THE RECESSION’S slaying of the British Motor Show in 2009 wasn’t pretty, but its death has catalysed interest in a diverse motoring calendar, showcasing cars of more scope and interest than the BMS ever offered.
There’s been the Salon Privé supercar show; the fledgling Motorexpo in London’s Canary Wharf; and the Top Gear Live event.
And if you want proof that hitherto fringe shows are coming to the fore, look no further than this month’s Autosport International in Birmingham. A motor sport show in essence, it nonetheless provides a stage for the European debuts of the BMW 1 Series M Coupé, the 2011 Nissan GT-R and the Arial Atom V8.
Granted, all of these cars are rooted in motor racing to varying degrees, but they are still debuts befitting any motor show – particularly the first two.
What’s really interesting about Autosport International 2011, though, is that it gives small niche makers the chance to garner as much media interest as big beasts like BMW and Nissan – makers like Radical and Caterham, which between them will show four brand new cars.
Three cars will come from Radical, while Caterham promises a radical departure of its own, debuting a brand new model.
We know it will “provide a logical expansion to the company’s racing and track day portfolio”, and will not be just another version of the iconic Seven, but that’s about all we know.
It’s intriguing, not just because Caterham has been de facto building the same car since 1973, based on the Lotus Seven, but also because the company’s last foray into the world of non-Sevens resulted in the Caterham 21. With only 48 made, it hardly set the world alight.
But if UK-based company Radical shifts 48 of its Autosport star debutant, the 300bhp SR3 SL, in 2011 it would be considered a runaway success. Radical sold 200 cars in 2010, 15 of which were road-legal, which is indicative of how challenging taking a Radical to the shops actually is.
The SR3 SL isn’t particularly austere, granted, but by 2012 the economic landscape may have bloomed enough for it to look like an acceptable purchase again. Radical hopes 50 people per year will agree by 2012, at least.