Edd China puts wacky racers on show at Beaulieu

TV presenter and inventor Edd China demonstrated two of his craziest creations at Beaulieu on Sunday, 23 July. It was all part of the launch of the National Motor Museum’s Wacky Record Breakers Exhibition.

The former Wheeler Dealers star drove around the grounds of the attraction on Bog Standard - a complete bathroom suite that is taxed, insured and MoT’d. Just for the day, this exhibit was joined by his road-legal sofa, Casual Loafer.

Edd’s passenger for the demonstrations was Wave 105 radio presenter Rick Jackson, who commentated as they careered around the special course. With Edd taking his place on the toilet seat of Bog Standard and gripping the sink handlebars, Rick reclined in the bathtub - the pair clocking speeds of up to 34mph as they motored along.

Casual Loafer did even better as it topped 37mph, with Edd controlling the car using its pizza steering wheel, beer can brake lever and gear selector topped with a chocolate bar. A Community Speedwatch speed camera measured the speeds of these oddball contraptions.

Visitors met and chatted with Edd, before heading inside the museum to see the rest of the Wacky Record Breakers exhibition, featuring more off-the-wall automotive oddities created by inventors Edd China and Colin Furze. The exhibition, which is on display until 31 August, celebrates the crazier side of motoring with each one of these custom-built vehicles proving that you don’t need a sports car to break a world record.

The Wacky Record Breakers exhibition is included in the Beaulieu admission ticket, which also allows entry to the rest of the National Motor Museum, with its collection of more than 250 vehicles, the newly relaunched World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Beaulieu Abbey, the Montagu ancestral family home of Palace House and the grounds and gardens. Tickets can be bought in advance online at www.beaulieu.co.uk.