London motor show 2008 'visitor numbers up 14 percent'

London motor show 2008: visitor numbers 'up 14 percent', say the show organisers

By Tom Richards

Motor Shows

04 August 2008 17:52

Official figures for the recent London motor show today reveal a 14 percent increase in visitor numbers. The British International Motor Show at London's Excel arena attracted 472,300 people over the past fortnight.

Although that's some way off the initial target of 550,000 visitors, it's a healthy rise on the 2006 event, attended by 415,000 people.

London motor show: attendance up 'because of world premieres'

The show organisers claimed the unseasonally warm British summer weather, several world premieres and the show's more interactive events helped boost visitor numbers. Global debuts included the new Lotus Evora, Ford's Focus RS and the new Honda OSM.

A spokesman said the most successful activities were the Mazda Zoom-Zoom Challenge – which 6000 people took part in – and the Land Rover Ultimate Experience, a man-made off-road course which 25,000 visitors attempted to conquer.

Ok, so numbers are up. But will the motor show come back to London?

It's only the second time that the Excel centre has played host to the British International Motor Show, after it switched from Birmingham's NEC in 2004 and – before that – Earls Court in London.

But the spokesman confirmed that a deal had been struck to host the UK event at Excel again in 2010.

Click here for CAR's full review of the London motor show 2008 – with an A-Z of every stand and more than 50 videos of all the key cars and unveilings

By Tom Richards