The UK isn’t missing much in terms of classic car events. It already has the best race meetings, club events and many summer lawns awash with the great and the good, whether four-wheeled or two-legged. What it didn’t have, until now, was a top-drawer indoor show to feed our more prestigious car-cravings in the cold, wet, winter months. The show in November at the NEC is brilliant but it tries to cover all kinds of interest and I sometimes get stuck trying, for example, to work out the distinct purposes of the dozen or so different Triumph clubs in attendance alone.
The creators of the London Classic Car Show, at the ExCel facility in London’s Docklands from 8th to 11th January, are aiming to create a permanent and important feature on the calendar, to be mentioned in the same breath as Paris Retromobile and Essen Techno-Classica. It doesn’t compare in scale to those shows, but it is off to a good start and is already confirmed for next year.
So what is it all about?
The show is all about celebrating the best cars. There are themed areas, dealers and suppliers exhibiting their finest wares and a central Grand Avenue, lined with carefully invited cars for the visitors to see and hear as they are paraded up and down the avenue at key points each day.
This year, MotorSport magazine provided a display of cars related to entrants from their Hall of Fame.
Schumacher’s Benetton anyone? Clark’s Lotus? How about a 1934 Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo – the cars the team raced before they built them all themselves.
Newey
Staying on the motor sport theme, at the opposite corner of the one large hall, was an area celebrating the career of a certain Adrian Newey.
There were F1 cars past and present, some of his own collection, including his Ford GT40, as well as other cars that have become important to him over the years including a very rare road-going McLaren F1 race-spec car.
Judging by the photo above, the installation seemed to attract several gentleman sporting the current Adrian Newey hairstyle too.
The display included a lot of interesting information as well as the fine automobiles.
Le Mans
Back to the other end of the hall and, remaining with motor sport, the theme was Le Mans legends. Important cars from Ferrari and Bentley are there and a Gulf liveried GT40 and a Harrods liveried McLaren F1 tie nicely to the Newey cars from before.
Cars That Changed the World
At the remaining corner of the hall, an area has been dedicated to the cars from James May’s television series about important game-changing cars. Entrants like the Mini and the Beetle are as expected, but I wasn’t expecting an honourable mention for the Corgi Aston DB5 model.
I’ve never posted a picture of a Lada before!
James Martin
From one James to another. James Martin is about as well known for his car addiction as for his culinary skills these days, so who better to provide the cafe.
With seats interspersed between a selection of Mr Martin’s classic Minis, this was the only food option inside the hall but there were a good selection of other outlets in the large central foyer and re-entry to the hall was simple enough.
Grand Avenue
In a unique move for an indoor show, the organisers created a Grand Avenue running right through the centre of the hall.
Lined with a selection of important and interesting cars, there was a wide selection on show, with cars as diverse as a Vauxhall droop snoot Firenza and a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder.
More importantly, two or three times a day, the visitors were asked to clear the avenue and the cars were paraded up and down, along to commentary over the PA. I was expecting this to be a little frustrating, but it was much more of a treat than I had envisaged. Seeing the cars on the move allowed you to see all around them. Hearing the engines, albeit trundling along, was very welcome and hearing some factual commentary is certainly easier than trying to find the right page of the programme.
I suppose it was a little like a fashion catwalk. It was a good idea and I hope they retain it.
It was especially interesting for this author because I was persuaded to drive the unique Spanish-converted Ferrari 308 rally car in a couple of the parades. I won’t pretend to tell you how the car drives but it certainly feels special enough pottering along jammed into a race seat, surrounded by exposed fuses and sticky-labelled switches, so I’ll take it as my debut in a race prepared thoroughbred!
Getting behind the scenes to see the cars being started up and marshalled into position was also very interesting, even if I did jump a few feet when they started the Camel Lotus F1 car. (Speaking of which, please go to the TartanTarmac Facebook page to see a great video of that car being skillfully power-slid around an otherwise slightly too tight turn at the top of the avenue!)
Dreams for Sale
Lastly, a few words, but mainly pictures, from the exhibitors at the show. The organisers were going for high-end and with significant displays from the likes of Hexagon, Coys, Joe Macari, Jim Stokes and more, they certainly achieved that.
With a stunning exhibit from Eagle and other cracking stands from CMC, Clayton Classics and JD Classics, the standard of Jaguar E-types on offer was simply staggering, as were most of the prices!
Worth a Visit?
The show promises to be 50% bigger next year. I wouldn’t suggest it needs a full weekend trip from far away, but with reasonable entry prices and good hotel availability around Docklands, it is certainly worth building a broader trip around.
I’ll leave you with two more pictures. The 2015 classic car scene is predicted to be all about the 80’s exotica and for many, myself included, the King of the 80’s cars is the Ferrari 288 GTO. 2015 is also an important anniversary for the Citreon DS. The saloon is important and intriguing, but the convertible “Decapotable” is a real thing of beauty. Enjoy.
