The UK’s capital city is to play host to the world’s latest and most innovative products to emerge from the automotive sector with this year’s inaugural London Motor Show.

By no means is this London’s first foray into specialist car exhibitionism; the capital was the home of the British International Motor Show for over 70 years millennium, even returning to the city at the show’s renaissance in 2006 and 2008. This is however the first time that the motoring event has taken the name of the global city and, with it, London Motor Show hopes to share in London’s prolonged prosperity.

Alec Mumford, the driving force and chairman behind the event, describes it as an opportunity to shine the spotlight on one of the most amazing industries that we have in this country. The four-day event, to be held at Battersea Park from 5^th to 8^th May, will bring together the biggest names in the industry to showcase new developments in the sector as well as providing a stage for a number of well-known figures to share their views and histories. Champion British Racing Driver and automotive legend, Sir Stirling Moss OBE is one of a number already revealed on the London Motor Show bill.

Of course, beyond the excitement of the day, organisers will no doubt be looking for the economic value it has when deciding on its viability for future. Just last week, the New York International Auto Show racked up a worth of $300m between attendance/exhibition/sponsorship fees, on-the-day purchases, and the generation of leads. Whilst London Motor Show can but hope to achieve anywhere near that in the coming years, its performance this year will have to demonstrate its necessity and benefit on home soil.

And with so many tickets already sold, the event looks set to be a huge hit with punters and manufacturers alike and will go some way to re-positioning the UK on the automotive map.