Autosport International - The Racing Car Show
This weekend was the Autosport International Racing Car Show. Held at the NEC in Birmingham over the weekend, the show has been going since 1991. Autosport International has since been regarded as the Worlds Greatest Motorsport Show.
The first two days of the show are trade days, opened early for the traders that attend the show to walk around the show and see what is on offer and to talk about their own projects to other likely minded people. On Saturday and Sunday the show is then open to the general public. Opened from 9am to 8 on the Saturday and 9am - 6pm on the Sunday.
With stands from most motorsport background car manufacturers, including Porsche and McLaren, even the lightweight super cars including Ginetta, Radical and Arial attended the show to showcase their new cars to the public.
Arial bringing their new Arial Atom 500 V8, powered by a 3.0litre V8 engine producing 500bhp, the car will go up to 200mph and hit 60 in 2.3 seconds also with a Power-to-weight ratio of 900bhp per ton, this is Bugatti Veyron beating performance (Veyron 530bhp per ton). Only 25 cars will be made, making it a very exclusive car to own. Exclusive cars cost exclusive money, the Arial Atom 500 V8 will cost around the £150,000 mark.
The Lotus F1 team came along to unveil their new car for the 2011 season, which takes it colours from the 70s with the black and gold theme.
Other stands including the F1 paddock, held the 2009-2010 seasons cars, with cars from the different teams including Renault, McLaren-Mercedes and the Red Bull Racing Team showing off their cars in a 'paddock' like stage.
McLaren had brought along their new McLaren MP4-12C alongside the old McLaren F1 GTR racer. They also had ex world champion Lewis Hamilton’s car on the stage. The car that attracted the most attention, was the McLaren MP4/4-4, driven by the legendary Ayrton Senna in 1988 when Senna won his first World Championship, by winning 15 races, out of 16.
Tuning companies were also invited to the event, with the range of companies ranging from performance tyres to race preparation and even tuning and upgrading road cars.
World famous Forge Motorsport were there with their new Mini Cooper S Countryman, which they had tuned up from factory to include performance brakes, a performance intake system and a performance exhaust. They also offer other performance upgrades such as upgraded silicone pipes and intercoolers.
Other stalls included the police, that turned up in a Lotus Evora 4 V6 to promote road safety, Maxxis tyres went to promote their performance tyres, bringing along their Maxxis sponsored Japspeed Drift team Subaru. John Clelands BTCC Vauxhall Cavalier from the 1990s BTCC races was on a stand, along with a classic BMW E30 M3 that was there to promote a trailer company.
Santa Pod, the UK's most famous drag strip went along, bringing along a VW Camper convert dragster and a Drag Bike, powered by a jet turbine.
The show ended for us by going to see the Fifth Gear Live Action Arena, hosted by the presenters themselves, Tiff Needell, Jason Plato and Vicki Butler-Henderson on the big screen introducing each act. This show included all manners of motorsport, including Drifting, BriSCA F1 Stockcars, Autograss and Pickup truck racing, British and European Rallycross. Also on display was the FIA GTI World championship Nissan GTR, a display of rally driving from rally driving legend Gwyndaf Evans and a performance from stunt driver Terry Grant.
Make sure you bookmarl us to keep up to date with motorsport and motoring news.
We will be making our best efforts to get to every major car show and motoring event this year, so keep your eyes out for the Help Find Me A team!
17-Jan-2011
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