"The Motor Show" Granada TV motoring series

[Jukebag]

I mentioned this on the classics thread but didn't get much response, so thought I'd mention on the North West forum.

Anyone remember the motoring series called The Motor Show that was made by Granada television in the 1990?. Does anyone know how many years this motoring series lasted for?. Asking because I can barely find any info on this show apart from one site which gives one air that of 1995. I know the series was being shown as early as 1993/4 and continued to be shown (as far as the Granada region is concerned) up to about 1996, but I've no idea how long it was made for and whether it continued into the 2000s, although I think some of the episodes or car reviews where reused for the now defunct Men and Motors channel.

Looked up the presenters of the programme but there's no mention of The Motor Show, which is strange. It seemed to be popular series. I do know that they showed the series in other regions, one Meridian and Central, but not every region showed it. Maybe it's a discussion for the film/TV forum.

[Jukebag]

Gasolina said:

Got binned after 1 series.

No that's not the series I was referring to. The Motor Show I'm talking about was made and shown in the 1990s (no idea what year exactly) and produced by Granada Television. The presenters of the program where Eamonn O'Neal and Nicky Fox. I think Eamonn O'Neal also presented programs for Granada Reports.

All I can find of this series is a BFI or similar site with one broadcast year of 1995 listed, but I know this series was shown as early as 1994 and as late as 1997, it seemed to last a good few years during the 1990s but I can't find any information about how long it was ran for and how many episodes made. Surely I'm not the only one that remembers this?. There are one or two recordings on youtube but not many, and I have a couple of tape recordings of the series, one from 1997 where they review a new Jag XK8 convertible with a series 2 E-Type roadster and talk to the owner of the E-Type. The same footage was reused for some reason for a Men and Motors program. I've searched Eamonn O'Neal on IMDB and all that comes up is Granada Reports, but no mention of him presenting The Motor Show. Why this motoring series is hard to find information about I do not know.

Edit: Forgot to mention, but at the end of the each episode there's a voice-over that says "The Motor Show, sponsored by Auto Express magazine".

Edited by Jukebag on Saturday 6th March 09:46

[Lord_Howit_Hertz]

Was this the one that was filmed around Manchester airport/Wilmslow, also I think the opening scene was from what was the Old Stratstone site in Wilmslow, before it became a Yacht/helicopter showroom?

[Jukebag]

Lord_Howit_Hertz said:

Was this the one that was filmed around Manchester airport/Wilmslow, also I think the opening scene was from what was the Old Stratstone site in Wilmslow, before it became a Yacht/helicopter showroom?

I'm not sure, though I'm pretty sure most of the series where filmed around the North West, ie Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire. Yeah the opening did show a racetrack of some kind, and the voice over mentions the series was sponsored by Auto Express magazine (which is still going I think). Strange that hardly anyone seem to remember this motoring program.

[Johnston]

Was a great local TV program. I have a clip linked below reviewing the Alpine A610 (I own one). I do miss a good fair car reviewing program on TV instead of the crap served up by Top Gear these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aUlCqlnLtI

[Jukebag]

Johnston said:

Was a great local TV program. I have a clip linked below reviewing the Alpine A610 (I own one). I do miss a good fair car reviewing program on TV instead of the crap served up by Top Gear these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aUlCqlnLtI

I remember my dad watching it and taping a few episodes, but I wish I knew more about the series, ie how long it ran from and to and how many episodes they made. All I know is that they started showing the series from about 93/94-ish (maybe earlier) upto about 97/98, after that I don't recall any episodes being shown, but I do know some clips from the series were used in some of those Men and Motors shows, one particular The Motor Show ep Men and Motors reused on their channel (I think it was a channel) was where the presenters are comparing a S2 E-Type with the new Jag XK8 convertible. No idea why Men and Motors had to recycle footage from another TV motoring show for, kinda cheap way of making a program. I've asked people on various TV forums and even they don't know.

I agree about the current Top Gear, hated Top Gear when Clarkson, Hammond and May where doing it. Top Gear for me died when they brought in Hammond and May and it stopped being a proper motoring program. Clarkson's humour in the post 2001 series just wasn't the same as the pre 2001 series when they had Quintin Willson, Steve Berry etc as presenters. Even Steve Berry had me in stitches the things he said.

Edited by Jukebag on Saturday 10th April 15:12