London, UK - 5 May 2016
1. Wide of unveiling the all-new MG GS SUV at London Motor Show
2. Various of MG GS on display at London Motor Show
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing, MG Motor UK Ltd:
"For us, this is about affordable family fun. So, this is a great vehicle, it's a fun vehicle, it's a great vehicle to drive. It's also a great vehicle for the family and that's whether you're a small family or a big family, individuals or whatever, but also it's affordable. So when you look at the whole package, this is a vehicle that you're not only going to want to do things in - go and have great days out, go and have adventures and so on - but because it's affordable, you've still got spare money leftover to be able to go and do that."
4. Various of Riversimple Rasa hydrogen fuel cell car on display at London Motor Show
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Hugo Spowers, Company Architect of Riversimple:
"The car is designed with a 300-mile range not because we want people to do a 300-mile journey, but because it's designed to be at least a weeks' use of fuel for a local car. This is designed for the local vehicle market, a lot of people buy a car for local use and the great advantage for hydrogen of targeting that particular market niche is that you can create a commercial market with just one filling station."
6. Various of VUHL 05 lightweight supercar on display at London Motor Show
7. Setup shot of Mark Kent, Business and Development Director, Bespoke Performance, climbing into VUHL 05
8. Cutaway of 'VUHL' insignia on car
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Kent, Owner and Director of Bespoke Performance:
"It's designed as a supercar built for the track and road. So the idea is you can drive it straight out of your garage, on the road, without trailing it to a track, but also seen as something a little bit special. So it's based on superb design and fantastic engineering, so really complex, almost aeronautical engineering, so honeycomb aluminium chassis bonded, really, really great attention to detail."
10. Various of McLaren 570GT on display at London Motor Show
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jon Pollock, Managing Director of Europe Region, McLaren Automotive:
"It's much more kind of road-orientated and inspired and really built as a GT should be, so a grand tourer with a little bit of extra comfort for longer road journeys than say it's 570S counterpart, but really with none of the penalties in terms of overall performance. So you lose very little in terms of, for example 0-62 time, and the handling is just that little bit more comfortable for the longer runs, and of course with the unique rear-opening hatch and the panoramic roof, you've got a feeling of light and spaciousness that you don't get in a normal sports car."
12. Various of Mitsuoka Brooklands Roadster on display at London Motor Show
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Neil White, Managing Director of TW White & Sons:
"We decided to take the car, which is obviously a very classic-looking British sports car - and just try and tweak it so that it's got the wire wheels, it's got the bespoke leather, it's got the wooden interior so it celebrates everything there is to do with British motoring heritage."
14. Various high shots of London Motor Show floor
15. SOUNDBITE (English) James Beckwith, Autocar Magazine:
"Obviously the figures show that we've had the best March in 12 years and the fact that now we've got two motor shows if you include Goodwood is a good sign for the UK's car industry and its growth."
16. Various high shots of London Motor Show floor
LEAD IN:
A full-throttle mix of luxury sports cars, on-trend SUVs and even a hydrogen fuel cell-powered car are set to thrill visitors to the London Motor Show.
It's the first time in eight years the event has been staged and it couldn't have come at a better time - figures show UK car production recently hit a 12-year high.
STORY-LINE:
Making its global debut in London is this latest entry into the booming sports utility vehicle (SUV) market, MG Motor UK's all-new five-seater GS SUV.
The British auto manufacturer says consumers are no longer looking to sports cars for freedom and adventures, as SUVs are offering that and much more.
That's why it's following in the footsteps of Jaguar and Maserati by dipping its toes into the SUV market.
SUVs and crossovers are the fastest growing segments globally.
According to recently released figures, America's love of trucks and SUVs helped push the auto industry to its best April ever.
US consumers bought just over 1.5 million vehicles in April, nudging out the old record set in April 2005, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Honda and Nissan set April records, Ford posted record SUV sales and Toyota sold more trucks and SUVs than ever.
Matthew Cheyne, head of sales and marketing for MG Motor UK Ltd., says they're most excited about the GS' price, although that's yet to be released.
"For us, this is about affordable family fun," he says.
"So, this is a great vehicle, it's a fun vehicle, it's a great vehicle to drive. It's also a great vehicle for the family and that's whether you're a small family or a big family, individuals or whatever, but also it's affordable.
"So when you look at the whole package, this is a vehicle that you're not only going to want to do things in - go and have great days out, go and have adventures and so on - but because it's affordable, you've still got spare money leftover to be able to go and do that."
Could this be a vision of our future? At London Motor Show, UK-based hydrogen fuel cell eco car company Riversimple is exhibiting its first production prototype, named Rasa.
