Bangers 4 Ben - Motor Shows Ltd

Bangers4Ben The Ultimate Automotive Adventure. 2nd - 6th October 2026

Since 2009, Bangers4Ben has been taking intrepid teams from across the automotive industry — and beyond — on unforgettable road trips across Europe, all in the name of a fantastic cause, raising funds for the automotive charity Ben.

Now rolling into our 18th year, Bangers4Ben has raised over £700,000 for automotive charity Ben and covered more than 20,000 miles of questionable motoring. As we cruise toward our 20th anniversary, together with Automotive Compliance we’re setting an ambitious challenge to everyone: Hit £1million raised by 2028. Ambitious? Yes. Impossible? Never. Not with this lot…..

Past routes have taken in some truly iconic stops — from Maranello and Monaco to Spa, Silverstone, the Nürburgring and even the spectacular Alps. Over just four epic days, with support from The AA, teams cover around 2,000 miles in cars that cost no more than £750 — lovingly, creatively and hilariously transformed into themed masterpieces, before setting off. Once home, the cars are auctioned off, with all proceeds donated to Ben, the automotive industry’s dedicated charity.

Bangers4Ben 2026 - The pyrenees

From 2–6 October 2026, our fearless fleet of budget bangers (and the equally fearless humans driving them) will be setting off for a destination we’ve never tackled before. Think French flair, sweeping bends, and enough paella to fill a boot. Yes—we’re heading to the legendary Pyrenees for the best driving roads they can throw at us. And this year? We’re dialling things way up.

We’ve scoured the internet, interrogated seasoned drivers, and even sent ourselves ahead to test the routes—just to make sure we’ve picked the absolute cream of the alpine twisties and the best stop-off spots. All in the name of science…. And fun….. Mostly fun.

The legends at Automotive Compliance have been long-standing supporters of Ben. The companies commitment to the cause runs deep and the founding directors Paul & Paul are part of the Bangers family with countless appearances under their belts. This year Automotive Compliance are stepping in to help us level up the event and power our fundraising to new heights as the very first Bangers4ben headline sponsor. With their support, 2026 is shaping up to be our best year yet.

Friday - The Adventure begins

We’ll all meet at Portsmouth Ferry Terminal on Friday evening before boarding our overnight ferry to Caen, sailing at 11pm.

Thanks to the legends at Cazoo, everyone has a proper cabin for the crossing. No sleeping on benches. No pretending those chairs are comfortable. Just a decent night’s sleep before the fun starts.

The ferry also has bars, restaurants and plenty of places to grab a drink, meet your fellow Bangers and begin the important discussions…

“How far do you reckon mine will get?”

“What’s that knocking noise?”

“It’s been doing that for months…”

You know… the usual.

Saturday - Le mans, legends & The Long Drive South

We roll off the ferry nice and early and make our way to somewhere every petrolhead should visit at least once… Le Mans.

You’ll have time to visit the incredible 24 Hours of Le Mans Museum, packed with legendary racing cars, Le Mans winners, Formula One cars, historic prototypes and over a century of motorsport history.

Even if you don’t normally spend weekends watching endurance racing, it’s impossible not to appreciate the engineering, history and sheer madness that has made Le Mans the most famous endurance race on earth.

If you’re into cars… You’ll love it.

If you’re not into cars… You’ll still love it.

Lunch is then taken just a stone’s throw from the world-famous Mulsanne Straight—a road that has witnessed some of the greatest moments in motorsport history.

Then comes the only bit of the weekend where we’ll ask you to settle in, stick on a playlist and point the bonnet south. It’s a fair drive to Bordeaux…but trust us… It’s taking us somewhere very, very special.

The team have worked their usual magic and found us a fantastic hotel right near the centre of Bordeaux, where we’ll enjoy dinner together, a few drinks and spend the evening debating whose masterpiece is making the most concerning noises.

Sunday - This is Where It Gets Really Good

After breakfast we head towards Pau, stopping in a tiny French village where we’ve stumbled across one of our favourite discoveries from the recce for lunch.

The owners are putting together an incredible local charcuterie lunch exclusively for us, featuring regional cheeses, cured meats, fresh bread and produce sourced from the surrounding area. It’s proper French hospitality.

