The London motor show has rolled into town for the second time since its resurrection last year, and appears to have grown - a little.
Credit where it’s due: the show has improved its new noteworthy metal count to four – the Alpina B4 S, David Brown Mini Remastered, Kahn Vengeance Volante and MG XS. Four UK debuts trounces last year’s two, and shows signs of the show germinating after its merely whelming start last year.
The show, which is held in Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, is still far removed from Frankfurt, Geneva and even New York, granted, but this is progress. Another decade or so and it could be on a par, providing Brexit – the elephant in the room this year, to some extent – doesn’t put paid to its prospects.
Although there’s no Eurovision-like theme to the show each year, British heritage is certainly high on the agenda thanks to Mini exhibits both new and old, numerous Rolls-Royces, Mitsuoka’s prevailing presence at the Mazda stand and various other British (or, in the latter's case, Brit-ish) hits.
More overarching a theme than this, though, is the show’s diversity; manufacturers of all sizes are present, as are tuners, parts suppliers, dealers and restorers. Sure, that’s expected at a motor show, but it shows that the London motor show’s status is on its way to being upgraded from motor show extra, to bona fide industry event.
Read more:
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Poor show- show
There were so many important new cars missing from the line up, Range Rover Velar, Maclaren 720s, Ferrari 812 Superfast, no representation from Pagani, no show from Lotus, even the new fleet of Ford Fiesta's were absent from the line up.
Highlights for me included the one model Tesla stand, the Model X is really special, Elon could should have the new £35k model on show. Porsche was reasonably well represented and the Porsche 911 Turbo S is just perfect. It was good to get a look at the AM Valkyrie.
Other highlights were outside of the show and included a Ferrari 488 GTB, Porsche GT3 RS and a Ferrari 599.
I won't bother with the London Motor Show again especially if it is at Battersea which is a very small venue and it was more of aDealership display than a Motor Show.
If the show was half as good as Geneva, I would be be prepared to pay a premium ticket price.
Next stop will be Geneva and will tie this in with a holiday!
Tiff, I doubt you will read this review but poor show- show!
Russell
Scaled down a bit compared to 10 years ago?
But I find it rather disappointing that the car manufacturers themselves were not showing off there cars it was car dealers around the London area which to say the least is quite sad as it makes it rather obvious that there just after making money.
When I went about 10 years ago it wasn't in the same place but it was absolutely rammed full of car manufacturers showing off the latest designs all car companies pretty much attended. This is what I was expecting but it obviously wasn't to be, even BMW didn't let you sit in the new 7 series or 5 series without asking which to me is a little harsh.
Also they didn't talk much about the cars as these guys were sales reps from BMW which there is nothing wrong with but to show off a car? I'm not too sure.
Some of the cars were lovely but again you weren't aloud in the cars without either asking or queuing up just to sit in the drivers seat! Which is nice in a rolls Royce but again there suppose to be showing off the cars but you don't get the feeling, I get the feeling they just want to make money and sell cars!
At the end of the day cars are just Metal rubber and somtimes plastics put together but as car enthusiasts we don't see it like that so this is why we expect car manufacturers to let us explore the cars. Talk to us what features are new and so on! Not just to try and sell us a car! Which most cars outside were actually for sale hence why you weren't actually aloud inside them!
It's sad how times have changed in 10 years. If you want a good motor show just go to the geniver motor show I intend too next year!
Just been - it was decent enough.