The 2019 MX-5 Owners Club National Rally is just a few days away and it is set to be the biggest celebration yet of all things MX-5 in the UK.
This year we celebrate two important anniversaries – 30 years of the Mazda MX-5 and 25 years of the MX-5 Owners Club, and we’ve got an incredible event and some very special guests joining us to help us mark the occasion.
Building on the phenomenal success of recent years, this year’s rally is set to be the largest event in the Club’s history and a fitting tribute to the anniversary year. The MX-5 Owners Club is the largest MX-5 club in the world, and we’re expecting a turnout the likes of which has never been seen before in the UK.
We are honoured and delighted to be joined by Tom Matano, the lead designer of the original MX-5. If you love being in and driving your MX-5, feeling the notchy gear throw and the click of the door handle, you have Tom to thank. Why not say it in person?
We will also be joined by motoring journalist, racing driver and founding presenter of car show Fifth Gear, Vicki Butler-Henderson. Producer, presenter and journalist Jon Bentley will give us the inside scoop of his time at Top Gear and how he got Clarkson started in television, and we are again privileged to welcome Car Throttle’s Alex Kersten and Phil, his YouTube famous Rocketeer V6-converted Mk1.
In 2019 the National Rally has expanded to two days. The soul of the MX-5 is in the phrase jinba itai, ‘horse and rider as one’, and with that in mind we have planned Saturday 14 September as the dynamic day, with a range of activities and drive-outs to get you out and about in your MX-5 around the beautiful Cotswolds and fringing areas.
Caffeine & Machine is the automotive destination of the moment, a converted pub called The Houndshill with good food and good drinks and a carpark that bears more resemblance to a never-ending cars and coffee meet. Situated in the heart of the region’s driving roads, we’ve arranged several sessions where members can take centre stage on what is sure to be another jam-packed day at the hottest venue in town.
Pre-booking your visit to Caffeine & Machine is essential to avoid missing out. Click here to book your place.
Those looking to test their skills behind the wheel can book sessions in our Circuit Driving Challenge, held at the British Motor Museum in conjunction with Mazda on Track. The sprint circuit will allow participants to find the limit of their MX-5 on both days of the National Rally.
Click here to book your Sprint entry, prices starting from just £13
Saturday night will see us mark the Club’s 25th Anniversary with a gala dinner at the museum’s rooftop Sky Suite, and those not looking to don their tuxes and ball gowns can spend the evening taking in a relaxed movie in their MX-5 at the Drive-In Movie Night. We will be screening the original Italian Job, which is celebrating its 50th birthday.
We are thrilled to announce that the Drive-In Movie Night is free – your MX-5 is your ticket! Click here for Drive-In Movie Night information.
As you arrive to the British Motor Museum at Gaydon on Sunday 15 September, you won’t be able to miss our exclusive Anniversary Display taking centre stage. We have curated a very special display of early 1989-build Mk1s and examples of Anniversary models and special editions.
Excitement will build in the main arena with an MX-5 stunt driving display by Guinness World Record holder Alastair Moffatt and his team from Stunt Drive UK, and the gauntlet will be thrown down to any members who think they are faster around our short course than Vicki Butler Henderson or Alex Kersten.
We’ll be searching for the lowest MX-5 in our Limbo Competition, the cleanest MX-5s in the country will compete for trophies and prizes in our Show & Shine, there will be the usual array of tech workshops, exhibiting traders and specialists, and attendees will have the chance to test drive the latest models courtesy of Mazda UK. Visitors will also have the opportunity to attend a series of lectures by our visiting VIPs who will each discuss a different aspect of their own careers and the MX-5 experience.
The Sunday schedule is jam-packed – click here to view the schedule and begin planning your day.
And if all of this wasn’t enough, don’t forget that your ticket will grant you access to the British Motor Museum and the extensive 160-vehicle collection of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.
Entry to the National Rally is FREE for all MX-5 Owners Club members and the weather is forecast to be warm and sunny, making it the perfect weekend to come out and celebrate all things MX-5.
Visit www.mx530.co.uk for everything you need to know about the National Rally.
You must be logged in to post a comment.