5 things to expect from the British Motor Show

The British Motor Show is making a comeback this week, with a series of live displays and cars on show.

Taking place from August 19 to 22 at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, it’s one of the first major car shows to take place since the pandemic shut most down over the past 18 months.

Here we take a look at what’s happening…

The Live Arena

Television personality Mike Brewer will be on hand to host the Live Arena, where attendees will be able to watch cars being driven around the arena.

The star of this area will be Paul Swift, whose stunt team will wow the crowds twice a day with everything from driving a car on two wheels to drifting. There will also be parades of supercars and classic vehicles as well as a ‘car football’ match with celebrities.

Celebrity guests

There’s also a live stage, which is being hosted by Car SOS presenters Tim Shaw and Fuzz Townshend. The pair will be talking about their show, hosting a quiz with audience members, and interviewing celebrity guests such as former cricketer Phil Tufnell and YouTube personality Queen B.

There are also various panels, including how to get a career in the automotive industry, the future of classic cars, and a discussion about the best cars released this year.

Things to do

Guests won’t only be able to watch others have fun from afar, because there are various interactive aspects of the show. For example, the Sporting Bears Motor Club will be offering passenger rides in exotic cars to raise money for charity, and Caterham will take people out on a drift course.

There’s also a 20-minute driving experience for under 17’s, where they can learn how to drive a manual car with a qualified instructor.

See the latest cars on display

A motor show wouldn’t be complete without an exhibition centre, and the new car halls are where you’ll find all of the latest cars that are on sale now, as well as some that aren’t out yet.

There’s also a test drive area, with some manufacturers offering the chance to get behind the wheel of cars in their range.

Everything electric

The car industry is rapidly moving towards electric vehicles as Government initiatives encourage the switch to combat climate change and local pollution.

However, with EV sales still making up a very small market share and many owners unsure about ditching petrol and diesel cars, the show has created a dedicated area for EVs.

This will give attendees the chance to speak to experts and see the vehicles up close.