National Express have an exclusive travel offer: 25% off a Day Saver ticket, for those visiting MotoFest by bus this weekend.
To redeem this offer, you will need to buy tickets using this link:
https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/offers/nx-discover-offer
And enter discount code: NXCOV25.
Happy travels!
A Coventry-built Barbie Jaguar which inspired the popular doll’s iconic toy car will take part in MotoFest this year.
The pink Jaguar XJS will ride Coventry’s famous ring road as part of the motoring festival’s traditional sprint circuit parade.
It will then be exhibited at Millennium Place near Coventry Transport Museum where you can pose for pictures with a real life Ken and Barbie.
The news comes as movie fans await one of the most eagerly anticipated film adaptations in recent years; Greta Gerwig’s Barbie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling
CV Life, the organisation behind the Transport Museum where the Barbie car has been on display since September, has managed to uncover a Coventry Ken and Barbie among its staff.
So motoring fans attending the event will be able to pose for photos with a Coventry-built Barbie car, with a Coventry Ken and Barbie, at what is one of Coventry’s biggest annual events which attracts hundreds of thousands of people.
But Barbie will also take part in the parade, waving to fans from the passenger side of the beautiful pink car.
The Barbie Jag has a hugely fascinating history. It was specially prepared for the American toy manufacturing company Mattel as a prototype for Barbie’s very own car, part of a range of Barbie accessories. It was painted in bright pink and matched the doll’s lip colour and then used for promotion worldwide.
However, it had a life before Barbie. It was originally used by Jaguar Cars to help launch the new XJS Convertible in 1990. It was then shipped to Bosnia to appear in a film directed by Michael Winner starring Omar Sharif.
But due to war in the region in the 1990s it became trapped in Bosnia. It was eventually returned to Jaguar but required considerable repair work. This led to it being ideal to be reused as the ‘Barbie car’.
It is a left-hand drive automatic, powered by a 5.3 litre V12 engine which makes it both fast and smooth to drive.
It was acquired by the Museum from Jaguar Daimler Heritage trust in 1999.
For those who also love toys, the museum has an example of the toy Barbie Jaguar, which can be seen in the neighbouring display case in ‘Behind the Scenes’ where the car is usually exhibited.
Marguerite Nugent, CV Life’s cultural director, said: “We’re very proud of all of our collection but the Barbie car is truly unique.
“So we’re really pleased to be working alongside MotoFest and to be able to not only take part in the ring road parade, but also to display some of star heritage vehicles at Millennium Place. Every vehicle has a story to tell and our staff and volunteers will be on hand to talk to visitors about the collection.
“It looks set to be a brilliant weekend which will have a bit of something for everyone to enjoy.”
James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with CV Life to bring the iconic Barbie Car to the festival weekend.
“As well as its current role as the Barbie Car, the Jaguar XJS Convertible has a wonderful history. It was built in Coventry, played an integral role in the Jaguar launch in 1990 and now returns to the city over 30 years later to wow the public again.
“MotoFest Coventry is all about celebrating the city’s motoring heritage and the Jaguar XJS Convertible ‘Barbie Car’ is a fantastic demonstration of that sentiment and a wonderful addition to the ‘star cars’ in our programme.
“We would also like to thank CV Life for bringing the car to MotoFest and all the excellent supporting activities they are organising for visitors to enjoy across the festival weekend.”
For the weekend of MotoFest, entry to the Transport Museum will be free for everyone.
There will also be family activities in the museum on Saturday and Sunday, including junk modelling in our Future Tech gallery which will incorporate MotoFest themes.
Meanwhile in Millennium Place, as well as vintage vehicles, there will be a host of activities and equipment to encourage free play and learning for families.
MotoFest will take place on the weekend of 3rd and 4th June. Find out more about the event at https://www.coventrymotofest.com/
Find out more about events at Coventry Transport Museum at https://www.transport-museum.com/
The supercars are to make a welcome return to MotoFest Coventry, in partnership with E.ON Drive, with dynamic displays on the Ring Road Sprint Circuit and their own dedicated ‘Supercar Paddock’, during the festival weekend.
