Thursday 1st November 2012

Regent Street car show this Saturday

Sod the shopping, ogle automotive icons in the Best of British display instead

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If you're able to get to central London this Saturday the Regent Street Motor Show is back offering a fine alternative to shopping.

You can't fault the setting - the normally traffic-choked street is shut and the cars are displayed along the southern length.

The display PistonHeaders should aim for this year is Best of British – cars from the last 60 years. Among the 30 on show are a Jaguar XK140, an Aston Vanquish S, Lotus Elite (we're assuming the first one!), a Morgan Aero 8 and Aeromax, an original Lotus 7, Ariel Atom, McLaren 12C and two Bristols (fnarr, etc - Ed.). If it's like last year, access to the cars is excellent.

If you're into the pre-1905 veteran cars that'll be chugging their way down to Brighton this Sunday, they'll be on display with passenger rides available to amuse the kids.

This year promises a wider range of cars

You might want to avert your eyes but there's also a strong electric car focus, with vehicles entered into the RAC Future Car Challenge returning from their start in Brighton that morning. Look out for challengers needing a last-gasp top-up from a generator, as happened last year!

According to the organisers you can have a drive of some of the electric cars. We recommend a Twizy from Renault if it's available - highly amusing.

So yes, something for everyone, including other halves who'd prefer to spend the day trying on clothes. There's even some man shopping down there - Apple, Bose and the new Lotus store.

The show is open this Saturday (Nov 3) from 10.30am to 4pm.

[Escort Si-130]

At least this is a nice idea, compared to all those stupid car free days that keep springing up along these streets.

[Jont999]

I wonder if Gordon Murray will be there with the T.25/T.27?

[wl606]

The T27 was there last year.

[405dogvan]

You seem to have mixed-up "man shopping" and "gullible idiot shopping" by including "Bose" in the same paragraph.

Oh, hang-on, Apple is there too - shiny things for shallow people...

[GranCab]

Man shopping on Regent Street = nice watches and big kids' toys

1/ http://www.mappinandwebb.com/


2/ http://www.hamleys.com/

[AlexRWD]

This could be the first time I ever suggest a shopping trip to my wife

[Hedgerley]

Damn, I was hoping to be on London this weekend but now can't make it. This should be a target rich (or just rich....) zone for the new Lotus store on Regent Street.

http://www.lotuscars.com/gb/lotus-world/lotus-orig...

[pycraft]

Hoy, leave off the "new" (70s) Lotus Elite! It's the car of the future for us people from the past!

[dvs_dave]

No TVRs....Seriously???

[Contigo]

I'm there this weekend so will go for sure!

[john2443]

Does Regent Street have a builders merchant, motor factor, Machine Mart? No? In which case there's no man shopping there

[LotusOmega375D]

john2443 said:

Does Regent Street have a builders merchant, motor factor, Machine Mart? No? In which case there's no man shopping there

I'm sure you could find the latest must-have man-bag in that area. One of those nice Superdry ones would be lovely to mince about town with.

[M666 EVO]

405dogvan said:

Apple is there too - shiny things for shallow people...

I never understand that attitude to Apple products. I am not one to queue up for hours upon hours to get the latest iPhone but having an iPad, iPhone, Macbook, Apple TV and an iTouch I think Apple are amazing and have made life easier and things more accessible - Apple haters tend to not be able to afford the products therefore have no idea how good they can be. Saying that I would not go to an Apple shop, its easier online

ANYWAY off topic, if her indoors wasn't dragging me to an Arts Fair (I know!) I would be here drooling.

Edited by M666 EVO on Thursday 1st November 17:16

Edited by M666 EVO on Thursday 1st November 17:17

[chris_sw]

I usually do my best to avoid central London shopping, but I may have to make an exception for this considering I'm only 30 mins away on the tube! Although, after having a look at some of the prices on the Lotus website, I think I may just be browsing...

[Cheib]

GranCab said:

Man shopping on Regent Street = nice watches and big kids' toys

1/ http://www.mappinandwebb.com/


2/ http://www.hamleys.com/

Proper man shopping

There's a proper hardware shop 5 mins walk away

http://goshhardware.com/shop/

and right next door there's a shop that only sell sausages.

http://www.ebiggles.co.uk/range.asp

Now that's proper man shopping.......

[LordFlathead]

dvs_dave said:

No TVRs....Seriously???

Not enough room for all the recovery trucks

[crbox]

My new (now 248bhp) 1962 Austin Healey 3000 Rally car will be one if the 40 'Best of British' on display, for anyone who remembers the article, about a year ago. Any fellow PH's stop and say hello!

[jamoor]

M666 EVO said:

I never understand that attitude to Apple products. I am not one to queue up for hours upon hours to get the latest iPhone but having an iPad, iPhone, Macbook, Apple TV and an iTouch I think Apple are amazing and have made life easier and things more accessible - Apple haters tend to not be able to afford the products therefore have no idea how good they can be. Saying that I would not go to an Apple shop, its easier online

ANYWAY off topic, if her indoors wasn't dragging me to an Arts Fair (I know!) I would be here drooling.

Edited by M666 EVO on Thursday 1st November 17:16

Edited by M666 EVO on Thursday 1st November 17:17

Apple products are probbably the cheapest out there once you take depreciation into account.

I don't rate any of them apart from the macbooks.

[fatboy18]

dvs_dave said:

No TVRs....Seriously???

Well they did say "THE BEST OF BRITISH"


Oh, and yes I have owned one too

[fatboy18]

Who exactly organises this car show, is it Westminster council, RAC or motor dealers? They must be able to pull some big strings getting Buses diverted and having road closures?