British Car Day, powered by Land Rover

Land Rover together with The Classic Car Club of Ceylon conducted the ‘British Car Day’ on the 13th of March. The event commencedat 8am at the iconic and picturesque Galle Face Hotel and attracted close to 100 classic British automobiles. The vehicles, which belong to well-known enthusiasts, were showcased at the venue before they embarkedon a parade through the heart of Colombo Fort. The parade, which was a sight to behold, ended back at the Galle Face Hotel where all the members showcased their immaculate classic cars for the public to view.

Land Rover made a mark on the event by having a vintage Series 1 as the lead vehicle, which the Guest of Honour, The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, James Dauris, was travelling in. Land Rover also displayed its latest range of high-end vehicles at the event ranging from the Range Rover Sport Hybrid, Discovery Sport, Discovery 4 and the ever-popular Range Rover Evoque.

Land Rover also conducteda unique tour of downtown Colombo hosted by Sir Ian Jennings on a double decker open top bus. The tour took guests through the history and heritage of colonial fort with Sir Ian reliving his best memories and moments of his time in Sri Lanka.

With a British Festival theme for the event, Children of all ages were entertained at a typical English fairin an area demarcated inside the hotel with game stalls hosting favourites such as Hoopla, Coconut Shy, Darts, Tin Can and of course unlimited Candy Floss and Popcorn.  The brilliant Jerome Speldewinde and his three-piece band entertained parents whilst they enjoyed a truly British brunch hosted by Land Rover and The Classic Car Club of Ceylon.

The Great British Raffle was open to Land Rover owners & customers who purchased a ticket in aid of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation of Sri Lanka. All proceeds from the raffle were donated to the foundation. The raffle winner received a return air ticket to London courtesy of Qatar Airways and a Goodwood Revival weekend pass courtesy of Land Rover.

“Land Rover has always been a major part of the British motor industry. We are truly proud to be involved with an event such as British Car Day as it gives us the opportunity to showcase our most modern products, against the backdrop of the best cars Britain ever made. We thank the Classic Car Club of Ceylon for this annual event, as it is a truly great initiative that brings many vehicle enthusiasts together. ‘British Car Day’ has become increasingly popular over the years and the Land Rover team will continue to support the event in the future,” said Sheran Fernando – Managing Director, SML Frontier Automotive. 

Every classic British marque was represented at the event including Aston Martin, Triumph, Lotus, MG, Morgan and Rolls Royce. The camaraderie at the event was clear to see, with everyone in attendance sharing their passion for all things British and catching up with old friends. The Classic Car Club of Ceylon and Land Rover brought this wonderful event to life with an impressive turnout of man and machine.