Currently reading: London Motorexpo 2013: full report and gallery

Canary Wharf hosts the UK round of the Motorexpo - a unique chance for the public to get up close to the newest cars on sale

The London Motorexpo was the motor show designed specifically for Canary Wharf and, even though it’s been going since 1996, and remains a fan favourite for those wanting to get close to the latest cars to go on sale.

The 2013 event, which runs all this week around Canary Wharf, is no different, with UK premieres for the new facelifted Skoda Superb and Jaguar's XJR super saloon.  

Motorexpo isn’t for everyone though, it seems. Notable exemptions from the manufacturers not exhibiting include Ford, Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

As well as the mass-produced cars on show, the Motorexpo is also used by smaller manufacturers to show off their niche designs. Among them this year was British manufacturer Lightning, showing off the latest version of its GT electric supercar.

Turkish manufacturer Karsan arrived with its Concept V1, which was among the top three finalists in the NYC Taxi of Tomorrow tender competition.

Here’s the Autocar guide to what’s on display at the London Motorexpo:

Jaguar XJR

The London MotorExpo is the UK debut for Jaguar’s XJR – the 542bhp super-saloon we first saw at the New York motor show earlier this year. The car is expected to be on sale this summer with a price tag of £92,500.

Chrysler Ypsilon

Chrysler used its tie-in with the new Superman movie to create a photo opportunity for visitors to the Motorexpo using its Ypsilon city car. A special ‘Man of Steel’ version of both the Ypsilon and Delta is now available, with extra features like new 16in black alloy wheels and twin chrome tailpipers available.

Karsan Concept V1

Karsan’s Concept V1 was among the top three finalists in the NYC Taxi of Tomorrow tender. Although the NV200 concept from Nissan won the deal, the Concept V1 has now been redeveloped as a platform for motorists with reduced mobility – including the elderly and disabled.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

The latest version of the Grand Cherokee goes on sale in the UK in July, so the Motorexpo is the perfect opportunity for potential buyers to see the SUV in the flesh. Accompanying the 2014 Grand Cherokee is a new 3.0 litre diesel engine option which, when mated to a new 8-speed automatic gearbox gives a driving range of around 770 miles.

Jaguar F-Type

The Jaguar stand at Motorexpo can expect a fair number of visitors over the course of the week as motoring fans flock to see the new F-type for the first time. Both the V8 and V6 versions of the car are on display.

Advertisement

Read our review

Car review

The Jaguar F-Type convertible provides direct competition to the 718 Boxster and the 911 Cabriolet, but can the big cat take a bite out of its Porsche rivals?

Back to top

McLaren 12C Spider

Inside the towering One Canada Square building a range of premium manufacturers have set up shop, with McLaren taking centre stage with both the MP4-12C Coupé and Spider on show. The company is also teasing the arrival of the P1 with a series of design blueprints blown up on the walls of the building.

Range Rover Sport

The Range Rover Sport dominates the rear lobby of One Canada Square, with its Range Rover sibling also garnering plenty of attention. Priced from £51,550 up to an eye-watering £81,550 the car is already available to order with deliveries expected in Q3 of this year.

Radical RXC

Radical’s Le Mans-inspired RXC is billed as a racer for the road, and on paper it seems to find the balance between handling and performance easily. A low-maintenance Ford V6 engine provides the power for most models, while a 480bhp variant of Radical’s RP-Series V8 is also available for those seeking an even bigger thrill.

Mercedes SLS AMG

The SLS AMG seems to have struck a chord with those working in and around Canary Wharf, if the throngs of people queueing up to take a seat in the demonstration version is anything to go by. Still, the financial district is probably the best place for Mercedes to show the car, with its price tag of £168,485.

Lightning GT

The Lighting GT supercar has been seen at a number of shows and in various stages in the run up to it becoming a full production model. That’s still some way off, although Lightning says it is targeting sales of 250 units per year. 

Skoda Superb

The facelifted Skoda Superb has its UK debut at the MotorExpo. Headlines for the updated model focus on its fuel economy, which is up to 67.3mpg on the GreenLine version. C02 emissions remain low, too, down to 109 g/km.

Tesla Model S

Back to top

Tesla is expecting a good turnout this week, with a spokesperson telling Autocar they expect at least 30 orders to be placed over the course of the show. The car's innovative interior and stylish design is sure to attract passing office workers from the surrounding skyscrapers.

Mercedes-Benz S-class

With the first examples of the Mercedes-Benz flagship expected to arrive in UK dealerships in September, Mercedes is keen to show off the new S-class to the public. The new model effectively has to fill two gaps, not only replacing the outgoing S-class model but also acting as a replacement for the discontinued Maybach brand.

Seat Leon SC

Priced from £22,335 the Leon SC is a shorter, lower and wider version of the existing five-door Leon. Expected to be seen in UK showrooms next month, the SC is expected to make use of the same range of engines from the five-door model – meaning a 178bhp 1.8 TSI will be the initial range-topper for petrol options.

Infiniti Q50

We first saw the Infiniti Q50 at the Geneva Motor Show ahead of its official arrival in the UK in autumn this year. Infiniti says the Q50 will establish it as a key player in the premium market, helping it to win customers from its German rivals.

Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you’ll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here.

Join the debate

Comments
5
Add a comment…
J400uk 15 June 2013

Pricing is wrong

The Leon SC does not start from £22,335 , its significantly cheaper than that!

owenmahamilton 11 June 2013

The Karsan Concept V1 appears

The Karsan Concept V1 appears to have no headlights so no wonder it didn't win the NYC Taxi of Tomorrow tender as it's not roadworthy without headlights!

johnfaganwilliams 10 June 2013

WTF?

when is it? What hours, what days. Where is it. C'mon guys, you remember being a journalist, where, when, why, what etc...... How old was the parrot? Jesus.

sw4man 11 June 2013

You follow the hyperlink in

You follow the hyperlink in the first sentence...