British International Motor Show

Looking for a great weekend out for the whole family? Look no further than the British International Motor Show. No one in the family can complain that the show is just about cars because, while that is obviously the focus of the event, there is a whole lot more on offer.

This massive motoring show is held every two years in the United Kingdom where it receives a phenomenal response from the public. It is recognized by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles as being an international event and this premier auto show lasts almost two weeks. The 2008 British International Motor Show is set to take place from July 23 to August 3 and it will be held at the ExCeL Exhibition Center situated in London’s Docklands. This year will see a number of new cars being introduced to the public for the first time. These include the Ford Focus RS, the Opel Insignia, the Nissan Qashqai+2, the Vauxhall Insignia and the soon-to-be-legendary Lotus Eagle. But it doesn’t end there. There will be more than 595 world premieres, hundreds of interactive attractions and more manufacturing representatives than you can imagine.

The heritage enclosure will transport you back in time to discover the legacy of the supercar over the past fifty years in a fun and entertaining way. The marine experience will take the action away from the racetrack to the water where the public can “Try-a-boat”, watch exhilarating boat races and more. The Motor Show Music Festival will provide great waterside musical entertainment in a relatively intimate setting. Expect to hear the sounds of legendary bands such as UB40, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Blondie, Meatloaf with guest Arno Carstens and Squeeze. At the Dreamscape Honda Action Arena you will see plenty of exciting racing action as a variety of Honda cars and motorbikes take to the racetrack to thrill audiences in celebration of the legendary man behind the name. Kids are certainly not forgotten and not only do they get to have fun behind the wheel of their own minicars, but they get to learn about the rules of the road while doing it at the Peugeot Kids Driving School. The Disney/Pixar World of Cars will also give them a chance to catch up with their automobile heroes as these life-sized vehicles will be attending the show.

Those who prefer to kick up the dirt will find themselves at home at the ‘Land Rover’s Ultimate Experience’ zone. With a specialist instructor behind the wheel, you can find yourself in a car doing some pretty hair-raising stunts as its off-road capabilities are tested to the limit. Other exciting facets of the show include the Taster Test Drives, Mazda Zoom Zoom Challenge, the Supercar Paddock, the Shop at the Motor Show, Brownhills Outdoor Living, What Van? Live, Vauxhall VXRacing Village, Westfield Active Drift Experience, Garmin Great British Drives and Karting 4U. Clearly this is a not-to-be-missed event, so book your tickets now and make sure that you are there on opening day!

Rare Sport Car Collection Opens at Simeone Museum

After nearly half a century of careful collection, Dr. Fredrick Simeone has seen fit to share his prize, joy and passion with the rest of the world. Located just a short distance off Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, this impressive museum is some 75 000 square feet in size and displays approximately 65 rare sport and racing cars with the sort of meticulous attention to detail that you’d expect from a neurosurgeon. Fortunately Dr. Simeone is a neurosurgeon, and visitors to this fantastic museum will find that his passion and the painstaking effort that has no doubt gone into creating the exhibits was certainly not a waste of time.

The fantastic newly established Simeone Foundation Museum, which is due to open at the beginning of next week, provides car enthusiasts with the ultimate walk through time. After more than 50 years of collecting cars, Dr. Simeone now has one of the finest vintage racecar collections on the planet. The different cars are displayed in dioramas of the actual racing events that those particular vehicles were used in and this gives the museum a rather intriguing edge. It certainly helps to transport one back in time mentally and visitors will find themselves completely immersed in a journey that documents the history and development of sporting vehicles from 1909 to 2002. Classic images of Watkins Glen, Sebring, Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and Bonneville will stir onlookers and leave them with fond memories of their visit to the Simeone Foundation Museum.

So what can you expect to see at the museum? An Aston Martin DBR1 that was piloted to victory by Sir Stirling Moss at Nurburgring in 1958 is certainly not something an enthusiast would want to miss out on. Another highlight is a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S “Tank”. This particular “Tank” took the winner’s trophy at Le Mans in 1958. The 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B on display has the distinction of winning the Mille Miglia during its time as a racing car. While these cars are no doubt interesting highlights that should not be overlooked, the entire collection is also definitely worth seeing. The museum has been designed by its founder to clearly depict how competition and racing has helped to improve the quality, technology and prestige of motor vehicles over the years. The Museum will be open to the public six days a week, so make sure that you book your tour as soon as possible!