British Motor Show 2008

The British Motor Show hits ExCeL in London’s Docklands in July, but with more than 600 cars on show from over 60 manufacturers, where should you head first?

The most exciting prospect for many will be on the Ford stand, where pride of place will go to the new Focus RS. A ‘90 per cent production-ready’ concept of the car will be on display there, giving you the chance to decide for yourself if it’s worthy of those iconic initials.

Renault will be doing all it can to spoil Ford’s big RS party, though, by unveiling the most extreme version of its Mégane hot hatch yet. With a stripped-out interior – even the rear seats have been ditched – the R26-R weighs-in at 125kg less than the current hottest Mégane, the R26, giving it a power-to-weight ratio to match a Porsche Cayman.

Another must-see will be the world reveal of the long-awaited Lotus Eagle. It’s the Norfolk firm’s first truly new model since the launch of the ground-breaking Elise back in 1996. Designed from the ground up for the Lotus owner who needs a little more space, the Eagle will be a 2+2 GT with a mid-mounted V6 and should slot nicely into the Lotus range between the existing Elise-based models and the forthcoming Esprit, due in the next couple of years.

Other manufacturers are expected to announce that they will be unveiling new models at the show too, and naturally you will be able to see a huge selection of some of the most exciting models already on sale, including the electric-powered Tesla Roadster, the unique creations of Zagato, and supercars from Ferrari, Koenigsegg, Gumpert and Spyker.

The British Internatonal Motor Show opens to the public on July 23 and runs until August 3. Enter our ticket comp here

3-FOR-2 TICKET OFFER FOR EVO READERSIf you’re planning to visit the show, take advantage of this special offer: evo readers can get three tickets for the price of two. To take advantage of this offer, simply quote ‘evo’ when ordering on 0871 230 5588 or online at www.britishmotorshow.co.uk and we’ll see you there!

Join in the action

If you want to test your own skills behind the wheel, Mazda will have some RX‑8s and MX‑5s on hand for you to try – against the clock – on a special track, while the Vectra VXRacing Simulator will give you some idea what it’s like to drive a BTCC car.

SUPERCAR GREATS IN NEW ENCLOSURENew to the show this year is the Heritage Enclosure, where 40 of the world’s most iconic cars will be gathered together to celebrate the past five decades of supercars.

In a set-up echoing Goodwood’s famous supercar paddock, you will be able to see the likes of the Miura, Cobra, Countach, M1, F40, F50, Enzo, Zonda F and Koenigsegg. The cars will also be exercised in daily demonstration laps, giving you the opportunity to see them in action too.