SMMT Media Test Day at Millbrook!
Once a year, something quite magical happens. An event so uniquely brilliant that if you’re a proper car nut and a seasoned motoring journo and content creator, like yours truly, you mark the date months in advance and count down the sleeps. I’m talking about the SMMT Media Test Day – the Glastonbury of car journalism, if you will – held at the legendary Millbrook Proving Ground.
So, what is this mysterious SMMT shindig? Well, for those not in the know, SMMT stands for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Think of them as the guardians of the UK car industry. And once a year, they roll out the red carpet for accredited automotive journalists and let us loose at Millbrook – a place normally locked down tighter than a concept car’s door gaps.
This isn’t your average car show. Oh no. It’s a private affair, held behind closed gates at a facility famous not only for its spectacular hill routes, high-speed bowls and city courses but also as the filming location for that Aston Martin barrel-roll scene in Casino Royale. James Bond stuff – literally!
On this rare occasion, phones, cameras, and vlogging kits are not just allowed – they’re expected. Manufacturers turn up with their latest metal (and EVs, naturally), classics from their heritage fleets, and sometimes even wild one-offs or mad marketing machines like the rear-engined Nissan Micra. Yes, really – and it’s still running 23 years later!
This year, in the video above, I tried to give viewers a bit of a walkaround, to gain some flavour of this extraordinary event. From a beautiful classic Skoda Felicia, to the surprisingly funky and affordable Hyundai Inster, to the amazing MG Cyberster I finally managed to get my hands on – it’s all in the video.
Also present: manufacturers like BMW, MINI, Toyota, BYD, Kia, Isuzu, Subaru, Mazda, Polestar, Audi, Renault, Honda, Stellantis, and even the silent but rather cool classic EV conversion guys from Silent Classics. And while I sadly didn’t manage to get into the Honda Civic Type R (again!), I did clock it giving journalists serious grins out on the routes.
A special shoutout to eBay who brought along a stunning E46 330Ci Coupé – not butchered or overly modded, but tastefully enhanced with tech upgrades and modern accessories. Sadly, no drive for me (boo!), but it was a pleasure to drool over it nonetheless.
As I said in the video, if you ever needed proof that I genuinely love this job – despite the long day, cold weather and endless editing – this is it. Because if you can’t grin your face off at an event like this, then maybe you’re in the wrong game.
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