Volkswagens of all types made their way to Beaulieu on Sunday 28th June, 2015, for the first ever Simply VW taking place in the attraction parkland. This latest addition to Beaulieu’s busy calendar of Simply Rallies promised to delight fans of the much-loved German marque and a great turn-out of 565 cars and 1,320 participants arrived to put on an amazing display in the attraction grounds.
All models were welcome, from such air-cooled classics as the legendary Beetle, stylish Karmann Ghia and iconic Type 2 campers and commercials, to their more modern counterparts such as the cult Golf range, the sporty Scirocco and the much-loved T4. Among the clubs in attendance were the R32 club and the New Forest Dub club. Participants also had the opportunity to browse a number of trade stands as well as enjoying all the features of the Beaulieu attraction.
Among the diverse range of vehicles in the display was a 1961 Karmann Ghia convertible, its perfect pale blue paint finish complemented by aftermarket BRM alloy wheels, and a 1983 Golf Mk1, which had been rebuilt with the high performance engine from a later Golf VR6. One of the Type 2 ‘bay window’ campers in attendance was equipped with a unique interior accessory – a seat built from a classic Vespa scooter. Visitors could also see examples of the unusual Type 3 Fastback, a variety of Type 25 campers and panel vans, and Beetles of all ages, from 1950s oval-window examples to the latest Beetle model.
Throughout the day, Beaulieu’s visitors had the opportunity to vote for their favourite VW on display, in the People’s Choice Awards. The overall winner was Max Towndrow from Oxford with his immaculate 1980 1.5 automatic Mk 1 Golf with just 43,000 on the clock. Max purchased the car a year ago, having come across it at other shows and falling in love with it.
Runner up was Reuben Smith from Southampton with a 1966 split screen VW Samba in cream and orange. The 21-window left hand drive Samba was imported four years ago and Reuben has spent the time since giving it a complete restoration. Joint third were a 2009 Passat with a cream leather interior and a 1987 1800cc Scirocco in gleaming white.
The winners were presented with VW mementos by Beaulieu’s Managing Director, Russell Bowman, after which a selection of the most popular vehicles took part in a cavalcade around the parkland.
Simply VW is part of Beaulieu’s calendar of Simply rallies, which cover a range of different vehicle themes. Check www.beaulieuevents.co.uk for the date of Simply VW 2016 or join the conversation with @Beaulieu_Hants on Twitter using #simplyvw.
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