This year’s Western Group of Motoring Writers Driving Day, based at the Haynes Motor Museum, was another huge success.
In all, 33 cars and pick-ups from 24 brands were available to drive at the event – a unique date in the automotive calendar.
Not only does it give PR and product specialists a rare opportunity to drive each other’s vehicles, it’s also a chance for Western Group members to get behind the wheel of some of the latest models they may not have driven yet.
The Western Group welcomed more than 30 PR guests on 21 May and the vehicles available included models from Driving Day newcomers Tesla, Xpeng and Leapmotor.
Most brands were able to spare personnel to attend, but where that wasn’t possible, cars were sent ahead, such as the Dacia Duster, Abarth 600e, BYD Sealion 7, Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica 280 Veloce, BMW X3, Citroen e-C3 and Range Rover P530 V8 Autobiography.
Representatives from Ford, Honda, Kia, Mazda, Renault, Isuzu, KGM, Toyota, Ineos, Tesla, Xpeng, Polestar and Kia, plus event sponsors Suzuki, drove down on the day.
Guests and Western Group members were also treated to passenger rides in a classic Mini converted to 100% electric by Bristol-based Fellten.
Handmade Bristol Glass trophies were awarded for the most driven car of the day and the participant who drove the most cars on the day.
The ‘Car of the Day’ was the retro cool Renault 5 E-Tech, while the ‘Driver of the Day’ trophy went to Isuzu’s Filip Czajkowski. There was also a “Legend” special award for Ford press garage stalwart, Gary Cuthbert, who’s retiring this year.
A charity raffle was held, along with an auction for Goodwood Festival of Speed tickets, donated by Honda, plus a Tamiya remote control Mazda3 and a 1:18 scale model of an Ineos Grenadier. More than £500 was raised on the day, which will be split between WOMAC and another South West charity to be confirmed at the Group’s next meeting.
Western Group Chairman Gareth Herincx said: “Despite the topsy-turvy weather and a change of date from early June to May, this year’s event was one of our most enjoyable ever with a broad range of vehicles available to drive and a rough 50:50 mix of electric and ICE cars.
“The feedback we’ve had from guests has been really positive and we’re already looking ahead to making our event bigger and better for 2026.
“As ever, I would like to thank Simon Perry of ID PR for managing the day for us with his usual professionalism. We would also like to thank Alun Parry and Jess Grimditch of Suzuki for their sponsorship this year.
“Ultimately, we couldn’t stage our annual Driving Day without the support of manufacturers. Obviously not everyone can make it, because there will always be factors such as event clashes, but we hope even more will be able to make it in 2026, because we plan to keep staging this event for many years to come.”
Following the success of this year’s event, the Western Group is already planning next year’s event and is looking at a provisional date of Thursday, 4 June, 2026.
For further information: Contact WGMW Chair Gareth Herincx: 07771 808172. gareth.herincx@gmail.com