British Motor Show 2004 - Highlights
 by Sam Livingstone

May 26, 2004 – The UK is home to many famous brands such as Bentley, Morgan, Rover, Jaguar, Lotus and MG but with so many now under foreign stewardship (Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, and Mini to name just three) the international significance of the British Motor Show has been in decline for many years. As a result of this, a few brands such as Mercedes Benz and BMW have chosen not to exhibit this year, and it is rare that any major new designs are launched at the British Motor Show, although a change in date from October to May aims to redress this situation. Despite this provincial status the British Motor Show has a lot to offer; lots of unusual low volume production sports cars, and (at least on press days) easy access to cars that at other motor shows would be hard to even get near to - perfect for 'benchmarking' the design of different cars.

Based at the National Exhibition Centre just outside Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city, the show has also been rejuvenated this year with more live entertainment than at any other motor show. There are Mini stunt driving demonstrations in an open air theatre, high speed passenger rides in Caterham sports cars and the chance to drive around an off-road course in various SUVs. This 'showy' feel is epitomised by Ford’s Thunderbirds themed stand which has impressive live re-enactments of rescue missions on their very own Tracey Island, and features Thunderbirds characters Lady Penelope, her chauffeur Parker and the pink, six wheeled FAB1, designed by the Ford Europe design team for the upcoming Thunderbirds movie.

Whether the British Motor Show will be able to again elevate itself on the international motor show scene is debateable, but for now it has a unique appeal that is truly relevant to the automotive design community.

Renault Modus

The only major international debut at the show (albeit a debut shared with Madrid where it is showing in parallel) is Renault’s new Modus, presented by Renault design chief Patrick Le Quement in person, and occupying a position relative to the Clio similar to that that the Scenic occupies relative to the Megane.

The Modus was barely changed from the Geneva preview model, with only minor alterations to lamps and bumper details, and the addition of the 'boot chute' tailgate panel. However this was the first time the interior could be accessed and it is here that the Modus shines brightest. An innovative sliding and tumbling rear seat, front under floor storage compartments, a double interior rear view mirror, fold out passenger seat squab to hold in place a handbag and ingenious spare wheel access are unique - as is the playful interior aesthetic that borrows themes from recent Renault show cars.

The Modus will be available from launch with three petrol engines and two diesels and looks likely to define this emergent class of micro-MPV in a way the frumpy Yaris Verso and austere Opel Meriva have not.

Renault Modus Design Review coming soon...

Noble M14 and Farboud GTS

Lee Noble’s company has been producing high performance mid-engine sports cars for five years and is an archetypal British sports car company; founded and run by one self determined engineer, and producing cars that punch way above their weight and particularly excel in their handling.

The M14 is a development of the existing M12 Noble under the skin with tubular steel space frame, GRP body and Ford derived V6 turbo, but with its new exterior and interior it aims to move the brand upmarket from its track day orientated image into the £75,000 premium sports car territory defined by the Porsche 911.

Although a vast improvement on previous generation Nobles, the design is testimony to a misconception that is also archetypal of the British sports car industry; that an engineer can design a car as well as a designer.

Noble’s rival, Farboud, whose GTS makes its motor show debut at Birmingham and is on sale later this year, fortunately does not share this misconception.

As a motoring enthusiast and entrepreneur, Arash Farboud bought in much of the key skills required in developing the GTS over the last five years, including two professional automotive designers. In aesthetic performance alone it makes more sense as a premium sports car than the M14 ever will, but unlike the Noble brand that is already well known by British car enthusiasts, the GTS is Farboud’s first car and so has an even bigger hill to climb.
(www.farboud.com)

British Low-Volume Sports Cars

Rejuvenated or not, the British Motor Show continues to offer one of its biggest unique attractions; a plethora of low volume production sports cars! Unique to the UK is a type of legislation called SVA (single vehicle type approval) that gives manufacturers producing a low volume of cars per year immunity from the very expensive process of passing the full vehicle type approval necessary to sell in many markets. It is this which has enabled so many small sports car companies to thrive in the UK and the Motor Show had several new designs that show this:

TVR’s revised Tuscan and much perforated Sagaris (based on the T350) were both show debuts, extrovertly unique in their exterior design and with outstandingly impressive bespoke interior design. No car on the TVR stand has less than 300bhp per ton!
(www.tvr.co.uk)

Westfield XTR4 - as close to a road legal race car as seems possible, the XTR4 is a recent evolution of the 410kg Suzuki Hayabusa powered XTR2, and differs mostly in having a more ‘driveable’ Audi derived powertrain. (www.westfield-sportscars.co.uk)

The frightening Kamala Futuro and RT show how much scope for design possibilities there are when using GRP, these minority taste cars are powered by mid-mounted Ford engines. (www.kamalacars.com)

The Ariel Atom was showing for the first time with a Honda VTEC engine that makes a very quick car a violently quick one. Ariel is unique in having been established by a designer (Simon Saunders, ex GM and Aston Martin), the Atom is unique in its purist minimalism.

Marlin is unusual in being based in the south west of England and has been producing a retro look roadster since 1979. The 5EXi making its show debut has a clean and simple body reminiscent of the Strathcarron (www.strathcarron-sports-cars.com) but with Peugeot headlamps. (www.marlinracing.co.uk)

Marcos launched their first truly new car in decades at the show this year; the TSO designed by Damian McTaggert (previously of TVR where he was responsible for the T350 launched in 2002).

Morgan’s Aero 8 was shown in its recently revised form, both wider and having passed full vehicle type approval for the US market, meaning ABS and airbags for the first time for the brand. Biggest news was the 'Roadster' launched as a replacement for the much loved Plus Eight.


British Motor Show website: www.motorshowlive.com