The British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire will be opening its Spoiler Alert: The Hot Hatch Story exhibition on Saturday 20th June 2026 in the Rubery Owen Gallery. The exhibition will be available to view as part of the museum ticket until Spring 2027.
The exhibition harks back to the golden age of hot hatches, think Peugeot 205 GTI, Ford Escort XR3 or Volkswagen Golf GTI. This exhibition is inspired by the energetic atmosphere of car meets and the bold visuals of era-defining car magazines, immersing visitors in the 80s and 90s hot hatch culture in a space brimming with nostalgia.
Iconic hatchbacks on display include a 1983 Renault 5 Alpine, 1981 VW Golf GTI, 1990 Vauxhall Astra Mk 2, 1981 Ford Escort XR3, 1988 Peugeot 205 GTI and a 2021 Honda Civic Type R built in the Swindon works before its closure (it is signed by all the Honda workers). Also on display is the 1985 Group B era MG Metro 6R4 rallied by Tony Pond and others.
Visitors will love exploring the enduring legacy of these iconic vehicles, with each car having a newspaper style hoarding with key facts around its launch. The exhibition has lots of information around the origin, rise, design, details and early drawings and mock-ups and terminology from that hot hatch era.
Visitors will be able to customise their own hot hatch designs and enjoy an interactive hot hatch themed photo opportunity, as this new exhibition celebrates their lasting impact on automotive culture to this day.
The 1980s and 90s marked the golden era of hot hatches, which brought a legendary combination of the lightweight practicality of an everyday family car with turbocharged engines, sharp suspension, and sportscar styling. Celebrated for their accessible performance, the hot hatches became cultural icons and remain highly sought after by enthusiasts today.
Cat Boxall, Curator at the British Motor Museum, said, “We’re really excited to open this exhibition celebrating hot hatches! Those born in the 1960s, 70s & 80s will fondly remember these ‘souped-up’ cars as their first or second cherished vehicles. Many have reached classic status and are now as highly prized as some supercars!”.
Also, just open on the mezzanine level is a new major exhibition Forza Horizon 6: The Experience, open until November 2026. This explores what happens when digital car culture meets the real world. Inspired by one of the world's most influential automotive gaming franchises, set against the stunning landscapes of Japan, this is your chance to get up close to the cars, the culture and the creativity behind the game.
The museum has brought together some of the most iconic machines from Forza Horizon 6. Stand next to the 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI, walk around the 1992 Nissan Skyline R32, the gorgeous 2021 Bentley Continental GT convertible, a 2010 Jaguar C-X75 (as seen in the James Bond movie ‘Spectre’), the 2021 Lotus Emira, a rally spec Lancia Stratos HF Stradale as well as the impossibly small 1962 Peel P50.
Play the game in our Xbox interactive zone, surrounded by the cars that inspired it – including an accessible controller setup in partnership with SpecialEffect, so everyone can take part. Get behind the wheel on state-of-the-art racing simulators and post a lap time, go behind the game and discover how Playground Games digitally rebuilt real-world cars, designed Japan's landscapes, and created what many consider the greatest open-world racing game ever made.
Meet the people - stories and insights from the developers, designers, and artists who made Forza Horizon 6. Find Tank, the Forza Horizon mascot, hidden through the Museum.
Good for Forza fans, car lovers, and families who want something they won't find anywhere else.
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