UK Car Enthusiast Of The Year

Meguiar's 2007 award won by Geoff Smith, tireless crusader for the historic vehicle movement.

One of the previously unsung heroes of the classic vehicle fraternity, Geoff Smith, has won the 2007 Meguiar's Award for 'UK Car Enthusiast of the Year'.

Though unknown to many of the hundreds of thousands of historic vehicle owners, the tireless crusading of this modest man has done an enormous amount to promote and grow the movement to which they belong, and protect it from invasive legislation.

The Meguiar's Award is designed to celebrate the achievements of a person who has made a significant contribution to the growth, visibility and quality of the UK car enthusiast fraternity. The previous winners have been Lord Montagu of Beaulieu - National Motor Museum, Mark Wilsmore - Ace Café and Tom Wheatcroft - Donington Park.

The independent judging panel, comprising nine eminent motoring journalists, met in London in September to discuss the 14 nominees. After many hours of lively debate, the experts had no hesitation in selecting Geoff ahead of a number of better-known candidates - a very worthy winner of an Award that, in just fours years, has become a highly valued accolade.

Since the 1990s Geoffrey A Smith has played a pivotal role in the development of legislation surrounding the historic vehicle movement in the UK and internationally. He became 'politically' involved in this area after a lengthy career in the motor industry, which encompassed design engineering, manufacturing and personnel. His last industry appointment was with Jaguar Cars, where he was responsible for Human Resources.

He is currently Vice President of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) - a grouping of over 400 clubs and museums and some 1500 trade and individual supporters, the prime aim of which is to 'uphold the freedom to use old vehicles on the roads without any undue restriction'. Geoff was appointed to this position in 2002, having served as Federation Chairman for the previous five years.

He is also a founder member and Director & Trustee of the Historic Vehicle Research Institute (HVRI) and Chairman & Director of the Classic British Quality Charter (CBQC). In 1999 he was elected Vice President of the Federation Internationale Vehicles Anciens (FIVA), and was President of FIVA's Legislation Commission from 2003-2005.

Geoff initiated and co-ordinated the 1996/7 UK research entitled 'Preserving the Past for the Future', which established the historic vehicle movement's contribution to the economy, exports, employment, skills used, effect on leisure etc. He was also the Director responsible for the 2004/6 European research project entitled 'Maintaining Our Mobile Transport Heritage', which obtained similar data to the UK programme from 11 key countries. This was extrapolated to give European-wide results and provide invaluable information to aid FBHVC and FIVA as they monitor and challenge any legislation designed to prevent or minimise the use of historic vehicles on the public roads.

He is also a keen historic motorsport enthusiast, who started rallying in the mid 1950s with Sussex Car and Motorcycle Club in an MG TC and TD. He later became involved with Smiths (Witney) MC as Competition Secretary, organising rallies and driving tests, and from 1994 to 1998 was a Council Member of the Jaguar Car Club. He also somehow finds time to be the Treasurer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).

Geoff Smith was born in Brighton in 1934, educated in nearby Shoreham and spent his first 25 years within the boundaries of Sussex. It was working for the motor industry - in particular Jaguar - that took him to the Midlands, and for the last 34 years he and his wife Dorothy have lived in Leamington Spa.

The Award will be presented to Geoff at a gala dinner at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, on Saturday 17th November, which will be attended by several hundred leading figures from the classic car world, including representatives of all the major car clubs. Proceedings will be compered by Tiff Needell, popular racing driver, journalist and presenter of the Fifth Gear TV programme.

The evening will be jointly hosted by the Managing Director of Meguiar's UK, Steve King, and the President and CEO of the American parent company, Barry Meguiar. The ceremony will be televised in the USA and Canada on the Speed Channel, where Barry Meguiar hosts a popular weekly show called Car Crazy. It will also be reported on Meguiar's global car portal www.carcrazycentral.com.

The Car Crazy TV and radio shows and Car Crazy Central web site result from over 100 years of Meguiar's family passion for cars, originating in 1901 with the foundation of the company by Barry Meguiar's grandfather, that produces car surface care products. More information can be found at: www.meguiars.co.uk