I went to preview day yesterday and would just like to air my feelings about this years show.
This was my first time to Excel as I couldn't make the last show. I travelled down from Staffordshire early yesterday and did not experience any traffic difficulties as anticipated and was directed to "car park B" where I was relieved of £10 to park on a piece of derelict land. The shuttle bus then took us over the river to another piece of waste ground near the entrance where we were greeted by what looked by a load of hastily erected hoardings which made up the entrance, not quite the welcoming experience you would expect for an interntional motor show.
Once inside the perimeter we were greeted by all the events laid on outside the exhibition hall, which although dominated by motor home exhibitors and refreshment stands did give you the feeling of this could be quite a good event. Mazda with there driving experience, Westfield with their drifting show, Vauxhall and their remote control cars, Land Rover and their off road experience and the obligatory go kart track.
On entering excel itself we were totally impressed by the fantastic range of eating and drinking venues, all totally professional and with plenty of seating areas.
When you do enter the main exhibition what first hit me was the impression of how spacious and airy the whole show is. Plenty of space between the stands to walk and plenty of room to move around on all of the manufacturers stands between their exhibits. But all this is for a reason. The total lack of number of major manufacturers at the show. Obviously everything has benn spread out to fill the available space left by the big boys. The amount of space given over to the "green brigade" was ridiculous, particularly when these were the quietest parts of the show given the number of people visiting these stands. Even Ford's always impressive showing was so spread out you felt that there was still a number of cars still to arrive at the show!
Now a personal complaint. Why do manufacturers continue to employ young women on their stands to give the sales pitch to the punters. I can fully agree in having attractive young women on the stands handing out literature and having their picture taken with the exhibits but why oh why try to get them to answer questions by the public when they have no knowledge of the product. One example being that whilst on the Jaguar stand looking at the V8 XF I was approached by said female if I required further information. When I stated to her that the car was a bit short of legroom she said that the car was not really aimed at the younger buyer with a growing family but perhaps the retired couple with no offspring to use the back seat. When I also said I would probably only be interested in the diesel version she told me this particular one was a diesel and that she was not sure whether they did a petrol version!! Not I think what Mr Tata would like to promote his new expensive purchase. The one's that got it right were Mini where the stand was manned by the manufacturers sales and marketing team, who knew the product inside out and gave impressive, informed information. Likewise with Bentley. One exception to the rule seemed to be the young ladies on Peugeot's stand, pleasant, well briefed and able to answer queries effectively.
However if there is a prize for the exhibitor who has the best collection of beautiful women on their stand then that should surely go to Alfa Romeo. I have never seen so many truly attractive women in one place, I would have loved to have had the job of picking that line-up. I know, a very sexist comment, but, what was the busiest stand at the show? Alfa Romeo!
Another disappointment was the retail part of the show, which at Birmingham was always the part to go to after the main event to look at all the accessory stands and model retailers and undoubtedly I would part with too much cash. London had too few exhibitors in this area, some of whom had nothing to do with cars. I do not like being approached at a motor show by N Power salesman asking me to switch energy suppliers! What is all that about?
Overall a big disappointment. With so many of the big players missing, hardly any exotica on show, this was not an International Motor Show, this was a destination to take the family if you live in or around London for a day out, have a look at a few cars, eat and drink, spend some money and have a look at some very expensive boats. I didn't think it was the Motor and Boat Show!
I overheard an executive, from the North West of England, on one of the stands, complaining that no matter what kind of inducement he had offered to his major customers none of them were interested in travelling all the way down to Excel.
Sorry, this was no International Motor Show, Excel is no NEC and quite frankly I left feeling very disappointed. The old Motorfair at Earls Court had more to offer than this.
And to finish on, I got back to the car to find it absolutely covered in white dust, the car park is next to a cement factory!!