Following a break in 2022, The London Classic Car Show returns to Olympia London at the end of February. Advance tickets are available for the event which takes place over the weekend of Friday 24 February to Sunday 26 February, 2023.
Now in its ninth year, The London Classic Car Show will include several themed exhibitions, take a look at the so-called ‘movers and shakers’ of the classic car world and play host to an auction. Here’s what you can expect to see at the event in west London.
What’s going on at The London Classic Car Show?
The event will celebrate 60 years of the Mini Cooper S by reuniting all three surviving Minis originally owned by the Beatles for the first time in 55 years. The last time the famed Minis of George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were seen together was in 1968 during rehearsals for the White Album.
The ‘fab three’ Minis were built by Harold Radford & Co Ltd, the famous coachbuilders based just down the road from Olympia opposite South Kensington London Underground station. Martin Clarke of the London Classic Car Show said: “This truly is a once in a generation chance to see the last remaining Beatles Minis in all their glory – it’s certainly not to be missed by motoring and music fans alike.”
Another car celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023 is the Porsche 911. To mark the occasion, the event will showcase a model from every generation of 911, from the first 901 to the current 992. Not a fan of Stuttgart’s iconic sports car? You might be interested in the display which marks 70 years of the Corvette; one from each generation will be on display at Olympia.
With an eye on tax and MOT exemption, the ‘Fortysomethings’ display will include cars turning 40 in 2023, including the Peugeot 205, Mk2 Volkswagen Golf and Nissan Z31 300ZX. Click here to check out our list of 83 cars celebrating anniversaries in 2023.
As if that weren’t enough, there will be displays of barn finds in need of restoration, surprising rarities and future classics.
What’s going under the hammer at The London Classic Car Show auction?
Around 60 cars will be available at the Historics sale, which takes place on 25 February, 2023. If the auction for the 1965 Amphicar 770 goes swimmingly, it could fetch between £38,000 and £44,000.
If the Amphicar doesn’t float your boat, maybe you could take the helm of a 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint or 1972 Maserati Ghibli. No classic car auction would be complete without a Jaguar E-Type, so a Series 1 Roadster is likely to attract more than a ripple of interest.
Looking to splash the cash? A 1964 Aston Martin DB5 with a pre-auction estimate of £540,000 to £590,000 is expected to be the most expensive car. Searching for a bargain? A 2006, MkV Volkswagen Golf GTI with just 18,700 miles on the clock is the perfect hot hatch for, ahem, buoy racers. That’s it for Amphicar-inspired gags; we wouldn’t sink to the depths of progressing any further.
Where can I buy tickets?
You can buy tickets by visiting The London Classic Car Show website. Adult tickets cost from £25, with a £5 discount available for children aged 5-16. Under 5s go free when accompanied by an adult. You can pay on the door, but the tickets cost £32.50 and £27.50 for adults and children respectively.
A premium entry ticket provides full use of the lounge, a welcome drink, tea and coffee on tap and show guide. You had us at ‘coffee on tap’.
Anything else?
Olympia London has limited parking, so you’re advised to pre-book your space before the event. Alternatively, the exhibition centre is well served by public transport, with the Kensington (Olympia) station situated next to the venue.
For the latest information on the event, follow The London Classic Car Show’s Twitter feed.
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This is not the first time the Beatles minis have been seen together since 1968 , they were on display together at the Goodwood Revival about 3 or 4 years ago , I was there and saw them
Hi I have capri mk1 gxl 3.0 totally mint 2 owners and all history the day it came out of production when it was made and sun roof all tax discs going back since 1972 and mots and other history as well this is a needle in a hay stack looking at good offers no welding marks all original and no rain has touch this car I’m not desperate I’m just curious get intouch regards terry
Really poor, overpriced show. Mostly cars for sale. Lots of empty space.
Agree with the comment above. There was a mass exodus happening when I arrived at Midday and I soon found out why. One of the poorest shows I have been to. Lines of super cars none of which were that old. Empty spaces. The upper galleries full of traders in recent years were empty. The whole thing was driven by the auction which you had to pay extra to get into. To cap it all the station was shut. A poor experience for the true classic car enthusiast. I won’t be going again.