The London Classic Car Show 2023
One of my favourite details of the show was this Honda NSX dedicated to Ayrton Senna, complete with tribute helmet. 1/80s 58mm F1.4 ISO 400.
For me the London Classic Car Show is the starting gun for the car show season. The worst of winter is seemingly behind us, the cars that have been nestled away in hibernation are beginning to emerge and we see the first signs of what milestones will be celebrated in a big way this year. 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of both the Porsche 911 and the Mini Cooper S and the 70th Anniversary of the Corvette. The one notable absence was the 100th Anniversary of MG, but then again seeing as no one can agree whether the first year was 1923 or 1924, perhaps it was overlooked to save the ire of many an angry hand-written letter. Maybe next year.
The show was bustling with activity when it opened at midday on Friday. 1/200s 58mm F1.4 ISO 160.
One of the big milestones celebrated was 70 years of the Corvette. 1/125s 58mm F1.4 ISO 640.
Another was 60 Years of the Mini Cooper S. 1/100s 58mm F1.4 ISO 640.
What better way to celebrate that milestone than by showcasing three examples that were owned by members of the Beatles. Are there two things better exemplify Britain in the 1960s? 1/200s 58mm F1.4 ISO 500.
The last time I attended was three years ago, not long before the first lockdowns began. That was it’s first year at Olympia and I much prefer it here to the ExCel as the large glass roof lets in so much natural light that makes the space much more pleasant and airy. Not to mention it’s also a lot better for photography. This does mean however that the show is not that big in comparison to the ones coming later in the year at the NEC in Birmingham. Just two large halls worth of cars with a bit up on the balconies. However, there was still plenty to look out and the main casualties seemed to be the memorabilia and product stands which I am personally never very fussed by.
The show gives the public a chance to really get up close and personal with some interesting bits of metal. 1/200s 58mm F1.4 ISO 500.
One of the real standouts was this 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport Zagato Spider (long name!). It was up for sale with a POA. I don’t imagine my bank account has enough zeroes in it. 1/80s 58mm F1.4 ISO 250.
Not a single bit of plastic shrouding in sight. 1/125s 58mm F1.4 ISO 400.
Another dedicated display took attendees through 60 Years of the Porsche 911. 1/125s 58mm F1.4 ISO 1250.
Despite attending on the Friday, I was quite surprised by just how busy the show was at opening. There was a big queue getting in at midday and the first few hours saw the floor swarming with activity. This made photography a real test of patience at times, but after a few hours the numbers really thinned out and my job became a bit easier. It’s always something worth bearing in mind, if you are there to photograph the exhibits then do stay late as there will be far fewer people in the way. My plan for (indoor) shows going forward is to spend the first couple of hours photographing the activities of the attendees and then get the car shots later in the day. That should make things a bit less stressful and less time consuming, as well as yield better, more exciting photos (hopefully).
I made a real effort to photograph more creative angles than previous shows I attended. 1/160s 58mm F1.4 ISO 1600.
A sign of the times. Cars are now being listed as ULEZ compliant as a selling point. Though I’ll need some convincing that a 3.8L six cylinder Porsche engine can be classified as environmentally friendly. 1/200s 58mm F1.4 ISO 500.
A stand dedicated to barn finds had this wonderfully patinaed MGA. It would almost be a shame to repaint it. 1/160s 58mm F1.4 ISO 640.
The paint work on the MGC up for sale in the auction was much more intact. 1/125s 58mm F1.4 ISO 250.
Speaking of the photos themselves, I was really happy with what I took. I’d had a bit of practice during a trip to the British Museum a few days before and I really feel that these are the best ones I’ve taken at a show yet. I exclusively used my new 58mm F1.4G lens, and using a single prime really forces you to move and think creatively. It’s a lens I will almost certainly write a review on in the future, but I am really happy with what this lens can produce wide open. The F1.4 aperture and its quirky optical design gives a really pleasing depth of field that worked well indoors with sometimes limited room to manoeuvre. Hopefully my photography can continue to improve as I attend more shows this year. You’ll be sure to see more in blogs over the course of 2023.
Looking at Memorabilia. 1/125s 58mm F1.4 ISO 160.
Historics were running the auction this year and this rare manual W123 250 estate really caught my eye. 1/160s 58mm F1.4 ISO 1000.
The most James Bond car a normal person can buy. The Amphicar 770 was an odd experiment in the 60s to combine the motoring and boating experience. Said to be the fastest car on water and the fastest boat on the road. It wasn’t a big seller. 1/160s 58mm F1.4 ISO 800.
Friday was a good day for prospective buyers to have a look around the auctions lots. 1/125s 58mm F1.4 ISO 1000.
One thing I didn’t manage to see this year was the auction. The main day was Saturday, so whilst I could wander around and see what was up for sale, I didn’t get to witness the banging of the gavel and the gasps from the crowd as a car sold far beyond its estimate. Though, I don’t think there were many great surprises and a lot of cars seemed to either not sell or sell right at the bottom end of their estimate. Not exactly a hot start to 2023, perhaps it’s a sign of things to come as the economic problems continue to bite and interest rates keep creeping up. I imagine the high cost of fuel isn’t helping either.
A major car show wouldn’t be complete without the main stage with interesting and topical talks. 1/60s 58mm F1.4 ISO 640.
The car club scene was a bit limited at the show but my favourite by far was the Honda NSX owners club. The yellow car in the background used to be owned by none other than Jenson Button and now serves as the current owners daily driver. 1/125s 58mm F1.4 ISO 1000.
The Corvettes weren’t the only bit of America muscle on display. 1/160s 58mm F1.4 ISO 1000.
A few Ferraris including this 365 GT4 BB were setup with a studio like plain backdrop that made for a great photo. 1/50s 58mm F1.4 ISO 2000.
To summarise, it was good to be back and be back with better photos in the bag than ever before. If you’ve never been to the London show, then do make the effort next year. It runs Friday-Sunday so you should be able to find a day free to go. Otherwise, there’s plenty to look forward to in 2023, not just with the big indoor shows at the NEC but also a plethora of smaller, more local ones outside. You never know, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to get some sunshine.
A few restoration companies had some of their latest and most impressive works on display. This Gullwing SL will be worth a pretty penny when finished. 1/60s 58mm F1.4 ISO 640.
Love them or loathe them electrification companies are also becoming more popular and they had some of their examples on display as well. 1/60s 58mm F1.4 ISO 250.
The Icon 917K rightfully took pride of place near the entrance to the show. It’s such a wonderful recreation of the car it is based on. I even got a chance to meet the owner/creator. 1/60s 58mm F1.4 ISO 400.
I finished up the day by chatting with Clive, the secretary of the NSX Owners Club, about his Senna tribute car. It’s a real stunner. 1/100s 58mm F1.4 ISO 1250.
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