Page 22 - Cornwall Issue 1 2025

MOTORING

f ever a title of “royalty” were to be
applied to a motor car, that sobriquet
would have to rest with Rolls-Royce.
ISince the first model, a Silver Ghost,
was produced in 1907, the magnificent
British machine was proclaimed as “the
best car in the world”.
At the 28th George Old Car Show on
February 8 2025, Rolls-Royce and the
equally exalted upper-crust British marque,
Bentley, will be showcased as the headline
act in a special commemoration for British
cars. A demarcated area on Field D at the
show venue will comprise the large number
of treasured classic Rolls-Royce and Bentley
models owned by collectors hailing from
many parts of the country.

Rolls-Royce has had a presence in South
Africa since 1910, when the first Silver
Ghost model was imported here as the
official car for the governor general of South
Africa, Lord Herbert Gladstone. Since then,
many Rolls-Royces were imported privately,
until after World War 2 when the Grosvenor
Group was appointed as the official Rolls
GEORGE OLD CAR SHOW 2025
and Bentley agent for South Africa.

2025 show on February 8,” says Waldo at 80 to 90 km/h,” said Pierre. In 2024 his
If Rolls-Royce is considered the monarch, Scribante, chairman of the organising yellow and burgundy Bentley was one of the
then Bentley can be perceived as the club, the Southern Cape Old Car Club. star attractions on the main field near the
extended, adventurous branch of Britain’s “A large number of our members own stage, and this year he is looking forward to
royal motoring family. Bentley was British classics, and we felt the time was sharing lawn space with some of the exotic
established in 1921 and gained worldwide ripe to give these cars their turn under Bentleys and Rolls-Royces on the D field
sporting acclaim for victories in the Le Mans the spotlight. In addition to our members’ at the Eden Technical College grounds in
24-Hour race in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 cars, there are strong groups of British car George.
and 1930. Driven largely by upper class enthusiasts all along our coastline, and
British playboys, the company founded by these will deservedly be a huge feature of A ONE-DAY SHOW
W.O Bentley was acquired in a take-over by the show.” This year’s event will be a one-day show,
Rolls-Royce in the 1930s, and for decades whereas it was previously two days, held
afterwards, Bentleys were seen as the Recently SCOCC member Pierre Malherbe over a weekend. Over the years however,
sporting variants of the more staid Rolls- completed a 1 200 km tour in his attendance on the Sunday has dwindled in
Royce models.
immaculate 1936 Bentley 4¼ litre four door terms of both spectators and car exhibitors.
saloon, with Park Ward coachwork. “The car
“While Rolls-Royce and Bentley are performed perfectly for the duration of the “The reason for the fall-off of cars on the
jewels in the British crown, we will be Erfenis Tour to Tulbagh and back, cruising Sunday has been that over the years, many
celebrating all British marques in our
exhibitors have driven long distances to
attend the show,” explained Scribante.
“These enthusiasts had to retrieve their cars
early on Sunday morning and head home for
a long return journey. Consequently, on the
Sunday, big gaps were left on the fields, so
that by midday on the Sunday, only a small
number of classics remained.
“More and more, we felt this was not fair
for spectators who had planned to attend
the show only on the Sunday, as they were
effectively seeing only half a show, or less.
So for 2025 (with something of a heavy
heart) we are running the show as a one-
day event. To compensate for this, we are
running the Saturday show an hour longer
than before, with show times for spectators
being 9am to 6pm.
OTHER BRITISH BRANDS
Apart from the ultra-exclusive marques,
British cars sold very well in South Africa,
and it is recorded that Austin was registered
here as a make as far back as 1912. During
the 1920s, the diminutive Austin 7 was a
20 Cornwall View • Issue 1 2025