazing Mode;
  • Drivers can use voice recognition to deploy the steering wheel and control the vehicle through customized EV drive modes.

The reveal of Chrysler Halcyon Concept can be viewed online at Chrysler.com 

Bentley Motors’ Extraordinary Journeys

by | Jan 26, 2024 | 0 comments

Bentley Motors’ Extraordinary Journeys

‘Sustainable, seasonal, and locally sourced produce will be served to guests throughout the programme of culinary experiences. Nature, history, arts and culture, well-being, and relaxation will all form a part of the trip.’

3 Bentley cars on a mountains road in england

Five days of grand touring from Bentley Motors in Crewe, Cheshire, England, to The Macallan Estate in Scotland. (Photography by Bentley Motors)

BY MARK MAYNARD

Whether a bucket list item, a fantasy road trip, or a curated Extraordinary Journey of Discovery, I had to share this release from Bentley Motors for its third annual exclusive driving experience.

The program spans five days and four nights, on two 2024 dates:

• Aug. 19-23
• Sept. 2-6

Fortunately, there is enough time to plan for the adventure if you need to move some investments around. The cost per person (double occupancy) is £14,950 or $18,993.98 in U.S. dollars and includes using a Bentley.

The exclusive road trip is limited to just five couples per group.

“Sustainable, seasonal, and locally sourced produce will be served to guests throughout the programme of culinary experiences. Nature, history, arts and culture, wellbeing, and relaxation will all form a part of the trip.”

And, of course, the Bentley Event team will provide full concierge service, looking after guests’ every need along the way.

The route begins at the home of Bentley Motors in Crewe, Cheshire (the Pyms Lane site), and finishes at The Macallan Estate in Scotland’s protected Speyside region.

All departure arrangements, flights, and insurance are not included. However, the package includes all accommodations, food, drinks, and activities throughout the five-day programs.

Tickets may be purchased here.

The official release is below, lightly edited for length.

Bentley announces 2024 dates for Extraordinary Journeys UK

CREWE, ENGLAND — Bentley Motors invites you to join an Extraordinary Journey of discovery. Now in its third year, the Extraordinary Journeys U.K. has seen guests from across the world come together to enjoy the grand touring of some of the most stunning British landscapes. Bentley’s guests can connect with like-minded people, switch off from the stress of their daily lives, and enjoy the itinerary that Bentley Motors has curated for them.

The once-in-a-lifetime road trip experiences offer the chance to drive a Bentley through stunning British landscapes, including the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, and the Cairngorms. The breathtakingly scenic route begins at the home of Bentley Motors in Crewe, Cheshire, and finishes at The Macallan Estate in Scotland’s protected Speyside region.

Caren Jochner, Global Head of Brand Experience at Bentley, commented:

“Bentley’s prestige and quality credentials as a maker of luxury cars are undisputed and we are always looking at ways to widen Bentley’s appeal beyond automotive, giving new audiences relevant opportunities to experience the Bentley brand and explore new places. The Extraordinary Journeys series is a demonstration of this – bringing our passion for discovery into a series of adventures for both new and existing Bentley customers.”

A lovely dinner setting at the Macallan estate

Sustainable, seasonal, and locally sourced produce will be served throughout the program of culinary experiences.

Sustainable, seasonal, and locally sourced produce will be served throughout the programme of culinary experiences. Nature, history, arts and culture, well-being, and relaxation will all form a part of the trip.

The unforgettable driving programme spans five days of epic, scenic driving, with four nights in unique, luxury accommodations, creating the ultimate Extraordinary Journey.

Guests can access private and exclusive experiences, which can only be offered by Bentley, including a dinner within the Bentley factory.

Guests will be provided with a private car to travel from Cheshire to Scotland, a chance to drive a Bentley perhaps for the first time, or for existing customers to experience new models in a unique driving-led experience. The Bentley Event team will provide full concierge service, looking after guests’ every need along the way.

In the Bentley woodshop

Touring the Bentley woodshop in Crewe.

BENTLEY MOTORS ITINERARY OVERVIEW

Day One

Arriving in Cheshire, guests from around the world will be greeted by the Bentley team at the brand’s flagship CW1 House showroom in Crewe. A private lunch will be served before guests are transferred to the heart of Bentley: the factory. Following a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes and meet our colleagues along the production line, an intimate, private dinner will take place in the factory, each ingredient sourced within a 26-mile radius.

Day Two

Guests will drive in convoy in Bentley’s latest models – the Continental GT, the Flying Spur and the Bentayga – toward the Peak District National Park. Passing idyllic chocolate-box villages and world-famous market towns, guests will then venture north into the “Dark Peak” region. The final destination for the day is set within the Yorkshire Dales where Georgian country house hotel Grantley Hall will play home for the evening, offering lovingly home-grown and locally-sourced seasonal produce for dinner.

Bentley cars parked along quaint english cottages

Four nights in unique, luxury accommodations.

Day Three

Day three starts with an option to balance the mind, body, and soul by starting the day with a choice of wellness activities in the natural setting of Grantley Hall. After breakfast, the convoy continues into the North Pennines and the Northumberland National Park, offering some of the world’s most spectacular roads. The journey continues through rolling hills, passing spellbinding abbeys, awe-inspiring stately homes, and castles before arriving at The Treehouses at Lanrick. A hidden gem, offering true escapism within a secluded woodland setting, bordering the Trossachs National Park, this truly green accommodation does not compromise on luxury. As night falls, the group will gather to meet their chef for the evening, the renowned Nick Nairn. An al fresco dinner with local, seasonal produce under the stars.

Day Four

Heading northeast toward Great Britain’s largest National Park, The Cairngorms, guests will stop for refreshments at the peerless Fife Arms in Braemar, a 200-year-old Scottish lodge. A pioneer in recycling and upcycling, the hotel is home to a collection of more than 16,000 antiques, curios, and artworks – from Picasso, Freud, and Bruegel to watercolors by H.M. Queen Victoria and HRH Prince Charles.

The journey will then continue to The Macallan Estate, set in 485 acres of Speyside countryside and home to the brand’s award-winning distillery, designed by internationally acclaimed architects to promote sustainability. The unforgettable immersive experience will feature a meal in the breathtaking surroundings, tutored tasting, and private distillery experience. The final destination in our journey celebrates the partnership between Bentley and The Macallan, sharing an insight into the process, production, people, and passion that make their single malt whisky so special. A farewell for guests will culminate in a private, specially curated dining experience at the Elchies Brasserie, followed by a nightcap where this memorable evening comes to a close.

Tasting whiskey at the MacAllan estate in Scotland

Sampling the single malt Macallan scotch.

Day Five

After a final breakfast, chauffeurs will transfer guests to Aberdeen or Inverness International Airport to travel home. Alternatively, the Caledonian Sleeper from Inverness can be arranged, offering the iconic railway journey to London.

Go here for more information.