British International Motor Show
The British International Motor Show was an annual motor show held by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders between 1903 and 2008 in England and now hosted by an independent organisation of motor industry individuals
Initially held in London at The Crystal Palace, Olympia and then the Earls Court Exhibition Centre, it moved to the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham in 1978, where it stayed until 2004. It was held at ExCeL London in 2006 and 2008.
The 2010 and 2012 events were cancelled due to the global financial crisis. An alternative London Motor Show operated from 2016-2019. The British Motor Show is returning in August 2020, being hosted at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre.
History
Britain's first motor show—for horseless carriages—was held in South Kensington in 1896 at the Imperial Institute under the auspices of Lawson's Motor Car Club.The first British Motor Show organised by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders was held at The Crystal Palace, London in 1903, the same year that the speed limit was raised from to by the Motor Car Act 1903 and two years before the formation of The Automobile Association.
In 1905, it moved to Olympia, London, where it was held for the next 32 years before moving to the Earls Court Exhibition Centre from 1937 until 1976, except for the period of World War II during which time there were no shows. From 1978 until 2004, it was held every second year at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, with the 2004 event being held in May, rather than the traditional October, to avoid a clash with the Paris Motor Show. The 1980 event was attended by both the actor Lewis Collins and the stand-up comedian Stewart Lee.
The July 2006 and July 2008 shows were held at ExCeL London. The 2010 and 2012 shows were cancelled due to the global financial crisis.
Between 2016 and 2019 there were annual motor shows held under the London Motor Show banner, but the British Motor Show returns in August 2020, moving to a new location in Farnborough with a new format which includes a focus on automotive technology and classic cars as well as new cars and supplier halls.
Locations
Earls Court
The cars listed are those announced in the late summer lead up to the show or during it. Manufacturers did announce other cars at times to suit them and as that practice grew the public lost interest and the motor show finished its long run in the middle of the 1970s.| Year | Show | New cars announced for this show | Photo |
| 1948 | 27 October – 6 November Earls Court, London Attendance 562,954 highest previous attendance 315,000 | ||
| 1949 | 28 September to 8 October 34th International Motor Show, Earls Court | ||
| 1950 | 18 October 1950 – 28 October | ||
| 1951 | 17 October 1951 – 27 October Earls Court, London. attendance was down sharply because there were few new models and polling day for the General Election fell in the middle of the Show period. The choice models were export-only. | ||
| 1952 | 22 October — 1 November Earls Court, London 37th International Motor Exhibition Attendance 462,538, plus about 4,000 from overseas who entered free of charge | ||
| 1953 | 21 October to 31 October Earls Court, London 38th International Motor Exhibition For the first time since 1938, foreign exhibitors were present, including Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen Attendance 612,953 | ||
| 1954 | 20 October to 30 October Earls Court, London 39th International Motor Exhibition Jowett and Lea-Francis do not appear New exhibitors Skoda and DKW New models introduced during the year by Standard, Morris, Singer, Austin, Rootes, Vauxhall, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce Attendance 523,586 | ||
| 1955 | 19 October to 29 October Earls Court, London 40th International Motor Exhibition Exhibitors: Attendance 516,811, including overseas visitors 13,750 | ||
| 1956 | 17 October 1956 – 27 October Earls Court, London 41st International Motor Exhibition Exhibitors: Orders taken at the Motor Show enabled Austin to return to a five-day working week Attendance numbers were not reported | ||
| 1957 | 16 October 1957 – 26 October Earls Court, London 42nd International Motor Exhibition | ||
| 1958 | 22 October – 1 November Earls Court, London 43rd International Motor Exhibition Neither Allard nor Lagonda book stands at the show Exhibitors: Attendance 534,422 | ||
| 1959 | 21 October – 31 October Earls Court, London. Opened by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Visitors to the Motor Show are asked by Scotland Yard to leave their cars at home Attendance: | ||
| 1960 | 19 October to 29 October Earls Court, London Attendance: 428,000 reported 12 months later | ||
| 1961 | 18 October to 28 October Earls Court, London 46th International Motor Show The Zagato coachwork stand exhibits a Mini-Minor named Gatto beside a Bristol and an Aston Martin Attendance: 578,034 and a further 20,000+ overseas visitors |