The latest news from the NEC

Every now and again, a car comes along that completely changes the motoring landscape, rewriting the rules on what’s possible within a certain class or what’s expected given a particular price. Every single one of these cars made its debut at a major international motor show, and in doing so captivated a crowd of visitors who were expectantly anticipating ‘The Next Big Thing’ to proudly fly the Union flag.

With another fantastic Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show at the Birmingham NEC – the former home of the British Motor Show – having just drawn to a close, we look back on some of our cars which, at the time of their debut, were perceived as potential world-beaters.

No- one could have known at the time of its launch that the Morris Minor, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary next year, would enjoy such a long and successful career. The same can be said of the Triumph TR2, which began a sports car line in 1953 that would continue for four decades, and the Jaguar E-type, which so memorably redefined what a sports car should be.

However, there have been plenty more recent ground-breaking machines. Take the Lotus M100 Elan and Rover 75 – both very different Brits, but both designed to be the best front-wheel drive car in the world within their respective classes.

Looking at their debuts and legacies is one thing, but to truly appreciate their innate show-stopping appeal we need to try them out.

WORDS Chris Hope PHOTOGRAPHY Stuart Collins