The 2022 Award Winners

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The  Royal Automobile Club Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an  individual who has, in the opinion of the Club, made an outstanding  contribution to British motoring history and heritage, or to the British  historic motoring and motor racing movement, across many years. This is  the only category which could not be nominated and is the only category  recognising achievement beyond the previous twelve months. 

If you’re an enthusiast of cars, driving and motor racing then – chances are – Simon Taylor has fuelled your passion over almost 60 years. Even if you simply regard your car as A-to-B transport, then his unseen influence probably steered your choice. Through lapping up car magazines at Uppingham School, Simon was already a motor racing fanatic and amateur race reporter in 1962, when he went up to St Catherine’s College, Cambridge to read English (and join the Motor Club, naturally). From there he bagged his dream job as an editorial assistant on Autosport… and proved so adept at the relentless weekly schedule that two years later, after Autosport was bought by Haymarket Magazines in 1968, he was made editor. Age: 23.

Concise writing and an eagle eye for accurate detail did him proud for three years. Then he shifted up into publishing launches. In 1973 Haymarket unveiled What Car?, a consumer-focused monthly full of data and dispassionate new car buying advice. Simon was Haymarket publishing director by 1975, managing director in 1980, and chairman in 1995. He devised Classic & Sports Car in 1982 and then added the venerable magazines from his youth – including Autocar and Motor Sport – to the company roster. Over this period he was a keen advocate of both modern motor sport and historic racing… when he wasn’t also extolling the virtues of other titles, such as What Hi-Fi? and Practical Caravan! A ‘petrolhead’ before the term was actually coined, Simon acquired (and usually hung on to) interesting and powerful cars, such as a Lister-Jaguar XJ-S and a Chevrolet Corvette. He bought, restored and campaigned a famous HWM sports-racing car known as ‘The Stovebolt Special’. Space in his purpose-designed ‘motor house’ for these is today shared with one of the finest collections of original car magazines. 

As well as providing an environment for dozens of now-famous motoring journalists, Simon became well-known for his enthusiasm and quick wits among the wider public, after he began commentating on Formula 1 for BBC Radio from 1976 for 20 years, moving over to ITV commentary in 1997. Then Simon departed magazine publishing in 2000 to become a full-time writer, his columns and interviews appearing in Classic & Sports Car and Motor Sport. This gave him scope to interview many of his motor sport heroes in a long-running series. He’s developed a parallel life as a book author, with acclaimed titles on topics including his beloved HWM, Goodwood, Stirling Moss, and the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb. Simon headed for Hollywood in 2007 with his part in the 2013 movie Rush about the Niki Lauda and James Hunt F1 tussle in the 1976 season. Simon played himself as the English language BBC commentator, and also helped director Ron Howard make sure the period dialogue was absolutely authentic. 

Simon’s presence and voice around the Royal Automobile Club is always one we are glad to have. As well as regularly hosting dinners and activities, he adds his deep knowledge to two of our most important traditions: he’s a valued member of our Segrave Trophy nominations committee and chairs our Motoring Book Of The Year Awards judges’ panel. With his unique experience, deep insight, and a career that’s mixed motoring traditions with media innovation, the Club is in no doubt that he is fully recognised by his Lifetime Achievement Award.

William opened his Jaguar renovation and servicing workshop William Heynes Ltd. in August last year, after scouring the country for sound but affordable equipment. His ethos is to carefully preserve the patina and originality of early E-types. His extraordinary knowledge and the spirit of his grandfather William Heynes – former Jaguar chief executive, and E-type co-creator – spurs him on as he works 11-hour days.

Judges' Comment

Now there’s a new William Heynes – a young man who works just as hard on Jaguars as his namesake grandfather. Only this William has a special skill for carefully cherishing early Jaguar E-types, working very long hours and with immense skill as he seeks to renovate and conserve early examples – while keeping their important originality intact. He's now looking after some of the best classic Jaguars you’ll ever see. What he’s done is remarkable.

Finalists in this category

·  Joe Mellor 

·  William Heynes 

·  Jordy Smith

The TR Register European Breakdown App is a remarkable achievement by a relatively small concern that should embolden owners to get out there in their classics and support specialist garages, too. That each garage is user-ranked helps give owners peace of mind, it is free to use, plus it has a very user-friendly design and the potential to offer more services in the future – it was only launched in July!

Judges' Comment  

Our judges were delighted to receive a healthy number of nominations in the Innovation category, all of which represented great ideas, products and programmes that are of huge benefit to the classic car industry. The TR Register’s European Breakdown App is a clever idea, very well executed and the fact that it can be reskinned for use by other clubs makes it a very community-minded innovation.

 Finalists in this category 

·  The Simon Diffey Heritage Motorsport Apprentice Award

·  The TR Register - the European Breakdown App 

A year of celebrations organised by the Austin Seven Clubs Association for the 100th anniversary of Britain's most important car culminated in this week-long tribute to Sir Herbert Austin's baby. Gathering an incredible 1000 cars from across the world, the Austin Seven Centenary Celebration resulted in a unique spectacle.

Judges' Comment

Separating our top three proved incredibly difficult for the judges, but in the final reckoning it was the truly remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime gathering of 1000 Austin Sevens that got the nod. As spectacular to look at as it was fascinating, the week-long gathering was a collaboration between the Austin Seven clubs and included road runs, a sprint event at Prescott, a pop-up museum and more. A worthy tribute to an iconic car.

Finalists in this category 

·  The Austin Seven Centenary Celebration 

·  Concours on Savile Row

·  The Sir Jackie Stewart Classic – presented by Rolex

This significant lone survivor of its type was thought to have been scrapped in 1946 but was discovered in 1970 being used as living accommodation – already rotten and missing its interior. It soon lost its engine too, but enthusiasts insisted on rescuing it all the same, and so began a protracted and difficult restoration carried out almost entirely by volunteers at the Transport Museum Wythall, supplemented by specialists for certain elements.

Judges' Comment

The AEC Regent 486 bus was chosen for its survival against the odds, its importance in British transport and social history, the remarkable attention to detail and quality of its restoration, and the amazing dedication of the volunteers who have worked so hard, unpaid, to save and restore this evocative vehicle.

Finalists in this category  

·  1931 AEC Regent 486 bus (Transport Museum Wythall)

·  1934 Aston Martin MkII Chassis 402 'Hedgehog' (Ecurie Bertelli / Tom and Sue Wood)

·  1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III H.J Mulliner Sedanca Coupé (Alpine Eagle)