Honda to provide a massive stand and display at the second BBC Children in Need Car Fest (South)

Honda (UK) is revved-up to steal the show at Chris Evans’ CarFest South which will take place at Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire (28-30 August).

CarFest is the brainchild of popular Radio 2 presenter and new Top Gear host Evans, raising vital funds for BBC Children In Need via a family-orientated, high-octane blend of fast and exotic cars, celebrity cameos and live music from some of the hottest acts around.

Having played a leading role at last year’s events as well as at this year’s CarFest North, which took place at Oulton Park earlier this month, Honda (UK) will return to Laverstoke Park – the home of ex-Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter – with an array of crowd-pleasing activities and displays.

A full Honda stand will showcase the newest car range in the industry, including the Civic Type R, Civic Sport, Civic Tourer, HR-V, CR-V, Jazz and – straight from the brand’s award-winning Goodwood Festival of Speed stand – the McLaren-Honda MP4-30 in a box, the model driven by F1 World Champions Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button.

Honda's two-wheeled offering has something for everyone, from the newly-launched, learner-legal CB125F, through the legendary VFR800F right up to the race-inspired CBR1000RR Fireblade.  

The new Forza 125 scooter, with its GT look and exceptional fuel economy will appeal to those wanting a striking but efficient means of transport.  

Visitors can also learn about Honda's innovative dual clutch transmission which, on bikes such as Honda's NC750X, combines the road presence and agility of a motorbike with the twist-and-go practicality of a scooter.

The ‘King of the Hell’ Xbox roadshow is also roaring into town, offering festival-goers the chance to win a brand new Civic Type R for a year provided they set the fastest time around the notorious Nürburgring Nordschleife in a state-of-the-art simulator.

Nicknamed ‘The Green Hell’ by F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart, the 12.9-mile Nordschleife is regarded as the most challenging and daunting circuit in the world, with each lap comprising no fewer than 154 corners, large bumps, cambers and surface changes.

The British-built Civic Type R – Honda’s ‘Race Car for the Road’ and the most extreme and high-performing model ever to wear the acclaimed ‘Red H’ badge – set a new front-wheel-drive lap record there last year, and in celebration of its arrival in UK dealerships, fans are invited to test their mettle by getting as close as possible to that impressive benchmark.

Honda Yuasa Racing Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship duo Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal – currently sitting third and sixth in the title standings, with Honda atop the manufacturers’ table – will perform high-speed demonstration runs behind the wheel of the road-going Civic Type R.

Honda’s latest Robot mower – Miimo – will be a working display in the Honda activity centre and will inspire a unique children’s drawing activity, whilst many of last summer’s favourites will make a welcome return, such as My First License, a mini-motorbike taster session that introduces 5-to-11-year-old non-riders to the exciting world of motorcycling.  

Carried out in a safe, controlled and fully supervised environment on restricted 50cc Honda CRF50 bikes, complete with helmets and kneepads, My First Licence culminates in the presentation of a special licence for the kids.

The ATV Experience on Honda’s TRX420 continues the fun yet educational theme, teaching older teens the inside line on throttle control, slaloming, overcoming obstacles and balance.

Meanwhile, the ride-on lawnmowers for 16-year-olds and above is sure to generate hilarious head-to-head racing around a timed garden course, where lane control and garbage-grabbing are orders of the day.

Last but by no means least the innovative and interactive ‘Power of Lean’ demonstration will simulate Superbike-style knee-down riding, replicating the feeling of being at full power whilst almost horizontal to the ground!

Philip Crossman, Managing Director at Honda UK, commented: “CarFest South is fantastic fun for all the family and jam-packed with exciting and interactive things to do for people of all ages.  

The music line up looks fantastic – as does the food offering, much of which is sourced from Laverstoke Park itself.   We aren’t quite sure of the weather yet, so will have both wellies and flipflops on standby!”