Sitting in the back of a black cab on my way to Kensington’s Olympia to attend a motor show is a journey that enthusiasts have been making over many decades. Olympia seems to be an enormous building site at present, being developed to house all types of facilities including a hotel the cabbie tells me. Inside the two original halls The London Classic Car Show exhibited its finest – from prewar Alfa Romeos, Bentleys and Vauxhalls to the legendary Aston Martins of the 1960s via Mini Coopers belonging to The Beatles. It was a weekend that clashed with Race Retro in the Midlands but with Olympia’s west London location the crowds came. I heard that on the Friday they had to open their doors an hour earlier than planned as the queues outside were getting too long. I can’t help but feel that after the lockdown years people will take every and any opportunity to attend these events. The centre stage was hosted by Alex Brundle, who’s intonation is so like his father’s it’s uncanny, and Vicki Butler Henderson. Alex is beginning to make the classic car world his home after impressive drives at Goodwood’s Revival and he knows his stuff – a welcome addition. Historics Auctioneers held a sale which seemed to have something for everyone from an Amphicar to Ferrari Dinos. It was an uplifting few hours spent amongst fellow enthusiasts, blowing away the winter cobwebs and admiring some fine examples of the art of the motor car through the ages.
A quick visit to The London Classic Car Show.
Comments