Here’s something to make up for the lack of motor shows in 2020. The annual London Motor Show is long gone, as is the replacement event in Birmingham. The last formally industry sponsored event was held in 2008, and the only remining major European shows are in Frankfurt and Geneva. The events of 2020 have obviously impacted both of these, and maybe they too will not come back in the familiar form.
But this is CC, so we can look back to the great days, through the medium of the Pathé newsreel, originally designed for the cinema. Here’s a small selection.
From the 1930s to the 1976 this was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in West London, after which it moved to the National Exhibition Centre outside Birmingham, and went bi-annual, to 2008. Various attempts have been made to revive it in an amended form, but it seems a hard sell nowadays.
We start (top) with 1962, when casual sexism and stereotyping were seemingly acceptable. Or even obligatory.
This is 1966. Britain needed to export, where British cars are renowned for compactness, handling and economy apparently. But there are some Japanese cars. Never mind a Ferrari, there’s the Ford Zodiac Executive!
1968 saw the introduction of the breathalyser to crack down on drink driving, but don’t worry, as Woman is now allowed to drive home from the pub. And she can be patronised as well. And, if she’s lucky, choose the colour of the car.
In 1972, there was “a strong challenge from Continental rivals”. But hey, we had the Vauxhall Firenza and a new instrument panel on the Lotus Europa. And Fiat presumably had a side deal with Pathé.
I imagine I would have attempted to create a similar effect with Dinky and Corgi models when I got home. But why is the de Tomaso Mangusta going the wrong way?
1973, and more casual sexism and some Royal fawning – did Princess Anne win a prize for that hat? Another warning about foreign cars increasing their share, but Rolls-Royce are still the best. No evidence required, old boy.
1976, and a Prime Ministerial visit, and George Best. Best gets the XJ-S, the PM gets a Mini. They were tough times, then.
And in 1978, in Birmingham but no cars for Ford because of a strike.
And yes, I did diligently buy the review supplements from the newspapers. And, no, I haven’t got them anymore.
I love watching these old Earls Court reviews on YouTube! Is that Raymond Baxter doing the narration on some of them?
Now I want to buy one of those magazines! Time to look online… 🙂
I don’t think he was doing any of the narration, but I think that was him with Brian Rix in the 1962 film, standing discussing the Jensen engine bay.
Some of the 1967 film clips are in the Depeche Mode video for ‘Master and Servant’.
“I say Basel, the new Hillman looks ready to explode in the mid-size executive market, whilst our offering appears as blighters in the Commonwealth!”
“Bravo to Hillman, my good fellow – yet we must press on!”
Thanks Roger, some really cringe worthy footage and fabulous cars! Clipped accents, and comments about “the man who’s going places” and such take me back to my teenage years. Lilac Jag XJ-C anyone? To borrow an old phrase, you put a smile on my dial..
Times have certainly changed since these videos were produced.
Good.
Love that the focus on women having a say on automobiles basically boiled down to having an easy stylish car to drive their drunk husbands home in. The 60s were wild!
Have I been mispronouncing Jensen Interceptor all this time? Yenson Interceptor? And DAF is spoken as a word? I always thought it was D A F like BMW.
The British schoolboy geniuses winning entry with a 6 wheeled car held together with luggage hinges explains a lot about the post-70s british car industry.
DAF is (or should be) spoken as a word, in any language.
I guess the fact that they had a model named ‘Daffodil’ was a clue.