British Invasion 2013
The British will invade the U.S. this weekend ... northern Vermont to be specific, with a large chunk of their mechanized forces exploiting the porous border with Canada. Hundreds of British cars will gather in Stowe for the annual British Invasion, which each year sees rare cars make the journey to this idyllic setting near Mount Mansfield from all over the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada.
Last year saw a tremendous turnout of 675 cars, representing just about every major marque to come out of the British Isles during the last 50 years. In addition to common fare like MGs and Triumphs, visitors also saw rare Rovers, Bentleys, Morgans, Sunbeams, Austins, Rileys and well over 50 Land Rovers of all ages. As the premier British car event in the U.S., some genuine rarities like an MG RV8, an Elva roadster and just about every Rover sedan from the last half-century made an appearance.
The selection of cars at British Invasion tends to be proportinate to the models' popularity and surviving number in the U.S.; MG roadsters enjoyed a plurality on the field, and Bristols were not represented at all. Neither were cars that the U.S and Canada did not receive despite their ubiquity across the pond, like Vauxhalls or Humbers. Still, the examples that turned out for the four-day event included a wonderful cross-section of the most beloved cars and trucks from the U.K. The consul general from the U.K.'s Boston consulate was in attendance, and we heard half a dozen different languages spoken on the field -- another reflection of the event's reach and popularity.
This year's British Invasion runs from Sept. 19-21, though the concours d'egelance -- what we're all there to see -- will take place on Saturday, Sept. 20. Visit the event website for the full listing of activities over the four days and view the full gallery from last year here.
Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
