“I’ve got to say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised at just how great this London show is,” enthused Mansell. “It’s always wonderful to see some of my old racing cars and to meet the fans – and they’ve have been absolutely brilliant. To drive cars indoors was pretty special, too – I’ve had a lot of fun and I hope those who came to see me, and the show, enjoyed themselves as much as I did.”
On Saturday, twenty-four hours before Mansell’s theatrical presence, it had been Phillip Glenister’s turn in the spotlight. Renowned for ‘firing up the quattro’ as DCI Gene Hunt in the hugely-popular television series Ashes to Ashes, Glenister had curated a rogue’s gallery of famous Getaway Cars – another of the glittering show’s stand-out exhibits.
With so much to savour, it was no surprise that this year’s London Classic Car Show drew record crowds and further established the mouth-watering retro celebration as the capital city’s premier feast of automotive culture and nostalgia.
Sparkling displays provided by independent vendors ensured all the great marques were well represented in glittering style. AC, Alfa Romeo, Alvis, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Corvette, Jaguar, Lotus, Mercedes, MG, Lamborghini Porsche, Rolls Royce and TVR were all included as well as many lesser known brands adding further to visitor interest and intrigue. Some notable modern classics were also eye-catchers topped by a McLaren P1 hypercar and the amazing new 200+mph Lister Storm which enjoyed its global launch at the show on the opening day.
As well as providing a staggering selection of magnificent classic cars for visitors to relish, dealers confirmed considerable interest from buyers with many significant sales. Saturday’s busy Coys auction also witnessed notable lots coming under the hammer, topped by the sale of a 1984 Ferrari 512BB ‘Boxer’ for more than £260,000.
Adding further to the excitement, the head-turning cars at ExCeL London were not only on static display. No fewer than 60 hand-picked classics – including some thunderous racing cars – were fired up for eye-catching displays on The Grand Avenue.
This year’s theme was ‘Specials’, putting the spotlight on an eye-catching gathering of road and race cars steeped in history and mystique owing to their unique designs and often outlandish performance. Once again, the Grand Avenue enthralled visitors, allowing them to see – and hear – some of their favourite classics in action.
All those attending The London Classic Car Show were also admitted into the new Historic Motorsport International – a complementary show celebrating the UK’s leading role in all areas of historic motor sport. Its presence added yet another exhilarating dimension to the visitor experience and was also home to the Supagard Theatre, where broadcaster Henry Hope-Frost hosted public forums with a number a well-known personalities including both Mansell and Glenister.
“It has been another absolutely fantastic London Classic Car Show,” effused Bas Bungish, Event Director. “We started with the global launch of the incredible Lister Thunder on Thursday evening and ended with Nigel Mansell doing tyre-burning donuts on The Grand Avenue in an F1 car – could you ask for more? Even so, we are determined to keep building on what we’ve achieved and are already planning for an even bigger show in 12-months time.”
To that end, the organisers have already confirmed that next year’s London Classic Car Show will be staged at ExCeL London from 14-17 February in 2019.
