But why is the Cannonball Run Europe so popular and addictive? Watch the trailer (below) of the blockbusting 1981 movie The Cannonball Run and you’ll get an idea of the glamour, thrills and excitement involved.
Not to mention unforgettable memories and full-on fun. Dean Martin and Sammy Davis JNR disguised as Catholic priests raising hell in a Ferrari 308 GTS. Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise starring in a souped-up Dodge Tradesman ambulance. Roger Moore up to his usual mischief in his tricked-out Aston Martin DB5.
For petrolheads, Cannonball Run Europe offers the ultimate driving experience.
Being free to cut loose on the open roads of Europe is pure exhilaration all the way. It’s a week of not knowing which country you will end up in, but not worrying about it, because it’s always luxurious, unique and all taken care of. A week in which every day involves stunning scenery and luxurious hotel stays with surprises around every bend.
Mystery: James Bond fans will love the fast-moving top secret nature of the event.
Only the start and finish points are known, with a mystery 2500-mile playground in-between. With Cannonball Run Europe, each day is a separate stage, so you can win the day but not necessarily the week. It’s all about the average speed, applying strategy and staying sharp at all times.
Especially in the morning, when you need to wake up, pack up, grab breakfast, check-out, grab your Top Secret envelope with the day’s destination revealed, and hope you can exit the hotel car park in pole position.
Then the thrill really begins, whether cracking across the Chianti wine region of Tuscany, winding through the snow-capped peaks of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road or some other unforgettably scenic region of Europe.
As every country has its own police laws, drivers need to be on the ball or have a Call Saul number stashed somewhere.
Being pulled over by cops, just so they can have a selfie with your supercar is not unheard of. In these instances, it helps to repeat the mantra that ‘the Cannonball is an experience not a race’.
In addition to the thrill of the chase, a warm camaraderie develops among the participants. A sensational dinner awaits every evening at carefully selected overnight hotels in specially chosen towns.
Favourite après-drive experiences from previous Cannonball Runs include sipping champagne high above the Croatian coast, savouring clam tagliatelle with the Duomo in Milan as a backdrop, breakfast overlooking Portugal’s Douro Valley from the terrace restaurant of the Six Senses hotel and the finale party in Eclipse, the glass-enclosed top floor of the skyscraping W Barcelona Hotel in Spain.
Epic: 2,500 miles across Europe
With all these vivid, life-affirming experiences on offer, the Cannonball Run is a must for connoisseurs of beautiful cars and luxury destinations.
Plus, cross the finish line in first place and you’ll take home two nights’ accommodation for two couples at the luxury 5☆ Castello del Nero, set within the heart of the Chianti wine region in the Tuscan town of Tavernelle Val di Pesa.
As well as unwinding in the converted 12th century castle set in rolling hills, this grand prize also includes a day’s use of a supercar with 150km worth of fuel, courtesy of AutoXotica, the UK's newest, sexiest supercar club.
So be fast (not furious) and act NOW to reserve your place on the Original Cannonball Run Europe 2017!