Supercar Driver (SCD) – the UK’s leading club for supercar owners – will make their third appearance at the event with approximately 50 members and their cars due to appear across the two days on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th June.
All SCD members’ cars will take to the circuit each day for dynamic displays on the Sprint Circuit, in what promises to be one of the most spectacular sights of the festival.
Once they have completed their runs on the circuit, the SCD cars will be parked up in a new dedicated ‘Supercar Paddock’, located on Greyfriars Green, with MotoFest visitors able to get up close to the cars and enjoy plenty of photo and video opportunities with them.
Alongside the Lamborghinis, Ferraris, McLarens and Porsches set to light up the main sprint circuit, there will also be various SCD member ‘star cars‘ to get the pulse racing for motoring enthusiasts across the weekend.
First off the grid of the cars to look out for is the Noble M600, with the model attending MotoFest being an ex-Noble show car that has featured on Top Gear – where it was driven by Jeremy Clarkson, the Stig and Richard Hammond. Next up is the Jaguar Project 8, one of only 300 built and with a 5.0 litre V8 engine producing 592bph, it promises to be a spectacular homecoming for Jaguar’s fastest-ever production car.
Finally, the motoring future will be on display right now with not one but two Ferrari hybrid supercars making their debut at MotoFest Coventry. The Ferrari 296 GTB hybrid is the first V6-powered Ferrari since 1974, equipped with a 2.9-litre V6 plug-in hybrid engine that produces a 205mph+ top speed and is capable of reaching 60mph in just 2.9 seconds.
The second Ferrari hybrid to be seen at MotoFest Coventry is the SF90 Stradale, the first ever Ferrari to feature PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) technology. The SF90 Stradale has a plug-in hybrid powertrain, featuring the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 from the F8 Tributo, and is capable of a top speed of 211mph and 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds – making it ideal for a spin around the MotoFest Coventry sprint circuit.
James Duce, Event Manager for Supercar Driver said: “SCD are delighted to support MotoFest Coventry, in partnership with E.ON Drive, again. We are really looking forward to bringing a selection of the latest and greatest supercars and taking to the closed roads of Coventry.
“This event has been a highlight in our calendar for a few years now and our members are always keen to put on a show to enthusiasts!”
James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “We are excited to welcome the return of the supercars to MotoFest, in partnership with E.ON Drive.
“Supercar Driver (SCD) has always proved a real crowd-pleaser during previous festival appearances, and I am sure they will wow visitors again this year.
“It’s great to have them on board and it’s another exciting addition to a supercharged programme of two and four-wheeled action across the festival weekend.”
Mark Daniels, Director of E.ON Drive, said: “We know that the SCD is always a big draw at MotoFest so it’s really pleasing that this year’s lineup will include hybrid supercars. As the UK market for electric vehicles continues to grow, the range of available makes and models gets bigger and better in response to this demand.
“Showcasing electric vehicles at MotoFest Coventry, including hybrid supercars, is a great way to help people understand that lower carbon motoring is a vital part of all of our futures.”
E.ON Drive is the lead brand partner for MotoFest Coventry in 2022. E.ON Drive is part of energy supply and solutions provider E.ON and provides an end-to-end electric vehicle charging service for customers.
This year’s MotoFest, in partnership with E.ON Drive, will have a significant future technology focus, showcasing the latest alternatively fuelled vehicles and electric motorcycles, including Maeving, a Coventry based Electric motorbike company, who are leading in the electrification journey.
The new future technology zone, based in the main Greyfriars Green festival site, will see exhibitors committed to showcasing the latest electric vehicles and motorcycles. Many of those two and four-wheeled exhibits will also take part in dynamic displays on the main sprint circuit and the motorsport and drift arenas.