It may look like a normal two-seater, but this "network electric" car is powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology. Riversimple says its engineering prototype hit speeds over 60 miles per hour.
The chassis is a carbon fibre monocoque made from lightweight composites, weighing less than 40 kilograms. The whole car weighs around 580 kilograms.
Four electric motors in each wheel recover around 50 percent of kinetic energy when braking. It's then stored in super-capacitors to provide power for acceleration.
All this combined means the production prototype achieve a range of around 300 miles.
Having unveiled Rasa in February this year, Riversimple is currently building a series of cars for the public to test and refine during a 12-month trial period.
"The car is designed with a 300-mile range not because we want people to do a 300-mile journey, but because it's designed to be at least a weeks' use of fuel for a local car," says Hugo Spowers from Riversimple.
"This is designed for the local vehicle market, a lot of people buy a car for local use and the great advantage for hydrogen of targeting that particular market niche is that you can create a commercial market with just one filling station."
Drawing big crowds at the London Motor Show is the VUHL 05 Lightweight Supercar, exhibited by specialist car dealer Bespoke Performance.
Designed and produced in Mexico, the VUHL 05 is powered by Ford's award-winning turbocharged 2-litre EcoBoost engine.
That's enough to grant this two-seater, road-legal supercar a roaring top speed of 245 kilometres per hour (152 mph) and 285 brake horse power.
VUHL says it can accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 3.7 seconds.
And it seems destined for the racetrack. It boasts an in-built HD camera with console-mounted control which means track day enthusiasts can record their laps at a push of a button.
It's currently on sale at a price of 59,995 British pounds (approx. $87,000 USD).
"It's designed as a supercar built for the track and road," says Mark Kent, owner and director of Bespoke Performance.
"So the idea is you can drive it straight out of your garage, on the road, without trailing it to a track, but also seen as something a little bit special.
"So it's based on superb design and fantastic engineering, so really complex, almost aeronautical engineering, so honeycomb aluminium chassis bonded, really, really great attention to detail."
Roaring into London is McLaren's latest model in its full-throttle sports series, the 570GT.
Claimed to be the most refined and luxurious McLaren to date, the 570GT is fitted with a 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 engine.
This generates 562 brake horsepower and 600 newton metres of torque, says McLaren.
But the British luxury and high-performance automotive manufacturer says it's practical enough for everyday use and long-distance journeys.
McLaren says UK pricing of the 570GT begins at 154,000 British pounds (approx. $223,000 USD), deliveries are scheduled to begin in July this year.
"It's much more kind of road-orientated and inspired and really built as a GT should be, so a grand tourer with a little bit of extra comfort for longer road journeys than say it's 570S counterpart, but really with none of the penalties in terms of overall performance," says Jon Pollock from McLaren Automotive.
"So you lose very little in terms of, for example 0-62 time, and the handling is just that little bit more comfortable for the longer runs, and of course with the unique rear-opening hatch and the panoramic roof, you've got a feeling of light and spaciousness that you don't get in a normal sports car."
Delighting in classic British sporting design is this limited edition "Brooklands Roadster" by Japan-based Mitsuoka Motor.
Finished in British Racing Green, the Brooklands uses a standard roadster as its base, but with added luxury.
Its interior features a walnut dashboard panel and cream leather, in keeping with British heritage.
To complete the car, Mitsuoka specially commissioned these special sports handcrafted wire-style wheels, synonymous with classic British sports cars of the early twentieth century.
While it may look like a classic car, this rear-wheel drive vehicle is fitted with all the latest driving technology, including four-wheel ABS, traction control systems and dynamic stability control.
The Brooklands is being exhibited by UK car dealer TW White and Sons, priced at 57,500 British pounds (approx. $83,000 USD).
"We decided to take the car, which is obviously a very classic-looking British sports car - and just try and tweak it so that it's got the wire wheels, it's got the bespoke leather, it's got the wooden interior so it celebrates everything there is to do with British motoring heritage," says Neil White from TW White & Sons.
Returning after an eight-year absence, London Motor Show is featuring over 40 car brands and 130 models, including famous brands Bentley, Rolls Royce, Ferrari and Lamborghini.
And it couldn't have come at a better time.
According to recent (28 April) figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), car production in the UK reached a 12-year high this March.
Over 159,000 cars rolled off UK production lines during the month, around one every 16 seconds. That's a 9.8 percent increase in comparison to last year.
"Obviously the figures show that we've had the best March in 12 years and the fact that now we've got two motor shows if you include Goodwood is a good sign for the UK's car industry and its growth," says James Beckwith from UK-based weekly magazine, Autocar.
London Motor Show runs 6-8 May in the British capital's Battersea Evolution.
