AutoSport International - