London motor show return on cards - prince

The Peugeot Stand at the Paris Motor Show. The London Motor Show is set to return to the schedule after an eight year absence.

The London motor show will be revived in 2016 after an eight-year hiatus.

The reincarnated show will be held in one of the capital's parks, rather than in a traditional exhibition centre.

Prince Michael of Kent revealed plans for the show at the annual Guild of Motoring Writers awards, and hinted that it could rival more traditional motor shows in terms of its scale.
"I am delighted to tell you all that there are firm plans to bring the British motor show back in 2016 in Battersea Park," he said.

"It is right that London should have a motor show that ranks alongside those of Frankfurt and Geneva."

The prince said he hoped the event would secure the backing of many major car manufacturers.

Further details of the proposed show have not yet been released, though a holding website thought to be connected with it suggests the event will be held from May 5-8, and promises showgoers the chance to "discover the latest innovations in motoring technology, feel the exhilaration of an Italian supercar up-close, and take a drive down memory lane with [their] favourite classics".

The last major British motor show was held in 2008 at the ExCeL centre, but low attendance figures and a lack of interest from manufacturers meant a planned 2010 show was cancelled.

The new show will have no connection with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which organised all the previous events.

-Telegraph Group Ltd