Curtain goes up on the stars of the show.Byline: Steve Hughes MORE than 20 new cars will have their world premieres Noun 1. world premiere - (music) the first public performance (as of a dramatic or musical work) anywhere in the world performance, public presentation - a dramatic or musical entertainment; "they listened to ten different performances"; "the play ran for 100 at this month's British International Motor Show The British International Motor Show is an automobile show held biennially in the United Kingdom. It is recognised as an international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles. as the organisers attempt to re-establish the event as a truly global spectacle. Frantic activity behind closed doors has resulted in some of the world's biggest manufacturers agreeing to reveal their most important new models at the London event in a bid to compete against Geneva Geneva, canton and city, Switzerland Geneva (jənē`və), Fr. Genève, canton (1990 pop. 373,019), 109 sq mi (282 sq km), SW Switzerland, surrounding the southwest tip of the Lake of Geneva. , Paris, Tokyo and the rest of the established international motor show circuit. The organisers are desperate to raise the profile of the UK event, which has had a chequered chequered or US checkered Adjective 1. marked by varied fortunes: a chequered career 2. marked with alternating squares of colour Adj. 1. and controversial past, having moved between Birmingham and London, with some manufacturers boycotting it on the grounds of cost and attendance figures. This year's show, sponsored by Zurich Connect, is the second to be staged at ExCel in London's Docklands and is seen by many as a make-or-break event. It will feature as many vehicle premieres and associated attractions as the organisers can cram into the ten-day run. In addition to important new reveals - including the Vauxhall Insignia, Ford Focus RS and a 200mph Bentley - there will be an eco-friendly theme, in keeping with the ethos of London. In total, 20 new models will be unveiled compared to 13 in 2006 and among them will be electric vehicles and cars with a strong eco-theme such as Ford's Fiesta ECOnetic. Most important of the new mainstream models is Vauxhall's Insignia, which is on a mission to topple Ford's dominance of the market with its multi award-winning Mondeo. The family-sized newcomer arrives at a time when motorists are downsizing (1) Converting mainframe and mini-based systems to client/server LANs. (2) To reduce equipment and associated costs by switching to a less-expensive system. (jargon) downsizing to smaller, more economical and tax-friendly models so Vauxhall will be emphasising the car's heightened green credentials in addition to its new levels of German-style build quality and refinement. British car company Lotus will unveil its first all-new model in 12 years, which is a mid-engined 2+2 sports car, codenamed Project Eagle. Ford will take the wraps off its high-performance Focus RS, which generates a whopping 400Nm of pulling power Pulling Power is a regional motoring programme shown only in the Central Television region on ITV1 since 1996. However it has been shown on the ITV1 network on a series trial basis and also as a filler programme at times. to endow en·dow tr.v. en·dowed, en·dow·ing, en·dows 1. To provide with property, income, or a source of income. 2. a. the car with a 0-60mph acceleration time of under six seconds and a top speed in excess of 155mph. The Focus RS motorshow debut will be a full six months before it goes on sale here, although orders will be taken at around pounds 25,000 a time. Even faster will be the British-built Bentley Continental Flying Spur Bentley has used the Continental Flying Spur name on two automobiles since 1957. Both were four-door derivatives of the company's 2-door Continental models.
The wraps will also officially come off Toyota's 200bhp Aygo Crazy concept car, following its appearance before a small crowd at Goodwood's Festival of Speed a few days earlier. Other important new models to be unveiled at the motorshow will include the three-door SEAT Ibiza The SEAT Ibiza is a supermini manufactured by the Volkswagen Group and sold under the SEAT brand. The Ibiza spans four generations and is still in production. It has been available in hatchback, saloon, coupé and estate body styles. SportCoupe and the new-look Land Rover Discovery The Discovery is a four wheel drive on-road and off-road vehicle from the British car maker Land Rover. There have been three generations of the vehicle, which is less expensive than the company's top Range Rover model. . Nissan will also reveal an important new seven-seat version of the Qashqai, which has proved so phenomenally successful that the Sunderland plant has just taken on hundreds more workers and moved to 24-hour production to meet global demand. There will be plenty of 'green' international premieres at the Show too, including the 80mpg Ford Fiesta The Ford Fiesta is a mid-class supermini car designed and built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe, and also manufactured in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa. ECOnetic, which emits less than 100g/km of CO2. A host of alternative-fuel cars will break cover for the first time, including an all-electric two-seater and an MPV (MusicPhotoVideo) A playlist standard for music, image and video collections introduced in 2002 by the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA). An "MPV Writer" is software that creates the playlist, and an "MPV Reader" is software that can discover and read it. from London's NICE Car Company. There will be a range of new automotive technologies Noun 1. automotive technology - the activity of designing and constructing automobiles automotive engineering engineering, technology - the practical application of science to commerce or industry comprising fuel cells, electric vehicles and hybrids, whilst drivers will be offered tips on ways they can make a difference to the environment and their bank balance. In addition to the 20 world firsts, 30 more vehicles will make their UK debuts, including several sports cars and a number of futuristic concept cars. In an attempt to emphasise the international importance of the event, show marketing director Kirsty Perkinson, says: "We are thrilled to be hosting more than 20 genuine global premieres, reinforcing the prominence of the show in the automotive world. "The UK is Europe's third largest car market and the show offers manufacturers the perfect environment to present their brand new motoring metal to more than half a million car buyers and enthusiasts." The organisers say that the full list of global debuts has yet to be officially announced by the manufacturers. In total the event will host 600 vehicles from 60 manufacturers, with 15 coming to ExCeL for the first time including Ferrari, Maserati, Subaru and Suzuki. Family attractions will include on-water activities, kids' driving experiences, a motor show music festival and many interactive activities. Tickets cost from pounds 10 for an adult weekday pass and pounds 6 for a child's ticket. Dreamscape dream·scape n. A dreamlike scene or picture having surreal qualities. [dream + (land)scape.] is Honda's live action arena, costing pounds 5. Tickets for the show and Dreamscape are available from the website at www.britishmotorshow.co.uk or by calling 0871 230 5588. The show runs from Wednesday, July 23 to Sunday, August 3. CAPTION(S): SPEEDY DEBUT Ford will take the wraps off its high-performance Focus RS at the show.; ON A MISSION The most important of the new mainstream models at the show is the Vauxhall Insignia. |
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