A day of automotive nostalgia, rare classics and some very serious modern machinery.
The final Bicester Scramble of 2026 proved to be a particularly special event, not only bringing together an incredible variety of cars and motorcycles, but also marking 50 years since RAF Bicester closed as an operational RAF station in February 1976. The October Scramble was held on Sunday 4 October and celebrated the site's remarkable motoring heritage alongside its aviation history.
KVG members Adrian and Caroline Brown had originally purchased tickets for the event, but, having decided that some October sunshine in Tenerife was rather more tempting, their tickets became available. After a little — or perhaps quite a lot of — arm twisting, Phil Horsley and Paul Holtom took up the mantle and headed for Bicester, with Phil's unmistakable green, rounded-style Grinnall making the journey, and what a day it turned out to be.
Something for everyone
One of the great attractions of the Bicester Scramble is the sheer variety on offer. There was everything from beautifully preserved and restored classics through to modern performance cars and the inevitable collection of youthful 'boy racer' machinery.
The event also provides a chance to explore the many specialist companies based at this fantastic heritage centre, with businesses involved in the preservation, restoration, preparation and enjoyment of both classic and modern cars and motorcycles.
For anyone with petrol running through their veins, it is difficult to imagine getting bored at Bicester.
Phil's Grinnall certainly wasn't short of interesting neighbours either. Parked alongside it was a car from a very different end of the performance spectrum – the Ferrari 12Cilindri, Ferrari's spectacular V12 Grand Tourer. Its naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 produces an astonishing 830 CV, while Ferrari quotes a top speed of more than 340 km/h (211 mph) and 0–62 mph in just 2.9 seconds. Quite the contrast to the Grinnall!
A very special Triumph
Another highlight for Phil & Paul was catching up with fellow TR Register member & Registrar Graham Andrews and his beautiful Triumph Italia 2000.
This has to be one of the most desirable and unusual Triumphs ever produced. Designed by the celebrated Italian stylist Giovanni Michelotti and built by Vignale in Turin using Triumph TR3 running gear, the Italia was produced between 1959 and 1962. Only 329 examples were built, making Graham's car an exceptionally rare sight.
The elegant Italian-influenced styling was attracting plenty of attention on the Classic & Sports Car Magazine stand, and it was easy to see why. The Italia's lines look every bit as special today as they must have done when new, and its influence can also be seen in the later TR4.
A blast from Phil's past
There was also a rather more unusual moment of nostalgia for Phil when he came across a Mazda 1800.
Although certainly not as glamorous as the Ferrari or the Italia, the rather rusty but remarkably complete Mazda immediately brought back memories. Phil owned a blue Mazda 1800 in the early 1980s, so seeing one again after all these years was a real trip down memory lane.
Apparently there are now only a handful left in the UK, with very few still on the road – and, sadly, this particular example wasn't one of them. Nevertheless, its survival in such complete condition made it a fascinating find.
Sometimes it is the ordinary cars from our past that generate the biggest memories and certainly was getting great interest.
M350 Unwrapped
There was plenty of interest in the modern-car world too, with the UK launch of the new BMW M350 xDrive receiving considerable attention.
BMW describes the new M350 as the range-topping six-cylinder version of the new 3 Series. It uses a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six with 48V mild-hybrid technology, producing 443 bhp, with xDrive all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Performance is impressive, with 0–62 mph taking just 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.
But perhaps the most intriguing feature is the new Drift Moment function. Due to become available during 2027, it allows the drive to be sent entirely to the rear wheels, effectively giving the M350 a taste of BMW M's sideways capabilities.
The car was certainly an interesting addition to an event where cars from virtually every era of motoring could be found within a few hundred yards of each other.
Another excellent Bicester day
With so much to see, plenty of interesting people to meet and an almost endless supply of interesting machinery, the October Scramble was a fitting way to bring the 2026 Bicester Scramble season to a close.
Yes, at £25 per person it isn't the cheapest day out, but both Phil and Paul agreed that it was well worth the admission price. The combination of the historic RAF site, the businesses based there, the displays, the atmosphere and the extraordinary variety of cars makes Bicester something rather different from a conventional classic-car show.
For KVG members, it was also a great opportunity to see some familiar faces and enjoy a day surrounded by the sort of machinery that makes being involved in the classic-car world so enjoyable.
So, if you've never been to a Bicester Scramble, keep an eye out for next year's dates – and book early. The events are extremely popular and tickets can disappear remarkably quickly.
And perhaps next time Adrian and Caroline might consider leaving the sunshine in Tenerife to someone else…!