Countdown underway to UK’s biggest motor show – and look at what’s already planned!

Today should have been the opening day of the return of the much-anticipated British Motor Show. So although we are all a little sad here, we thought we would remind ourselves about what’s already planned at next year’s event.

No other Motor Show has ever delivered such a variety of content, celebrity guests and live action, nor has it had such a focus on supporting our incredible industry, which contributes £18.6 billion to the British economy at a time when it needs it most. 

So today, it’s time to take a look at the list of what’s planned for the country’s premier automotive expo at Farnborough next August.

• Live Arena – One of the main attractions is surely going to be the Live Arena. Paul Swift will be putting on no less than 3 different stunt shows each day, with a variety of classic and new cars. When Paul isn’t in the arena, we will have a variety of classic car and supercar parades, record breakers, solar cars, live group tests, mountain bike displays and more…

• Live Stage – Want to hang out with some of the most famous faces in motoring, take part in a quiz or have a bit of fun? The Live Stage is where you will find it, hosted by Mr Wheeler Dealer himself Mike Brewer. The stage will host celebrity interviews, quizzes, prize giveaways, panel sessions, new product launches and more, sure to be packed throughout the weekend.

• Celebrities – Mike Brewer will be joined by a host of celebrities from the motoring world including Tim Shaw & Fuzz Townshend from CAR SOS, Mike Brewer, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Zef Eisenberg, Mike Rutherford and stars from the world of motorsport and TV.

• Paul Swift stunt show – Paul won’t just be putting on an amazing show in the arena, he will also be bringing his Drift Experience to the event, where visitors will be able to book and receive a one-on-one drift lesson from Paul and his team. Places will be limited and will be going on sale soon.

• Crayzee creations – Our Crayzee car corner is where you will find the weird and the wonderful, from monster trucks to modified cars. The Crayzee car area will bring you a huge display of wild and wacky cars, mental motorbikes, oddball caravans, upcycled automotive art and extreme machines. If you like the unusual, you’ll love our Crayzee area.

• Robot making competition – The team behind the Crayzee car area will be challenging car clubs, companies and members of the public to make a static robot out of car parts to display on our Robot Red Carpet. Anyone who would like to have a go can contact the team directly at www.indigogo.co.uk. It’s free to enter and we’ll be offering a star prize to the winning entry.

• Britain’s Biggest Car Brain – Our competition to find Britain’s biggest car brain is already well underway, with thousands of people taking part. Over the next 12 months we will be whittling thousands of participants down to 15 finalists who will join us at the show for our live finals, eventually awarding one person the accolade of Britain’s Biggest Car Brain!

• Zef Eisenberg’s Record Breakers – As well as presenting Speed Freaks on ITV, Zef holds various land speed records for motorcycle racing. Zef’s collection of record-breaking machines will be joined on display by a variety of British automotive record breakers. Zef will also host a session on the live stage and we hope to have a very special record breaker live in the arena too…

• Retro-Electric Live. An entire dedicated show hosted within The British Motor Show dedicated to classic and older cars that have been converted to electric. This is a rapidly growing industry and the UK are leading the world. We’ll have owners’ cars, converters and suppliers on hand such as Electrogenic and eDub Services to show off these amazing conversions and answer your questions. We’ll also have an Electrogenic special Type 2 VW in the arena, where Paul Swift will show you that electric cars are anything but dull…

• Absolute Detailing Owners Enclosure. The Owners Enclosure will feature an amazing collection of classic and rare cars on show together. Only the best cars will be chosen for the Owners Enclosure, designed to reflect a great variety of automotive classics from the 1950’s through to the modern day.

• Supercar Paddock. The Supercar Paddock is where you will find a collection of super-rare and super-expensive supercars. We will be offering visitors the chance to get up close to cars that they may well never have seen in the flesh, with an additional group of cars making a lot of noise in our Live Arena. For a true car lover this is a parade that will never be forgotten.

