The Italian Job - Buckinghamshire Style

LONDON, March 29, 2004; The calm of the English countryside is about to be shattered. The lanes and byways around Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire are going to resound to the roar of nine vintage Fiat 500s, taking part in a celebrity rally to unveil for the first time the classic cars.

It's all in aid of Sacla', the number one pesto brand, famed for the introduction of green pesto to the UK over 15 years ago.

TV chefs Antony Worrall Thompson and Phil Vickery will be among the drivers taking part in Tuesday's (March 30) event. All the cars are over 30 years old. They've been fully restored and resprayed copper to match the Sacla' colour scheme. And each one has a different vegetable painted on the bonnet.

The Cinquecento was recently voted one of the top 10 small cars by BBC's Top Gear. Sacla' UK decided to adopt the iconic Italian car for its "small car, small jar" promotion, which will see the cars touring the country from north to south, handing out samples and educating consumers in the merits of pesto and Italian food.

Other drivers taking part are Mark Hix of the Ivy restaurant, restaurateur Heston Blumenthal, and Massimo Toso, Fiat UK Managing Director. Motoring presenter Tiff Needell will be there to wave them off.