Gentlemen, start your engine - the 24,000km trip of trips has begun

On the first leg of their epic journey, Warren Brown and Matthew Benns are farewelled with ‘warmest good wishes’ by King Charles as they drive their 100-year-old Bean 14 1200km across western Europe to Salzburg in Austria.

The Daily Telegraph’s Bean Team has hit the road and covered more than 1200 km since they were farewelled from the Australia House in London on Friday morning.

Cartoonist Warren Brown and Editor-at-large Matthew Benns have put the 100-year-old Bean 14 roadster through its paces to reach Salzburg in Austria on Monday night.

“The car has run like a train and as we get miles under the wheels it seems to get better and better every day,” a delighted but windblown Brown said.

The pair were farewelled by Australian Deputy High Commissioner Elisabeth Bowes and Miss England Milla Magee with a letter expressing the “warmest good wishes” of King Charles for the success for the 24,000 km journey.

Warren Brown and Matthew Benns in their Bean roadster in London with Miss England and two policemen before they set off. Picture: Jamie Lorriman

They are raising funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and at an event at the RAC Club in Pall Mall in London last week Lord Glendonbrook donated $120,000 to the cause.

See where in the world the adventurers are in the map below:

On Friday the Bean swept through Kent to Dover and crossed the Channel on a ferry bound for Dunkirk in France. From there on Saturday they drove more than 305 km to Han-sur-Lesse in Belgium.

Warren Brown parks the Bean 14 roadster outside the Dunkirk war memorial in France en route to Austria via Germany.

Sunday saw the red sportster flashing around Luxembourg and on to Bad Bergazem in Germany before a 500 km drive on Monday to Salzburg in Austria.

“All along the way we have been swamped with well wishers,” said Brown. “Cars honk on the motorway and slow down to take videos before giving us the thumbs up. It is an amazing experience.”

Daily Telegraph cartoonist Warren Brown takes a well-earned break from driving in Belgium.

One of those taken with the historic pedigree of the Bean was Bernd Rosemeyer III whose grandfather raced as part of the famous Silver Arrows team in the 1930s for Auto Union.

“Unfortunately he was killed attempting a speed record in 1938 ... he was driving the Auto Union Streamliner with a 16 cylinder engine in the car and when he was killed he was driving 435km/h on a normal highway,” he said.

The majestic snow-capped peaks of Austria beckon as Benns and Brown putter through the countryside in their 100-year-old vehicle.

The four cylinder Bean car with its 14 horse power motor is nowhere near the league of the Streamliner of Mr Rosemeyer’s grandfather but it still captured his imagination enough for him to want to join the expedition to Australia.

“I have petrol in my veins,” he said. “If there was a spare seat I would hop in.”

Follow the Birtles and the Bean journey live.

Originally published as Gentlemen, start your engine - the 24,000km trip of trips has begun