• Owners Clubs – Our Classic Car Hall will be filled with an amazing array of classic cars on display. Over 30 owners’ clubs from around the country will be displaying their best cars both in the classic halls and outside the main halls. From muscular Mustangs, to fantastic Fords, awesome Alfa’s and slinky Citroens, there will be something for everyone. 

• The IMI Technology Theatre – The IMI Technology Theatre, supported by the Institute for the Motor Industry, will be running throughout the show, delivering a variety of expert advice and helping visitors understand the latest automotive technology in easily digestible sessions. Our experts will be on hand to help educate and inform,. Whether you are looking for your next car, or just interested in the latest tech, this is the part of the show for you.

• The Electric Vehicle Zone – The Select Car Leasing Electric Vehicle Zone will feature a collection of all the latest electric cars in one place, helping you explore the vehicles and talk to our independent experts about the latest EV technology. Looking to buy electric? This will help you understand what car is right for you and ask all those questions you have never asked before!

• The Piazza – The Piazza is where you will find our group of amazing automotive artists. They won’t just be selling their artwork though. You will be able to watch these amazing artists creating live, right in front of your very eyes, or maybe take part.

• Tech Hall – The Tech Hall will not only be playing host to The IMI Technology Theatre and The Select Car Leasing EV zone, but will also feature suppliers displaying the latest in automotive technology. The UK is a world leader in technology and the Tech Hall will be showing exactly why! 

• AFC Energy Alternative drivE experience – It’s not just about looking at the latest cars, once you have heard about the technology and seen the cars in the halls, the AFC energy Alternative drivE experience will give visitors the chance to test electric cars for themselves around the 2km of test drive routes within the grounds of the venue!

• Test Drive – If an electric vehicle isn’t right for you just yet, our test drive experience will have a selection of the latest petrol, diesel and hybrid cars for you to test drive at the show.

• Automotive Careers Expo – On Thursday August 19, our Automotive Careers Expo will be demonstrating all the opportunities that the UK automotive industry has to offer. From apprenticeships in design, to motorsport, marketing, technology and more. We will have a dedicated area of the show to help those considering their next move to consider all the opportunities in the industry.

• 100 years of the Motor Show – In partnership with Snap-On Tools we will be displaying a selection of the best cars from the last 100 years of motor shows. From Model T Fords through to the latest electric cars, we will be picking our favourites to put on show.

• Under 17 driving lessons – We want to re-engage the younger generation with the car again and what better way than offering under 17s the opportunity to get behind the wheel. In partnership with The Big Learner Relay we will be offering under 17s driving lessons at the show, with all proceeds raised going to charity.

• Sporting Bears – The Sporting Bears will be at the show with their amazing collection of vehicles on hand, offering passenger rides in supercars, classic cars and modified cars. Always fancied a ride in a McLaren? Then this will be your chance to get a ride in a car of your choice on the country roads around Farnborough.

• Kidz Zone – The show isn’t just for adults of course, and our Kidz Zone will ensure we have something to keep the younger car fans busy. With model building, painting, Go-karting experiences and stage sessions just for the younger fans, this will be a day for the whole family!

• Motorsport –  A motor show wouldn’t be complete without motorsport. Our motorsport area will be showing off the different varieties of motorsport available in the UK, from karting to under-17 series and BTCC or Porsche Carrera racing, we’ll have famous cars and drivers all weekend.

• Caterham Drift Taxi – One of the most amazing experiences you will ever have is joining a qualified Caterham driving instructor whilst they whirl you round and around their arena, drifting between cones and around each other. The Caterham Drift Taxi is one experience you will never forget!

• Marketplace – Our Marketplace will feature a variety of retailers offering you automotive-related products and gifts. From cleaning equipment, to driving holidays, toy cars to real ones, there will be something for everyone and every budget.

• New cars – Oh and did we mention there will be lots and lots of cars on show too? Yes, the traditional motor show is core to what we do. 

And there is more to come…

While it was disappointing to have to reschedule this year’s show due to the pandemic when we had already built up so much support, it has allowed us to concentrate on making the show even better, giving car fans and families an even more amazing day out in 2021.