There will also be demonstrations of autonomous vehicle technology and future transport solutions on Friday 2 June – a new additional day to the MotoFest Coventry weekend, with more announcements to follow soon regarding the full programme of events.
MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city of Coventry’s motoring heritage, taking place on Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June. It will feature a unique blend of racing demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry, transport and the city’s motoring heritage. For more details about MotoFest Coventry, visit https://www.coventrymotofest.com/
The Club MotoFest Breakfast event will provide a taster of the future technology to be showcased at this year’s MotoFest Coventry, in partnership with E.ON Drive, – with one of the UK’s largest operating drones and an autonomous vehicle both on display this weekend.
The PW-Manta Ray drone, which is operated by Coventry-based Skyfarer Ltd, and an autonomous Ford Ranger vehicle will be on display in Broadgate, in Coventry city centre from 8am on Saturday 29 April, as part of the Club MotoFest Breakfast Meet event.
As one of the largest operating drones of its type, the PW-Manta Ray weighs 25KG, with an additional 10KG cargo capability (35Kg), and has a 3.5m wingspan. It can be flown both autonomously or under BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) conditions, which gives it a great application for medical deliveries.
The autonomous Ford Ranger will be provided by Conigital and Coventry University and is part of the Multi-Area Connected Automated Mobility (MACAM) Project. The MACAM project will see a trial of self-driving technology within Coventry city centre and at the NEC in around 18 months’ time.
For those visiting Saturday’s free event, they will have the opportunity to get up close to and find out more about both the PW-Manta Ray and the autonomous Ford Ranger, ahead of their appearance at MotoFest Coventry, in partnership with E.ON Drive, on Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June.
James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “With our event partners such as E.ON Drive, Coventry City Council and Coventry University, we are in an incredibly strong position to showcase the best in sustainable transport, low carbon motoring and advanced automotive and electric vehicle technology at MotoFest Coventry.
“At our Club MotoFest Breakfast Meet, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a taster of the future technology showcase we have planned for the main event weekend.
“Alongside the future technology on show we will also have static displays of Club MotoFest members’ vehicles, all of which is part of our commitment to celebrating the city’s motoring past, present and future.”
The PW-Manta Ray is part of a fleet of four drones operated by Skyfarer Ltd, each with a specific design advantage for their role.
The Intelligent Energy drone, which is powered by hydrogen fuel cells, is used for long-endurance inspection/analysis, while the PW-1 is a smaller Vertical Take-Off and Launch (VTOL) drone used for vaccine and blood delivery. The HT8 Drone in a box (DIAB) is used for autonomous security, inspection and damage review.
Cllr Jim O’Boyle cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change said, “Motofest gives us a great opportunity showcase the future of transport – which will be cleaner, greener and eventually autonomous. Much of the technology that will drive the green industrial revolution is being pioneered right here is Coventry – and it will help to provide the jobs of the future too.
“I hope people will enjoy the opportunity to get up close to some of these innovations and be inspired for the future.”
E.ON Drive is the lead brand partner for MotoFest Coventry in 2022. E.ON Drive is part of energy supply and solutions provider E.ON and provides an end-to-end electric vehicle charging service for customers.
This year’s MotoFest, in partnership with E.ON Drive, will have a significant future technology focus, showcasing the latest alternatively fuelled vehicles and electric motorcycles, including Maeving, a Coventry based Electric motorbike company, who are leading in the electrification journey.
The new future technology zone, based in the main Greyfriars Green festival site, will see exhibitors committed to showcasing the latest electric vehicles and motorcycles. Many of those two and four-wheeled exhibits will also take part in dynamic displays on the main sprint circuit and the motorsport and drift arenas.
There will also be demonstrations of autonomous vehicle technology and future transport solutions on Friday 2 June – a new additional day to the MotoFest Coventry weekend, with more announcements to follow soon regarding the full programme of events.
MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city of Coventry’s motoring heritage, taking place on Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June. It will feature a unique blend of racing demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry, transport and the city’s motoring heritage.
For more details about MotoFest Coventry, visit https://www.coventrymotofest.com/
MotoFest Coventry, in partnership with E.ON Drive, is to host a new dedicated Drift Arena with The Crewsade team set to showcase all the best in “smokin hot tyre and sideways action” across the festival weekend.
The Crewsade Team, supported by Monster Energy, will provide dynamic displays of the skill and precision driving involved in competitive drifting in the new Drift Arena, based at the Coach Park, White Street, Coventry City Centre, with their roster of drivers performing each day on both Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June.
Each of the Crewsade team taking part in the Drift Arena is a major name in the drifting, stunt, competition or precision driving world and includes Al Harris, Julian Smith, Peden Nielsen, Monky London and Many More!
Alongside the Crewsade Team, performing in the new Drift Arena will be One Wheel Wavey, described as a ‘Raise-it-up Urban Motorbike Ninja’. If the name wasn’t obvious, Wavey spends way more time on one wheel than two and this urban bike stunt performer and YouTuber is considered one of the biggest names in the UK Bike-Life scene.
Darren Langeveld, MotoFest Coventry Race Director, said: “We are excited to announce our new live-action Drift Arena – which with its city centre location, high-octane atmosphere and thrill-a-minute programme is set to be one of the highlights of the festival weekend.
“The Crewsade Team, supported by Monster Energy, features a roster of well-known drivers, who are set to provide an awesome showcase of drifting and precision driving. They will be supported by One Wheel Wavey, an incredible stunt bike performer who will wow the crowds with his daring one and two-wheeled exploits.
“MotoFest Coventry just keeps getting bigger, better and more varied each year and our new Drift Arena is another exciting addition to the festival programme.”
Councillor Abdul Khan, Deputy Leader at Coventry City Council and Cabinet Member for Events, said: “MotoFest is a fantastic annual event for the city and I am delighted that it is growing each year.
“The new Drift Arena will be a great addition to the weekend. I do hope residents and visitors attend what is likely to be one of the city’s best free events.”
With the new Drift Arena and the Crewsade Team very much part of MotoFest Coventry’s motoring present, the motoring future will also be showcased at this year’s festival with the latest alternatively fueled vehicles, electric cars and advanced automotive technology.
The new future technology zone, based in the main Greyfriars Green festival site, will see exhibitors committed to showcasing the latest electric vehicles and motorcycles. Many of those two and four-wheeled exhibits will also take part in dynamic displays on the main sprint circuit and the motorsport and drift arenas.
There will also be demonstrations of autonomous vehicle technology and future transport solutions on Friday 2 June – a new additional day to the MotoFest Coventry weekend, with more announcements to follow soon regarding the full programme of events.
MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city of Coventry’s motoring heritage, taking place on Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June. It will feature a unique blend of racing demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry, transport and the city’s motoring heritage.
For more details about MotoFest Coventry, visit https://www.coventrymotofest.com/
Budding young designers are being invited to create an environmental-themed wrap for an electric van – with the winning design to be unveiled at the MotoFest Coventry festival.
The competition is being launched by E.ON Drive, in partnership with MotoFest Coventry, and will offer pupils from schools in the Coventry and Warwickshire region the opportunity to create a new design for one of E.ON Drive’s electric van fleet.
There will be four age categories for the van wrap design competition – Key Stage 1 (yrs 1-2), Key Stage 2 (yrs 3-6), Key Stage 3 (yrs 7-9), Key Stage 4 (yrs 10-11) – with individual prizes, including goody bags, on offer for each competition category winner.
The overall winner, chosen from the four category winners, will have their design wrapped onto the van and unveiled at the E.ON Drive exhibition stand at the MotoFest Coventry festival weekend on 3 and 4 June, 2023. There will also be a prize-giving ceremony for the four individual winners, including a photo with the special guest Veloce Racing driver, and the presentation of a model of the van with its new wrap design to the overall winner.
