However, it has to be said that the event did manage to attract more than its fair share of unique manufacturers whose products are seldom seen elsewhere, such as Spyker and Koenigsegg. There was also clear evidence that Britain's allies from across the water were still standing firmly behind the Brits with the likes of Chevrolet, Cadillac and Hummer all staging strong displays.
On an interesting note there, Cadillac showcased a model in its UK lineup which I had never heard of before, the Cadillac BTS. I walked around it, scratching my head, until one of the reps explained that it is actually based on an Opel product, which is the German arm of General Motors. I have to say that I was extremely impressed with the vehicle, which is smaller in size to anything on offer from the company here.
It's a vehicle which I feel could do very well over here now with the rising fuel prices, but we'll just have to see if it shows up on this side of the pond. I must add that the BTS was drawing a lot of attention from the British public as was its big brother, the CTS, which was enjoying its UK debut at the show.
The London event drew a good number of Global Debuts, 23 to be precise, and over 60 UK debuts, including 2 European launches. To be honest, that's pretty big numbers for any auto show and I'm tempted to say that the manufacturers who stayed away from the event will probably end up regretting their decision.
Lots to see and do!
One thing which I have to congratulate the organizers of the British show for was the way in which they catered for the younger visitors. There were lots of attractions and activities to keep them amused, with things like go-kart tracks, fairground rides, and one of my favorites, a display of the actual vehicles used in the hit Disney/Pixar movie "Cars".
Over the years, many automotive shows around the world have shied away from entertaining the kids as it can become a tad expensive for manufactures to be handing out expensive brochures and other stuff to them. My opinion is, if you don't attract the kids when they are young, where will the auto enthusiasts of the future going to come from?
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| Koenigsegg CCX |
On an interesting note there, Cadillac showcased a model in its UK lineup which I had never heard of before, the Cadillac BTS. I walked around it, scratching my head, until one of the reps explained that it is actually based on an Opel product, which is the German arm of General Motors. I have to say that I was extremely impressed with the vehicle, which is smaller in size to anything on offer from the company here.
It's a vehicle which I feel could do very well over here now with the rising fuel prices, but we'll just have to see if it shows up on this side of the pond. I must add that the BTS was drawing a lot of attention from the British public as was its big brother, the CTS, which was enjoying its UK debut at the show.
The London event drew a good number of Global Debuts, 23 to be precise, and over 60 UK debuts, including 2 European launches. To be honest, that's pretty big numbers for any auto show and I'm tempted to say that the manufacturers who stayed away from the event will probably end up regretting their decision.
Lots to see and do!
One thing which I have to congratulate the organizers of the British show for was the way in which they catered for the younger visitors. There were lots of attractions and activities to keep them amused, with things like go-kart tracks, fairground rides, and one of my favorites, a display of the actual vehicles used in the hit Disney/Pixar movie "Cars".
Over the years, many automotive shows around the world have shied away from entertaining the kids as it can become a tad expensive for manufactures to be handing out expensive brochures and other stuff to them. My opinion is, if you don't attract the kids when they are young, where will the auto enthusiasts of the future going to come from?
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