Going off car shows

[blueg33]

Yesterday was the super car day of the Broadway Car Show. I popped along as it’s local and there was a fantastic selection of cars on display eg Muira, XK220, every flavour of modern Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren with 1000’s of people oohing and aahing and taking pics.

But I was a bit bored, none of the cars seemed that special or exciting.

I concluded that I get much more out of seeing just one of them parked up in the “wild”

Have I just been to too many super car events? Am I just a boring only fart? Do others feel the same?


Footnote. What is is with Lamborghini drivers and a bizarre need to rev it out whilst doing 5 mph in a queue of super cars?

[robemcdonald]

I agree there’s nothing special about 100 super cars together seeing one by chance is far more exciting.

Try the retrorides gathering at Mallory park on 20th September. If that doesn’t get your interest nothing will,

In regard to Lamborghinis it was always the same.

I attended an auto Italia track day at donnington 20 years or so ago. The lambos were all faster driving up and down the paddock area than they were on the track….

[Chubbyross]

OP, I know exactly what you mean. I certainly agree with the previous poster who says that seeing a supercar in the wild is much more exciting but I also think it has something to do with the sheer number of the things now. Growing up in the ‘70s I used to love going to the car show annually with my father. It was so exciting to see a glimpse of the Porsche or Ferrari stands through the crowds. There were so few actual supercars around then, either at car shows but especially on the roads.

Now they’re everywhere. I don’t think I saw a Countach in the wild until I was in my ‘20s. Yesterday I drove from Islington to Surrey and saw five Lamborghinis, several Ferraris and many Porsches on the journey.

At the Festival of Speed this year I found myself thoroughly bored with all the super/hypercars on display and on track.

[Crumpet]

I’d be far more excited to see well modified and cared-for ‘obtainable’ cars than a huge field of supercars. Or, better yet, modernised and restored classics. I’d rather see stuff that I could afford to buy myself.

Maybe it’s because I (unfortunately) end up in Dubai a lot with work and all a supercar is used for is a status symbol for parking up outside the mall.

[V8 Animal]

Meanwhile I’ll play with my RD250 and Raleigh Chopper.

[Derventio]

V8 Animal said:

Meanwhile I’ll play with my RD250 and Raleigh Chopper.

Showoff!

[Doofus]

I've never 'got' car shows.

If I know what a car looks like, why would I want to go and see one in a field? I find myself walking along a row of cars thinking "That's one of those, that's one of those" and so on, and then I leave.

I was once persuaded to take one of my classic cars to a show in Churchill in Oxfordshire. I parked up, walked round the show, went back to my car, got bored and left. All within an hour and a half. I am big into classic cars, but on the two occasions I've been to the classic car show at the NEC, I've done it all within two hours.

Maybe I'm supposed to engage with the owners or something but, if I have nothing to say or to ask, why would I?

I have no interest in motorsport (other than regularity rallies and I used to hillclimb), so 'non-static' shows hold little interest for me either.



...waits for somebody to tell me I'm a sociopath or or the autistic spectrum...

[blueg33]

I do however like going to Hotel du France during Le Mans week. Always a few super cars but it feels less contrived, they are incidental to the event rather than the focus of the event.

[Derventio]

I am with you on this. Static shows are all a bit boring once you realise that you are seeing the same car over and over again, just in different colours. (Porsche club, I'm looking at you.)

I would much rather go to something like the Donington park Historic Festival or the Oulton Park Gold Cup and see/hear/smell these cars actually in action.

[swisstoni]

As Basil Fawlty might have said, “What did you expect to find at a local car show?”

[crankedup5]

Goodwood Revival and steam rallies for me, interesting mechanical metal in action fills my boots.

[SidewaysSi]

One make events in particular are pretty st IMO. Same cars round and round attended by people who have some weird affinity to a single brand.

[hammo19]

The Festival of the Unexceptional was awesome this year not a super car in sight, except for the Maserati MC20 which looked fab by the way

[Wacky Racer]

"Supercar" owners who rev up whilst doing 5mph are just drawing attention to themselves saying looking at me I'm a tit.

Plenty of vids on Youtube of these type of cars being totalled or very badly damaged by idiots showing off.

[swisstoni]

Wacky Racer said:

"Supercar" owners who rev up whilst doing 5mph are just drawing attention to themselves saying looking at me I'm a tit.

Plenty of vids on Youtube of these type of cars being totalled or very badly damaged by idiots showing off.

On a High St I totally agree. But at a show where people have come to see and hear such stuff I’d cut them some slack for revving. The other stuff, absolutely not.

[ARHarh]

crankedup5 said:

Goodwood Revival and steam rallies for me, interesting mechanical metal in action fills my boots.

Much prefer a steam fair as there is more to see than a few cars bought out to sit in a field, will go to small local classic car shows as I tend not to get bored before I finished looking at the cars. One make shows or gatherings are a no no for me, 1000's of MG's in s filed no thanks.

[donkmeister]

blueg33 said:

Footnote. What is is with Lamborghini drivers and a bizarre need to rev it out whilst doing 5 mph in a queue of super cars?

You get a 90% discount on the price of a new Lambo if you present your membership card for the Micropenis Support Network at time of purchase.


I hear...

[Glenn63]

With the internet these days you see these types of cars all day everyday, they don’t seem as special to see anymore. When i was a kid you’d only ever see one in pictures having a quick flick through a magazine while my mum does the shopping, then if you saw one in the flesh (very rarely) it was the greatest thing ever!
I remember being about 12 and hearing some monsterous noise out front, ran out to see a Diablo visiting the neighbour, a priest no less, and it was an unbelievable sight.

[Prohibiting]

I was at the Broadway car show yesterday as well. I took my loud classic Impreza (blue with red mud flaps). I drove through the high street and parked up in that field for £5.

My thoughts are exactly the same as yours. To be honest, I was a little bit bored. Lots of family’s with kids who I’m guessing the majority don’t know about cars and are there snapping photos on their phone amongst the crowds. I brought my camera but didn’t even bother taking it out of my bag. After a couple of hours I headed over to Caffeine & Machine as it’s only 30-mins away. Same thing again… some nice cars on display but I wasn’t excited like I usually am. I think I’ve been to too many this year.

I’ve actually been looking at Santa Pod raceway with the European Funny Cars for next month. That looks different and more interesting than walking around static cars.

As a side note, the “Wheels on Wednesday” events at Worcester are my favourite. Even though it’s static, there is a huge mix of cars there from classics, retro mod, supercar, 60s trucks etc- just everything inbetween.

Edited by Prohibiting on Sunday 14th August 10:03

[swisstoni]

I went to Goodwood this year and I really enjoyed it. But that’s me done for a least 5 years again.