Vintage cars complete the annual London–Brighton run, marking the 140th anniversary of the Benz automobile

On 1 November, veteran vehicles — cars from the early 20th century — covered 97 km from Hyde Park to Brighton. The run marked 140 years since the appearance of Karl Benz's Patent-Motorwagen. Participants spoke about the fragility of the machinery and the spirit of adventure of the first motorists.

Aziz KarimovFirst published on tafs uz 3 November 2026 at 00:012 min read

The key facts

On 1 November, the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run took place: 97 km from Hyde Park to the south coast
Some cars travelled at speeds of just 12–20 miles per hour, and one broke down on The Mall
The event marked 140 years since the presentation of Karl Benz's Patent-Motorwagen

Veteran Car Run

On Sunday, 1 November, the streets of London were filled with rare vintage cars — participants of the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. The 97 km route runs from Hyde Park to the south coast, and some cars covered it at speeds of just 12–20 miles per hour. This was reported by euronews.

140 years of the Benz automobile

This year's run marked the 140th anniversary of the moment Karl Benz presented his Patent-Motorwagen — a vehicle widely regarded as the first production automobile. The practical difficulties of early technology showed themselves clearly: one of the cars broke down right on The Mall. For participants, the run is valued less for the finish than for the experience itself: driving vehicles from the first years of motoring requires patience and a good understanding of their mechanics.

Voices of the participants

Sean Harborne, who drove a 1901 Renault Type D, described such cars as fragile: the suspension, brakes, clutch and gearbox require very careful handling. Karl-Heinz Jungbeck, who came from Munich in a 1903 Lacoste & Battmann, noted that the run lets you feel the spirit of adventure that motorists experienced more than a hundred years ago.