‘Our fine four fendered friend’ has been flying around the world since Ian Fleming first wrote about her in his 1964 novel Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car. She was perhaps made most famous by the United Artists movie released in 1968. From that beautiful musical adventure fantasy film, you may recognize this:

My wife and I visited the famous National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire. Yes, on the estate of Lord Montagu in Great Britain. Well, Chitty isn’t the only one who can fly!

While walking around the museum, I happened to see this:

Unfortunately, the main exhibit with other props from the movie wasn’t to open until after we returned to Canada.

So we had to make do with seeing two of the original cars actually used in the film.

So why do so many people remember this film as being a Disney movie? Maybe it has to do with the fact that Dick Van Dyke starred in the lead. Or maybe it’s because the songs were written by Disney Legends Richard and Robert Sherman. Who can forget the title song, or Toot Sweets, or Hushabye Mountain? Or perhaps you’d prefer a few bars of Me ‘Ol Bam-Boo. And who could forget the beautiful Truly Scrumptous?

For more on why I think this should have been a Disney movie, check out my earlier post entitled Top 5 Non-Disney Disney Movies.

So ‘near, far, (with this) motor car, oh what a happy time (we spent)!’ But there was so much more goodness, weirdness, and fun to be had at this museum. Such as:

And last but not least, lots of photo-ops:

So if you’re ever in the British Isles, be sure to pay a visit to the Lord and his museum! And if you do, remember to travel in style, then you’ll be able to sing:

“We’ll glide on our motor trip, with pride in our ownership. The envy of all we survey!”