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Silverstone Classic to mark manufacturers’ milestones

2 January 2018

Many of 2018’s key motoring milestones will be celebrated in stunning style with displays and parades at the annual Silverstone Classic.

In recent years, the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit has staged record processions featuring E-type Jaguars, Ferrari F40s, Porsche 911s and, last summer, amazing Jaguar XJ220s and McLarens amongst a whole host of other iconic machinery.

For this year’s Classic, Ferrari will return to the spotlight is back in the spotlight in 2018, with the standout 365 GTB/4 celebrating its 50th birthday. The sensational Pininfarina-styled grand tourer was launched at the Paris Motor Show in 1968 and quickly defined a generation of sports cars.

While other supercar manufacturers were moving towards a mid-engined layout, Ferrari stuck to the traditional front-engined, rear-drive format to create one of the world’s most iconic fastback GTs. Using a potent 4.4-litre V12, the Daytona had plenty of performance to go with its film star good looks and came with a top speed in excess of 170mph.

In total, Ferrari produced just 1,406 Daytonas between 1968 and 1973. The majority of these were coupés but 122 were spyder soft-tops, and 15 were lightweight competition cars that took GT class wins at Le Mans in 1972, 1973 and 1974 as well as enjoying considerable success at Daytona in the States. It is hoped examples of all three variants will be part of the gathering at Silverstone in July.

The Porsche Club of Great Britain will also be present at the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival. In 2018, the club will be hailing Porsche’s very first model – the ground-breaking 356 – which entered production exactly 70 years ago in 1948.

The Aston Martin Owners Club, too, will be honouring important anniversaries: 70 years of the DB1 and 60 years of the DB4. While, the Austin Healey Sprite is another notable model turning 60 in 2018. Jaguar car clubs are similarly always out in force; this July, they will be marking 70 years of the XK120 and 50 years of the XJ saloon.

“Nowhere else will you get to see so many famous and legendary marques and models all lovingly maintained and displayed by their owners,” said Nick Wigley, CEO of Goose Live Events, the company behind the Silverstone Classic. “The sheer scale of these amazing displays and incredible track parades is a landmark feature of the Silverstone Classic – a real celebration of motoring, auto design and memorabilia.”

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