Yes another sensational London Classic Car show came to a close in February this year. It took place at the international convention centre, ExCeL London, and lasted from the 14th to the 17th of February. It’s always been the must-attend event for any enthusiast, owner and collector of classic cars.
Once again the event was packed with a plethora of classics to suit any and all interests, all lined up like automotive gems as far as the eye could see. Of course, once again the Grand Parade was the centrepiece of the show.
We wanted to take a look back at what stood out at the London Classic Car show 2019…
The Aero Engines
One of the stand out aspects of the show was the special Aero Engines display, which featured specially selected machines built by pioneering motorists, who were inspired by aeronautical engineering.
The showcase was curated by engineer and inventor Edd China, who has become known for his own eccentric engineering inventions. Visitors could get up close to these exceptional historic machines, and take in their unmistakable Edwardian designs and glorious sounds.
The display included the 27-litre V12 Thomas Special, which broke the world land speed record in 1926, at a speed of 171.09mph.
The Big Electric Classic Debate
The popular Supagard Theatre made a return for this year’s show and hosted many talks and classic car debates, with panels that featured celebrity guests, automotive legends and more.
One standout discussion was the Big Electric Classic Debate, which saw expert speakers make passionate cases both for and against the electrification of classic cars. They talked at length about whether it was right to convert cherished classics over to electric power. Although it is a controversial topic, the general consensus was that the future of classics is electric.
Speaking of electric vehicles, the event also featured a classic Land Rover that had been converted from its diesel powered engine onto an electric motor, by London Electric Cars.
The Grand Avenue
Of course, we can’t fail to mention the ultimate showcase of the London Classic Car Show, the Grand Avenue parade display. Each year has always offered a wide variety of themes with this showcase, from “The Perfect 10” to the “6 Nations.”
This year has a focus on a certain car celebrating its 60th anniversary – The Mini. A large selection of Mini’s took part in the Grand Avenue display, which also included a number of rare examples, such as a 1959 Austin Seven DeLuxe owned by Quentin Wilson. There was also a super rare Ogle SX1000 on display, along with the elusive Unipower GT, a car that was based on BMC Mini mechanical components.
The UK’s Leading Car Clubs
Car Club Square once again offered up a spectacular showcase of some of the best car clubs in the UK. Every one of the innovative clubs brought their most stunning classic cars to the show to wow the gathering crowds.
The 96 Club displayed a Ford GT40, which was actually an amalgamation of two different racing cars that competed at Le Mans, both of which were also GT40s. There was also a rare Alfa Romeo 8C recreation as part of the Waterloo Classics Car Club display.
