The London Classic Car Show 2017 was staged 23-26 February at the ExCeL Centre in London’s Docklands. Officially opened by six-times Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, a record crowd of more than 37,000 visitors attended the 3rd annual show joined this year by the new Historic Motorsport International event.
The main spotlight at the London Classic Car Show 2017 was firmly on Ferrari. The Italian company turns 70 this year and the event presented a display with more than 20 cars wearing the Prancing Horse. The Ferrari tribute featured examples from the Daytona, 275 GTB, Dino, 250 GT California, F40, F50 and a 250 GTO.
This 2017 London Classic Car Show also celebrated the career of Jacky Ickx, hailed by many to be motorsport’s greatest all-round race driver. A special display hosted six of the illustrious cars in which the distinguished Belgian had won grands prix, Le Mans and a Paris-Dakar adventure. Ickx himself was present together with three of the drivers he shared Le Mans wins with: Jackie Oliver (1969), Jürgen Barth (1977) and Derek Bell (1975, 1981 and 1982).
Displays provided by independent vendors ensured all the great classic marques were also well represented. These lined up alongside a number of today’s manufacturers such as Abarth, Aston Martin and Maserati all exhibiting their latest models and icons from their respective heritages.
The head-turning cars at ExCeL London were not only on static display. No fewer than 66 classics – including some thunderous racing cars – were fired up for eye-catching displays on the Grand Avenue, a unique quarter-mile long road running through the centre of the show. This year’s theme was the Perfect 10 putting the spotlight on the best six examples of 10 different body styles which then were paraded on the catwalk allowing visitors to see — and hear — some of their favourite classics in action.
All those attending the London Classic Car Show were also admitted into the new Historic Motorsport International, a complementary show celebrating the UK’s leading role in all areas of historic motorsport. Exhibitors included the organisers of all of Europe’s premier series’ and championships as well as race car constructors such as Lister and Crosslé.
Other notable displays at the Historic Motorsport International came from historic preparation specialist Hall & Hall and Cosworth, the latter celebrating 50 years of its remarkable DFV F1 engine featuring one of the original 1967 Lotus 49s which gave the DFV the first of unrivaled tally of 155 grand prix wins. Positioned close to the main entrance it was a major head-turner as was the 1988 Le Mans-winning Jaguar XJR-9 on show in the Supagard Theatre.
“Whether it’s in size, the number of exhibitors or the amount of visitors, The London Classic Car Show just keeps growing and growing,” said Bas Bungish, Event Director. “The Ferrari tribute obviously has been a big success but it’s equally pleasing to know that dealers have sold cars and to see just how popular the addition of Historic Motorsport International has proved to be. We can confirm that both the London Classic Car Show and HMI will be back from 15-18 February, 2018 in a new, even bigger format at ExCeL.”
Similar to 2015 and 2016, Sports Car Digest also documented the London Classic Car Show 2017, with photographer Jonathan Jacob providing this set of images.
London Classic Car Show 2017 – Photo Gallery (photos: Jonathan Jacob)
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Fabulous event obviously, but a pity those of us who were not there don’t get to know if their identification of the cars are correct, any reason why captions could not include car details ?
Agree about adding more info about the cars.