Classic Motor Show NEC 2014

Classic Motor Show NEC 2014

Following a full day, with press access, at the Classic Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham here are a few highlights from the event.

The show covers all corners of motoring, from rally cars to micro racing, and there really was a car for everyone at the event.  There were hundreds of classic cars and bikes that spanned the vast NEC arena. We have two full galleries where you are able to see some of the best cars on show. Take a look at both part 1 & part 2 galleries.

Aside from the cars, there were plenty of shows going on throughout the day, most of them were presented by Mike Brewer, the star of Wheeler Dealers. In most cases Mike was showing off some of the best classic cars on stage.

Classic Motorshow 2014-158 Passenger Rides

If you wanted a bit more a thrill, for a donation to charity you could go for a passenger ride in a wide range of high performance and classic cars around the grounds of the NEC. Below are just a taste of some of the cars on offer.

Classic Motorshow 2014 NEC RJ (137) Classic Motorshow 2014 NEC RJ (135) Classic Motorshow 2014 NEC RJ (132)Silverstone Auctions

Every year at the event is one of the best classic car auctions of the year. Here are a few examples of what was up for grabs.

Classic Motorshow 2014-239 Classic Motorshow 2014-236 Classic Motorshow 2014-235 Classic Motorshow 2014-217

Up Close and Personal with the Classics

The main point of the car show was to get up close and personal with great classics, and below is a selection of my favourites from the show.

Lancia Delta

This Delta was out on a passenger ride and is certainly one of my favourite classics from the show. The car was in great condition and I was very glad to see the owner actually using the car on the road. Good man.

Classic Motorshow 2014 NEC RJ (126)

Renault 5 Turbo

For most of us the Renault 5 Turbo was a car that was within reach of purchasing and here is a great example of one in perfect condition. I would love to be able to drive one of these one day.

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Ferrari Testarossa

The Testarossa was introduced in 1984 and is still one of the most desirable Ferraris to date. They were built with 4.9-litre V12 engines with around 400bhp to play with. For its time it was one of the fastest cars you could buy.

Classic Motorshow 2014-236Jesson Interceptor

Built in West Bromwich, this one of the most local cars at the show and was produced between 1966 and 1976. The name Interceptor is possibly the coolest car name ever used.

Jenson used a variety of engines over the years, but started with a 6.3-litre V8 engine which worked well in this big car. Jenson have since shutdown leaving the Interceptor as their legacy.

Classic Motorshow 2014-124Lotus Esprit

The Esprit had a massive 26 year lifespan of production and was most famous for starring in the James Bond film ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’. The Esprit was built in Norfolk from 1976–2004 and in my opinion is a true classic sports car.

Classic Motorshow 2014-107Datsun 260z

Built in Japan from 1969 to 1978. Datsun’s are certainly a rare classic in this day and age.

The Datsuns ran a 2.4 litre 151bhp engine, and got the car to 60mph in 8 seconds. For those of us more used to the Nissan 350Z & 370Z you can see where some of the styling elements came from originally.

Classic Motor Show NEC 2014  Datsun 260zFerrari F40

This is the king of all classics the mighty Ferrari F40. The F40 was the last Ferrari personally approved by Enzo Ferrari and is the legacy that was left by the man himself. The famous Ferrari was built with 478bhp created from its turbocharged 2.9-litre engine.

Classic Motor Show NEC 2014  Ferrari F40 (2)Ford GT40

The second most famous car at the show was the the GT40 which was originally produced to win long distance sports car races against Ferrari. Where does that GT40 name come from you ask? The GT stands for Grand Tourer with the 40 representing the overall height of the car, 40 inches.

Classic Motorshow 2014-19 Ford GT (2)Morgan Motor 3 Wheeler

Here is a modern example of Morgan’s very first car from 1911, the Morgan 3 wheeler. Powered by two bike engines the 3 wheeler is one of the most exciting and unique cars, and you can still buy one brand new today.

Classic Motorshow 2014-205AC Cobra

The AC Cobra is one of the best looking cars every made and decades after its release it still looks unbelievably impressive in every way.

Classic Motorshow 2014-214Ferrari F355

The F355 was built from from May 1994 to 1999 and was eventually replaced by the Ferrari 360. The F355 had a 3.5 litre V8 engine that produced 380bhp… Another awesome classic Ferrari

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Video Walkthrough Classic Motorshow NEC 2014

Gallery Part 1Gallery Part 2