Stunning Lagonda V12 Prototype Awarded Gold Laurel Wreath As Inaugural Winners of Brooklands Motoring Festival: The Double Twelve Announced

SURREY – July 2, 2008: The inaugural Brooklands Motoring Festival: The Double Twelve, which took place over 28/29 June, was a resounding success with almost 15,000 visitors attending over the weekend.

Out of the 129 competitors in The Double Twelve, concours d’elegance combined with a series of driving tests based on the JCC Rallies of the 1930s, Jonathan Oppenheimer emerged triumphant with his exemplary driving skills combined with the flawless appearance of his Lagonda V12 Prototype.

Peter O’Halloran, managing director of Mercedes-Benz World which organised the Festival in conjunction with the Brooklands Museum, commented: “The standard of entries in The Double Twelve was excellent – we had competitors travel from as far afield as Japan and California to enter the contest.”

Allan Winn, Brooklands Museum, added: “The judges all agreed Jonathan’s Lagonda was simply outstanding, and typical of the world-class standard associated with the vehicles exhibited at international Concours d’Elegance events such as Pebble Beach.”

Jonathan was presented with a gold laurel wreath and a magnum of champagne by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1™ driver Heikki Kovalainen who made a number of driving appearances at the Festival along with his team-mate, Lewis Hamilton and racing legend Sir Stirling Moss. Also presenting the prizes was The Earl of March, whose Grandfather was a regular competitor at Brooklands and, with co-driver Chris Staniland, won the Double Twelve race in 1931 driving a 750cc MG.

Competitors in The Double Twelve participated in six tests based on and around the original Brooklands circuit: Test Hill, Steering Test, Wiggle Woggle, Parking, The Half-Mile and Quick Start.

Vehicles were judged against the exacting criteria of a Concours d’Elegance by a select panel of experts with points awarded for both concours and test performances.