THE Magic Roundabout will close for roadworks for a night in July - and to take advantage of this classic cars will be paraded around it.

The roundabout is due to be shut from 10pm on Friday, July 8, until 8am on Saturday, July 9, to allow for routine maintenance that cannot be performed with traffic moving around.

But now Swindon 175 - the group behind events celebrating 175 years since the founding of the Swindon GWR works - has seized the opportunity to put on a parade.

Onlookers are promised an ‘incredible collection’ of up to 60 classic and modern cars including Minis, Rovers, Triumph, Daimler and other icons of the British car industry driving around in a choreographed display.

All the vehicles involved will have had their body panels pressed at the MINI Plant Swindon, formerly Pressed Steel.

Car enthusiasts will have to get up early to catch a glimpse of the cars with the parade set to start at 7am.

Although Swindon is often thought of as a railway town, the engineering expertise generated at the GWR works has also been responsible for attracting a number of other industries to the area – motoring being just one.

Caroline Black, Swindon175 Project Manager, said: "An incredible collection of up to 60 classic and modern cars, will parade around the world famous and totally unique Magic Roundabout – one of the most incredible traffic management systems ever built.

"And all these cars will have had their body panels pressed at the MINI Plant in Swindon, formerly known as Pressed Steel.

"Taking advantage of the roundabout being closed for routine maintenance, the parade will begin at around 7 on the Saturday morning and will see Minis, Rovers, Triumph, Daimler and other icons of the British car industry drive around in a choreographed display.

"Swindon175 is not just about the railway history but the town’s industrial heritage over the years, and the pressing plant is very much part of that heritage.

"To have such motoring icons parading around the world famous Magic Roundabout is the ideal platform to showcase our incredible history.

"Swindon Borough Council have been fantastic in letting us take advantage of this opportunity to bring a once in a lifetime display to the town."

Chris Mark, general manager of MINI Plant Swindon, said: "MINI Plant Swindon is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and it is wonderful to be able to share this celebration not just with our employees, but also the local community.

"We have a fantastic team working here in Swindon and their skills and expertise has seen this Plant become an important centre of competence within the BMW Group.

"To showcase the huge number of cars that have been pressed at the plant in such a unique manner is a proud moment and a great privilege.’

Tanya Field, a British car enthusiast who has many cars in her collection, said: "I am delighted to be able to help bring cars with panels pressed at Swindon together to celebrate MINI Plant’s sixtieth anniversary. 

"My aim is to represent as many models as I can from the great and varied list of models which have had their panels pressed at Swindon over the past 60 years."

When the parade at the Magic Roundabout has finished, the cars will travel in convoy to Lydiard Park for a static display.

Once again however, anyone wishing to have a look at the cars will have to be quick, the display will only be open until 9.45am.