TOP FIVE LONDON MOTOR SHOWS

Autumn is traditionally the motor show season, and from 1937 until 1976, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders favoured Earls Court. Here are five of the London events that this writer wished he were old enough to have seen in person:

1948

The first London Motor Show since 1938 attracted some 562,954 visitors to marvel at the Jaguar XK120, the Austin A90 Atlantic and the Sunbeam-Talbot 90. In addition, the Nuffield Group unveiled five new Morris and Wolseley models ranging from the Minor MM to the Six Eighty. The waiting lists were years long, as Britain’s motor manufacturers needed to export 75% of their output to qualify for a steel quota. If you did manage to buy a new car, you were required to sign a covenant agreeing not to sell it within a stipulated period. But the motorist could still dream...

1955

This year’s attractions were many and varied: the Fiat 600, the company’s first rear-engine car, the Jaguar 2.4 for all Terry-Thomas style drivers and the incredibly elegant MGA. There was also the Rolls Royce Silver Cloud, while there was the Sunbeam Rapier for the ‘jaunty’. For the very sensible, Standard offered the Vanguard Phase III. The Hooper stand showcased the Daimler ‘Golden Zebra’ with gold plated coachwork and, yes, zebra skin upholstery. Above all, there was the new model from Citroën. Slough billed the DS as the ‘2-Litre Six- Seater saloon’, but the French publicity was more eloquent: “Quand vous avez dit ‘Citroën’, vous avez tout dit”. “When you have said ‘Citroën’, there is nothing more to say”:

1959

It was the year of the Ford Anglia 105E and the Triumph Herald. Meanwhile, sports car enthusiasts inspected Austin Healey 3000, Daimler SP250 ‘Dart’ and the Sunbeam Alpine. Furthermore, Detriot offered a new generation of ‘Compacts’: the Chevrolet Corvair, the Ford Falcon, and the Plymouth Valiant. Those in the market for a large saloon inspected the BMC ‘Big Farina’ while the Jaguar Mk. 2 3.8 appealed to motorists who wished to take advantage of the M1 motorway next month. The Fiat 2100 and Mercedes Benz 220 ‘Fintail’ looked most impressive, while the Moskvitch and the Volga from the USSR were highly intriguing. As for the Daimler Majestic Major and the Rolls-Royce Phantom V, they were downright imposing. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this was the year of two new cars from the British Motor Corporation: the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin ‘Seven’.

1962

On the Ford stand, there was the Zephyr Zodiac Mk. III and the recently launched Consul Cortina. The MG display showcased the B, while Triumph attracted crowds with their ‘Spitfire 4’. The Lotus Elan looked truly remarkable, and for those visitors with understanding bank managers, there was the Jensen CV8. However, Vauxhall’s latest Velox/Cresta PB was probably slightly more practical for daily transport. And BMC offered the new Morris 1100, the Mini formula writ large and one of the most significant cars in post-war British motoring:

1965

Some marvelled at the Renault 16, while others were impressed by the Triumph 1300 and the MGB GT. Toyota made its UK debut while for the well-heeled, there was the Mercedes Benz W108, the BMW 2000CS or Aston Martin DB6. But the ‘Car of The Show’ was almost certainly the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Not only did it feature monocoque bodywork in place of the Silver Cloud’s separate chassis, but there was also all-disc braking and self-levelling suspension. Plus, it looked quite magnificent, so why not call Jack Barclay on MAYfair 7444 to arrange a test drive?

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