AWARD WINNERS AND NEW MODELS IN BIRMINGHAM
The newly-crowned What Car? Car of the Year, the Skoda Fabia, a selection of category winners from the prestigious awards ceremony and new models are set to shine as the Performance Car Show hits Birmingham.
Commencing today at the NEC and open to the public all weekend, 10-11 January, the Performance Car Show presented by Landsail Tyres in association with Autocar and PistonHeads is held alongside Europe’s biggest motorsport show, Autosport International.
Attended by over 80,000 people in 2014, the event hosts scores of supercars, high-performance favourites and classics in exclusive collections. Highlights include the 950bhp LaFerrari, iconic Ferrari F40, 602bhp Lamborghini Huracán and revolutionary BMW i8, while a group of Autocar’s Britain’s Best Driver’s Cars including the Ferrari 458 Speciale and McLaren 650S will feature in the Live Action Arena.
The 5,000-seat amphitheatre and a special display within the Performance Car Show will also represent the first opportunity for enthusiasts to see a selection of vehicles recognised at last night’s What Car? Car of the Year Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane.
Named Car of the Year from a strong, 25-car shortlist, the Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSI 90 SE combines punchy and flexible performance with impressive efficiency, utilising technology proven in Skoda’s successful rally programmes. It also offers class-leading space and in-car technology.
“The Fabia is a fully deserved winner of our most sought after award – not just because of the fact it is a well-equipped and practical small car, but also because of the big name rivals it has disposed of in the process,” said Jim Holder, What Car? editor.
It’s joined in the Birmingham showcase by the Sports Car of the Year, the Porsche Boxster 2.7, Coupé of the Year, the Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Sport, and Hot Hatch of the Year, the Ford Fiesta ST-2. Land Rover’s Discovery Sport won the inaugural What Car? Car of the Year Safety Award, presented in conjunction with Thatcham Research, the UK’s only Euro NCAP crash test centre.
“We’re delighted to be presenting a selection of What Car? Car of the Year Award winners at the Performance Car Show,” Ian France, Performance Car Show Director, said.
“Led by the newly-crowned Car of the Year, the Skoda Fabia, and also featuring category-defining models from Porsche, Audi and Ford, fans will be able to inspect these winners first hand this weekend, both on a special display and being put through their paces in the Live Action Arena.”
Meanwhile, a host of local manufacturers are poised to unveil new models.
Among them, Ariel Motor Company is launching the Nomad, a new, all-terrain car. Powered by a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder Honda engine producing 235bhp and weighing 670kg, it takes the Somerset company’s renowned lightweight performance off-road.
Zenos Cars is taking the covers off its second model, the 250bhp E10 S, a year after the Norfolk firm made its public debut at the show. With a 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine, E10 S weighs 725kg and is expected to cover 0-60mph in less than four seconds.
Featuring a specially-tuned chassis and VXR braking system, Vauxhall’s 1.4-litre turbo ADAM GRAND SLAM is making its UK debut, and Noble Automotive is showcasing the prototype of a new model. Keating Supercars has also been busy and will unveil its latest creation, the TKRS, which will attempt to break the production sports car speed record.
Including Porsche, Renaultsport, Lotus and Ginetta, an array of other manufacturers are also present as exhibitors, complementing exclusive presentations such as the What Car? collection, Autocar Supercar Display and Pie and Piston Pub by PistonHeads.com.
Autosport International features include the F1 Racing Grid, Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and Wales Rally GB displays and a special group of Track Icons and Wild Road Cars presented by Classic & Sports Car Magazine and Silverstone Classic.
Stars from the sport including 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg, sportscar champions Allan McNish and Anthony Davidson, Britain’s newest Formula 1 driver Will Stevens and BTCC heroes Colin Turkington, Matt Neal, Andrew Jordan and Gordon Shedden will appear across the weekend.
Tickets to the Performance Car Show presented by Landsail Tyres in association with Autocar and PistonHeads.com are available from £32 for adults, with children’s tickets priced from £21 and children under five years admitted for free. For tickets, visit www.performancecarshow.com.
Notes to editors
*8-9 January are dedicated Trade-only days
Further news from Autosport International can be found here: http://news.cision.com/autosport-international-2015
Applications for media accreditation have now closed. Media accreditation is available on the day at the discretion of the organiser. Those wishing to be accredited must bring photographic ID and a dated letter on headed paper from their commissioning editor confirming they are covering Autosport International for that publication. Full terms and conditions can be found at http://www.autosportinternational.com/trade/Content/Media-accreditation-TandCs
For more information or high resolution imagery, please contact a member of the Autosport International Press Office on +44 (0)1908 635300 or email asi-pr@rsm-auto.com.
Tickets are now on sale for the public show, which is held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, on 10-11 January 2014. Advanced adult tickets cost £32, with children’s tickets priced at £21 (children under five years of age go free). Group tickets are also available. Paddock passes are available from £42, with VIP tickets from £120.
Paddock passes include general admission plus: access to Driver Signing Area where visitors can get autographs of famous drivers and motor racing celebrities, access to the backstage Paddock Area and a paddock guide.
VIP tickets include: exclusive access to the VIP enclosure at the very top of the Live Action Arena grandstand, complete with complimentary champagne and canapés, a dedicated Club Lounge where VIP Club ticket holders can chill out, complimentary parking at the NEC, complimentary cloak room, access to Driver Signing Area and dedicated VIP signing sessions, fast-track entry to the Live Action Arena and access to the backstage Paddock Area, plus a paddock guide, show guide and goodie bag.
For more ticket information call +44 (0)844 581 1420 or visit www.autosportinternational.com
Tags:
