Another British International Motorshow Press Day has passed, and normality is returning.  So what’s the verdict?  Well that’s going to have to wait until the final visitor numbers are in and the fat lady has well and truly sung.  However, as far as Press Day is concerned, there seemed to be a genuine buzz around the place, the lack of which had been one of the main criticisms two years ago.

Many months ago, the SMMT, the organisers of the show, decided they’d create a little more atmosphere by adding a sprinkling of the public via a high-priced entry ticket.  Uproar in the journalist ranks ensued with the hacks suggesting that these potential customers would somehow get in the way of the media who were trying to do their job.  Well, thankfully, it didn’t turn out that way.  Both happily co-existed in the halls together, one able to do their job, the other able to see new product reveals at close hand and hoover up as much corporate hospitality as they could to justify their £100 ticket price.

And it’s a good show, on the whole.  True, it’s not the size of the A-grade shows of Paris, Frankfurt, Detroit and Geneva that the London show aspires to be but that does make it easy to navigate.  And with a good number of genuine world reveals, outdoor interactive events, concerts and a boat show too, there is plenty for the potential buyer or the family on a holiday day out to see.

So, a personal highlight?  Well, that’s a difficult one bearing in mind the diversity of the manufacturer offerings and the other attractions.  On the new cars, the Peugeot 308 RCZ’s an interesting car – very unusual to look at but interestingly quirky at the same time.  The Focus RS is sure to sell well too… to a certain type of customer!  Also great to see a good smattering of super cars, both new and old.  They’re sure to be popular with the younger visitors.  A lot of the new, greener technologies are also very interesting too – more of that in tomorrow’s instalment.

My lasting memory though? Having stood up for 12 hours on the trot, the best bit is walking out of the exit leaving behind the DJ-inspired music blasting out at too many decibels, taking my shoes off and allowing my ever-so-painful feet to recover and realising that we’ve got another 730 days before we’ve got to do it all over again.  I’m getting old!