Two anniversaries — 30 years of the Miata MX-5 and 50 years for the Nissan GT-R — provided highlights of the record-setting Simply Japanese car show this past weekend on the grounds of Britain’s National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.
The event drew 1,410 vehicles, a nearly 50 percent increase from the same event in 2018.
The People’s Choice Award went to a 1995 Nissan GT-R R33 purchased just a year ago by Daniel Smart of Poole. But in that year of ownership Smart has rebuilt the engine, upgraded the brakes and made other enhancements to the car.
Runners-up for the award were at 1972 Datsun 240Z restored and owned by Aaron Britton of Portsmouth and to 2015 Honda Civic Type R owned since new by Lee Smith of Poole.
“I’m a petrolhead by nature and I’ve been doing up cars since I was 12 years old,” said Lee, who has done engine, body, wheels and interior work on his 2015 Civic.
Next up in Beaulieu’s Simply series is Simply Mercedes on August 18.