Thursday 14th January 2016

Autosport International preview [Updated]

Ford GT WEC race car and its two British drivers will be at the show

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On Saturday 16 January The Pie & Piston pub will once again throw open its doors to PHers looking for a warm welcome and a cold drink. Oh yes, and there's a car show happening as well.

Covering over one million square feet inside the NEC, the 2016 Autosport International Show will feature the most exciting cars, people and tech from the world of motorsport. PistonHeads will again be present with our legendary pub when the show opens next week. Set in the midst of the Performance Car show and accompanied this year by a stand of the greatest ever hot hatches, it's a real must-see at the show. Well, we think so anyway.

The Live Action Arena will feature PH's very own Shedolition Derby - a no holds barred race featuring examples of some of our favourite Sheds from the past 12 months. There will also be a rare chance to see the C-X75 Jaguar from Spectre in action plus an array of stunts, races and precision driving.

As always a host of big names from motorsport will be in attendance. This year Williams  driver Felipe Massa and Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams will be present with eight Formula 1 cars from throughout the team's history. Three-time Le Mans winner and WEC champion Allan McNish will be there along with other stars including Damon Hill and Petter Solberg.

Other noteworthy goings on include the Coys auction, the launch of Ginetta's new G57 LMP3 car - which Sunday Service goers were treated to a sneak peek of in December, and the first public showing of the Zenos E10 R. It looks like being another great show!

We look forward to meeting those of you who will be at the show over the weekend, you will find us in and around the pub somewhere! We will have our merchandise booth up and running too so bring some change if you wish to stock up on PH stickers, T-shirts and the like. See you there!

For more information or to book your tickets now, click here.

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Friday 15:00
The Ford GT WEC race car will be on show at Autosport International. Marino Franchitti and Andy Priaulx, the two British drivers racing in the LM GTE class will also be at the show giving a talk, so keep your eyes peeled.

Nik

 

[HorneyMX5]

Helping a mate out on a stand all week so I'll pop into the pub for a pint at some point. I've got a load of Demon Tweeks vouchers for Christmas to splurge at their stand as well. Should be an excellent weekend.

[Fishy Dave]

I'll be there on the CSCC stand, will pop by the Pie and Piston to pick up a sticker or two.

[James Junior]

I went a few years back via a PH Sunday Service and really enjoyed this show, however I just cannot stomach the ticket prices this year. £35 per person plus £10 parking?!

I am planning to visit the Geneva Motorshow later this year and the entry cost is half that of the Performance Car Show at the NEC.

I am really not someone who normally grumbles on social media or forums, but I just think the pricing is a complete rip off. I was going to arrange a group visit with a number of other car friends but just cannot bring myself to pay what they are asking for entry.

I am not interested in the Live Action Arena - I just want to come and look at the cars, come and have a pint with you guys and chat to like-minded enthusiasts. Paying £85 for me and the missus to do just feels outragous.

I have noticed a lot of negative comment about this on other forums and on Facebook so hopefully the event organisers will get the message and sort this out as its not doing their reputation much good.

I cannot imagine its cheap for the exhibitors either...

Nevertheless I hope it proves a good event for you and that anyone attending has a good time. It is a good show, just too overpriced for me this year.

[Smitters]

I'm looking forward to hearing all about it, especially as there was a lot of negativity after the last couple. I suspect I, like many, fall into the category of "not quite nerdy enough". (...says the bloke on an internet forum...). Thus, I can't stomach the ticket price as I don't get enough out of it each year. Instead, I choose to go every four or five years, when things have changed substantially.

That said, I wrote, at length, to the organisers following my last visit as it was almost precisely the same experience as four years previous including an extremely tedious live action arena, with almost identical antics and stutteringly wooden commentary. But then is was Sunday, and thus they're been uttering the same lines for days.

FishyDave - I'd even bring Colin up to visit one year, but I'm simply not brave enough to do that trip in January! I could lose fingers and toes to the cold! It was hairy enough in the 350 the year it was sub-zero and snowy!

[kaivaksdal]

I like the show, especially the Pistonheads arena but the prices....... How can they justify the prices?
It's just too expensive- they must k is this by now. We've been telling them for years.
Still, like a ninny I'll be there as there isn't anything else like it.
See you there
Kai

[Marchutch]

Will be there with the GP exhibiting on the TrackAddict stand. See you there!

[Adrian250]

I haven't been here for about 8 years and I can honestly say that I don't miss it. Too many little trade stands, an unnecessary live action arena that was quite honestly pants, and then having to pay stupid ticket prices for the privilege. My advice would be to save your money and visit Goodwood in June. Yes it is nearly twice the price, but it is more than twice the event. The atmosphere is fantastic, the machinery is unbelievable and it makes a great weekend get away.

[Bradgate]

I have attended in previous years, and would like to go this year, but it definitely isn't worth paying £35, so I'm out.

How on earth can they possibly justify such ridiculous pricing?

[RSgeoff]

Stopped going to this a few years ago as it was getting less and less interesting as the years passed.
Started going to the Classic show in November but that's now going the same way.