As part of the competition launch activity, an E.ON Drive van design template – featuring a 360-degree representation of the van – will be given to the participating schools to hand out to pupils to use for the individual competition entries.
The overall competition theme is based around the environment, nature and sustainability, with the winning designs to be judged on how well they reflect these core competition themes.
Alongside the core competition themes, the design should also feature electric vehicles or sustainable forms of transport, use realistic imagery rather than abstract concepts or designs and utilise bright and vibrant colour schemes.
All entries will need to be submitted by April 14, after which they will be judged at the end of April by the competition panel comprising; Mark Daniels, Director of Commercial, Strategy and Lighting, E.ON Drive, Philip Wallace, Head of City Energy Transformation, E.ON UK, James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, Colin Knight, Coventry City Council’s Director of Transportation and Highways.
Following the judging panel’s decision, the four category winners and the overall winner will be notified and invited to attend the unveiling ceremony at the MotoFest Coventry Weekend.
Mark Daniels, Director of Commercial, Strategy and Lighting, said: “We’re delighted to be part of MotoFest Coventry and see this competition as a fun and creative way of engaging local children in the exciting topic of future mobility.
“E.ON is passionate about engaging the next generation in our journey to a lower carbon future and this is a great opportunity to complement our existing schools’ programme and clean air campaigns.
“It’s incredible to think that some of our competition entrants might be the first generation to have only ever driven electric vehicles and who knows we might just inspire some of them to become our next intake of sustainable apprentices, engineers, installers and designers.”
James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “It’s a privilege to support E.ON Drive, our new event partner, with the van design wrap competition.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for school pupils to create an environmentally themed van wrap design that will not only be showcased at MotoFest Coventry but continue to be seen throughout its service as one of E.ON Drive’s fully sustainable fleet of electric vans.
“We look forward to seeing the creativity and imagination of Coventry and Warwickshire pupils produce a captivating and memorable design that wows both the MotoFest audience and the Coventry and Warwickshire public, following on from the festival weekend.”
Councillor Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change said: “With plans for Coventry Very Light Rail, a gigafactory and more on street change points than any city outside London, Coventry is really driving the green industrial revolution.
“Our ambition though is matched by the young people who live and study here – and for them green jobs and a green future are vital.
“I hope we will see some fine designs for E.ON’s electric vehicle and fantastic that it will be on show for all to see at the future technology zone at Motofest Coventry.”
E.ON Drive, in partnership with MotoFest Coventry, will see this year’s event showcase the latest in advanced automotive, future and electric vehicle (EV) technology. This includes a significant future technology focus, with a showcase of the latest alternatively fueled vehicles, electric cars and advanced automotive technology.
The new future technology zone, based in the main Greyfriars Green festival site, will see exhibitors committed to showcasing the latest electric vehicles and motorcycles. Many of those two and four-wheeled exhibits will also take part in dynamic displays on the main sprint circuit and the motorsport and drift arenas.
E.ON Drive provides an end-to-end electric vehicle charging service for customers. It is part of energy supply and solutions provider E.ON, which has its UK headquarters in Coventry. E.ON Drive becomes the lead brand partner for MotoFest Coventry, with a series of initiatives, promotions, competitions and events launching on the run-up to and taking place across the festival weekend on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 June.
E.ON Drive provides electric vehicle charging solutions to customers at home, at work and on the go. This includes the supply and installation of a range of electric vehicle chargers – fast, rapid and ultra-fast – all of which can be accessed via mobile app, RFID card or on a pay-as-you-go basis.
MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city of Coventry’s motoring heritage, taking place on Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June. It will feature a unique blend of racing demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry, transport and the city’s motoring heritage.
For more details about MotoFest Coventry, visit https://www.coventrymotofest.com/
To enter the competition, visit https://www.coventrymotofest.com/van-wrap-competition/