Then…

The mountains begin. From here we climb into the Pyrenees via the spectacular Col du Pourtalet. If you’ve never driven it before, Imagine mile after mile of sweeping bends, climbing roads, stunning valleys, snow-capped peaks (depending on the weather), and scenery so ridiculous you’ll genuinely wonder whether someone forgot to tell you you’ve driven onto a film set. These are, without question, some of the finest driving roads in Europe.

By late afternoon we’ll cross into Spain and arrive at one of the most unique hotels we’ve ever stayed in. A beautifully restored 17th-century monastery. Originally built by Carmelite monks, this incredible building has been transformed into a luxury hotel while retaining all of its original character, stone cloisters and peaceful surroundings.

It’s certainly not your average Bangers hotel… Although the fleet of bangers parked outside will probably bring it down a notch or two.

This is where we’ll be hosting our Bangers Pub Quiz alongside announcing the winner of the last two days Treasure hunt in the bar !

Monday - Possibly The Greatest Day we've ever had

We’ve run a lot of rallies over the years. Alongside many of you, we’ve driven thousands of miles and discovered some incredible roads. But we honestly think Monday is the best driving day we’ve ever put together.

We’ll be climbing back into the mountains, winding our way through Spain before crossing back into France over the legendary Col d’Aspin. This road is simply sensational, fast sweeping bends, tight mountain hairpins, long flowing valleys, huge climbs, huge descents and views that make you stop every five minutes for another photo.

Your tyres might not thank you…but you’ll spend the whole day grinning.

We head into Lourdes for a pilgrimage of a different kind, where lunch will be served overlooking the stunning Lac de Lourdes, before we make our way back to Bordeaux for one final evening together, where it’s time for the Bangers4Ben Awards.

Tuesday - Homeward Bound

After an early breakfast we’ll head straight back to Caen to catch the ferry home. Where a spot of last minute shopping can be had on the outskirts of town for great cheese, wine and gifts for those at home.

By then you’ll have covered around 1,500 miles, driven some of the greatest roads Europe has to offer, made memories you’ll be talking about for years and raised an incredible amount for Ben.

Somehow on our recce It all felt like it was over far too quickly. But if our trip was anything to go by… Bangers4Ben 2026 is going to be something pretty special.

The theme? Back To The 80's.

Think neon. Think leg warmers. Think big hair and even bigger ideas. Dust off those outfits lurking at the back of your wardrobe—finally, a legitimate excuse to wear them in public.

This is a great opportunity to go really mad with your car theme, we’re hoping that we will have the best collection of themed cars ever in 2026!

Whether you’re a petrolhead, a motoring misfit, or simply chasing memories of shoulder pads and dodgy hair you’ll never forget, Bangers4Ben 2026 promises sweeping roads, dodgy gearboxes, and a whole lot of paella.

Places are limited and will disappear faster than a banger on a 20% incline—so sign up now for your chance to join Bangers4Ben 2026!

What's The Challenge Again?

Simple: Take a car worth no more than £750, drive it to the Pyrenees, conquer some of the best mountain roads in Europe, then bring it home again. Preferably in one piece.

More than just a road trip, Bangers4Ben is all about camaraderie, creativity, and community spirit. Expect wild paint jobs, ridiculous costumes, and teams going all-in for an incredible cause. Ben supports people in the automotive industry through tough times—and every mile driven helps fuel that mission.

About the Challenge

Budget: A car costing no more than £750 which is then sold for charity on return
Mission: Drive it to the Pyrenees and back
Roads: Some of Europe’s finest and most technical mountain passes
Spirit: Camaraderie, creativity, community and plenty of automotive chaos
Fundraising: Teams are challenged to raise £2000 each including the sale value of their car

Entry fee for 2026 will be £1250 per team, which covers 1 car and 2 people.

Your Entry fee also covers

Return Ferry from Portsmouth to Caen – Overnight on Friday to Caen, returning on Tuesday afternoon.
Accommodation (twin room) for 2 people on Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Evening Dinner on Saturday, Sunday and Monday Evening
Breakfast on all 4 days
Lunch on Sunday and Monday at the designated stop points
Full breakdown cover and event support provided by the AA
Event stickers and participation award for all teams

Places for the 2026 event are strictly limited and expected to sell out quickly. To secure one of the limited team slots for Bangers4Ben 2026, click the link below