Parking is now £12 aswell. Bloody expensive day out when you add in fuel, food / drink.

[Roncee]

It's good timing for a show as January is a crap month but I agree not much changes year to year and it's too expensive. Needs a rethink by the organisers.

[russy01]

I want to go, but for us considering the travel, tickets, parking and typical extortionate food prices its nearly a £150 day out. I have been twice before on following years and found the content to be 90% similar and others are saying the same for the years I did not visit.

Id love to come up again next week with my younger sibling who would wet himself in the live action arena. However with my previous experience I just cannot whip up any excitement to actually cough up any cash for it - which I find surprising considering I have petrol running through my veins.

Its a shame, I think I will consider next year if the format of the show has been changed at all.

[chunder27]

Bravo to you all

Like many others this is a show I would love to visit.

But like many shows it is seemingly very samey, I think the last time I went was about 10 years ago, but since then the event has been priced out of my budget.

I am not a cheapskate by any means but 35 quid plus 12 quid to park is nearly 50 notes. That is for me dearer than ANY other racing event I will visit this year as I am not stupid enough to pay silly money to Silverstone so they can pay hosting fees to Bernie and Dorna, the two events I would likely visit.

You have not been able to opt out of the arena show, which is garbage and the same every year (someone please shoot Terry Grant this year). That might lower the ticket price. Or at least offer an opt out, not doing is pure greed, nothing more.

Also, a mate went to the caravan show in November looking at motorhomes, know how much the parking was? Free.

As a fans day out it is not an option anymore, Hayshed are playing the motorway services captive audience prices game of taking advantage of the winter of motorsport discontent and offering a massively inflated price for a non event that is largely a rrade show with a few show F1 cars thrown in.

NEC bike show was 20 quid.

Race Retro is about the same price.

As someone earleir said Geneva!! Bloody Geneva is cheaper!

Get a grip Haymarket, as the comments on here and for the past few weeks show you have lost the dressing room.

Spread the word and tell people not to go and then they might do somehting about it.

Edited by chunder27 on Saturday 9th January 16:14

[russy01]

chunder27 said:

As someone earleir said Geneva!! Bloody Geneva is cheaper!

There we go, forgot about geneva. Just booking up flights to go to this instead! easyjet from my local is £60 return PP. Just finding a cheap hotel now....

Will probs only cost about double Autosport!

[cailean]

Ha, £11 for a Geneva ticket, one third the Autosport cost...

[chunder27]

That really does need sending to someone involved in the costing of this show!

Switzerland is hardly a cheap place to run shows, hire venues, and the cost of living is high.

So quite why they can afford to do that I dont know.

I guess it is maybe not a trade show, which the NEC is in everything but name.

[JohnW1]

Lots of comments on pricing, if you're an MSA license holder, £23 entry for the trade days (Discount Code MSA1616) and if you can walk a few yards further, park in the Birmingham International Railway Station Car Park for £6 if you arrive after 1100 Weekdays or £6 per day at weekends.....

[gingabloke]

JohnW1 said:

Lots of comments on pricing, if you're an MSA license holder, £23 entry for the trade days

Big advantage of the Trade Days is the place is empty, compared to Sat/Sun public days. I went, through work, a few years ago and we walked straight into the Ferrari exhibition whereas my friends queued for 90mins on the Sunday.

The problem with the Trade Days is that only half of the event is open. When I went at least 1 entire hall was closed on Thursday/Friday and the list of special guests/displays was pretty light.

I'll not go again now that the prices have increased further.

[Harry3099]

I'm really looking forward to it this year! Looks as though this may be one of the best years in the last 3 which I have been to. Some of the cars are amazing, I'm particularly surprised that a Vulcan, 918 and P1 GTR will be there. Not only that, but I cannot wait to do some model car shopping - guilty pleasure, always end up spending way too much but nevertheless it is worth it

[richardcs]

There's is something liked it some! Try the festival of speed...nothing comes close... Nowhere will you see so many cars and divers from all of history close up and in action....give it a go, you won't be disappointed

[D.no]

I suspect the timing of this show is everything. It's held at a time of year when there is a lull for those looking for a motorsport fix, however tenuous that fix may be. If the show was held in the height of summer, when the monopoly doesn't exist, there would be far fewer visitors. I couldn't be less interested in subjecting myself to exactly the same bottled product that gets poured out year on year, and I simply can't get excited by looking at static trade-show exhibits of products designed to be dynamic.

The tedium is further bolstered by a shift away from the use of tightly/partially clad promotion girls that in the past would result in my perusal of all kinds of stuff that I'm not remotely interested in - something that would only become apparent upon emptying the umpteen carrier bags full of flyers and brochures for things like helical gear sets, and roller bearing cam followers!

Without the girls, the costs border on pure extortion.

I'm begrudgingly being dragged there however, despite my protestations, by my 7 year old. Still, at least I'm looking forward to the drive there/back with the knowledge of all that lovely fresh salt corroding the bejesus out of every exposed part of my spotless car.