• New ‘Pop-Up’ Motor Show sponsored by Cinch, launched by The British Motor Show team
• Now open at Festival Place, Basingstoke, until 24 December 2020
• New cars, classic cars, retro electric cars and the latest EVs all on display, with interactive fun for all the family
• Displays will change throughout the event, making the show perfect for a return visit.
• Organisers plan to run series of Pop-Up events across the country in 2021 in advance of The British Motor Show on August 19-22
• Free entry and family-focused

An entirely new concept in automotive exhibitions opens its doors this weekend, created by the team behind The British Motor Show, which is launching a series of portable ‘Pop-Up’ motor shows in the run-up to the big event in 2021.

The first Pop-Up show is sponsored by online car sales platform Cinch, and is laid out with social distancing and current healthcare guidance front-of-mind. It is now open at the Festival Place shopping centre in Basingstoke, Hants, RG21 7BA and will run until December 24, 2020.

As well as featuring the latest new models from a selection of local retailers, the show will include a number of other interesting cars including EVs, electric motorcycles, classics and retro-electric cars, which have been converted to use modern drivetrains. Between now and Christmas, the venue will also be used for a number of new product launches, including the world premiere of an all-new British-designed model.

Amongst the exhibits on show during launch week are a 150,000-mile Tesla to demonstrate the longevity of EV drivetrains, an Electric 2CV and a unique “Push me pull you” mini that will be used in the British Motor Show Live Arena in August 2021

Other features include supercar displays, driving simulators, a giant Scalextric track and surprise ‘guest’ cars during the course of the event, making it ideal for a return visit.

The free-to-enter exhibition uses 6,000 square feet of retail space, with expected footfall of over five million people visiting Festival Place during the run-up to Christmas.

There’s a fully stacked merchandise section selling T-Shirts, posters and show merchandise, while other suppliers are offering car care goods and gifts.

Other features planned during the 10-week long show will include ‘Ask the Experts’, with consumer specialists on hand to answer car buying and maintenance queries, an online search engine to help you find your perfect automotive match and car-themed retailers offering great gifts and ideas for Christmas. There’ll also be a fee-to-enter competition to win a share in a TVR courtesy of TheCarCrowd, a new crowdfunding venture that allows normal people on normal incomes to take part-ownership of their dream car.

The British Motor Show CEO, Andy Entwistle, who is behind the event said: “The pop-up show is the perfect creche for car fans and is a brand-new concept in car events, designed to operate within the parameters of current social distancing measures.”

“With our first Pop-Up Motor Show we’ve developed a way in which people can still go to a car show, experience a great selection of cars both new and old, buy essential Christmas gifts for the car fan in their life and meet likeminded enthusiasts in a responsible manner as we build up to the big event next summer, when hopefully car shows will be back with a bang.

“Festival place is the perfect venue for our very first Pop-Up. It’s a fantastic modern shopping centre with an average of 450,000 people through the door each week, giving us and our exhibitors a great audience and the venue could not have been more keen on making this happen.”

The organisers are encouraging exhibitors who would like to secure space at the event to contact them now as space for exhibits over the 10 weeks is already filling up. For more info contact: [email protected]