MPH Show

The MPH Show was a supercar motor show. It was held every year at both London Earls Court and Birmingham NEC. The show took up either one or two halls at both venues, and there were usually two parts to it: the Exhibition and the Main Show. From 2011 the show was rebranded and relaunched as Top Gear Live, tying together its close links to the popular TV show. Top Gear Live has since expanded, and now is used by BBC Worldwide as a brand of touring stadium show.

Visitors arrive and have the opportunity to take a look at exhibitors' stands. Many are there to advertise a product that they sell (for example there was a 'Shell' stand at MPH '06 advertising Shell V Power) There are also exhibition stands advertising car lease, whilst showing actual cars that can be leased at the stand. These are the likes of the Ferrari Enzo, Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, Ferrari F430 or the Aston Martin DBS V12.

There are also a few car manufacturers exhibiting, although not to the scale of the 'Sunday Times Motor Show'. At MPH '06, Land Rover turned half of the hall into a simulated off-road environment with ramps and severe slopes, in which people could drive on in the new Land Rover Discovery 3.

There are also VIP enclosures such as 'The Sunday Times' enclosure, or the 'Auto Express' enclosure in which people with VIP tickets can go and enjoy a glass of wine for example. Overall, the exhibition side of the show is very trade based and does not include many car manufacturers.

The main reason many go to MPH show is to see the spectacular 90 minute show. It takes up an entire hall and the audience sit in stadium like seating whilst watching the show. The show features stunt driving shows and a catwalk style presentation of new cars. Also included in the show are the usual Top Gear antics. At Mph '06 they placed James May in a shopping trolley and pushed him across the hall at 40 mph by a Ford Mustang into 10 huge ten pin bowling skittles.

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Wikipedia