Day for the diary

More than 5,000 car enthusiasts are gearing up for an automotive extravaganza in June, when Vauxhall’s Heritage Centre Open Day and the Luton Festival of Transport take place on the same day.

Both events take place on 9 June, with an exclusive transfer service linking the two via a free, five-minute classic coach ride.

This is the only day of the year that Vauxhall’s 75-vehicle Heritage Collection is open to the public.

It’s the largest of its kind in the world, and features: ‘5HP’, the world’s second-oldest Vauxhall; the earliest ‘Prince Henry’ model; one of only two surviving WW1 D-Type Staff Cars; the most original 30-98 model – Britain’s first 100mph production car; a 1930 2-Ton, one of the first Bedford trucks to be built; three stunning concept cars, spanning the Sixties to the Noughties; rare, fully restored examples of the Firenza HP ‘Droopsnoot’ & Viva GT; three Vx super-saloons, from the 176mph Lotus Carlton to the 600hp VXR8 GTS-R; and continuous model lines of Viva, Victor, Cavalier, Vectra, Corsa and Astra, including powerful VXR and GSi variants.

At the same time the Luton Festival of Transport will be held in Luton’s Stockwood Park, when around 1,000 classic vehicles will be on display, vying for a total of 12 awards to be judged during the day.

For classic-car owning visitors, finding that elusive part will be so much easier, too, with over 40 autojumble stores on site to choose from.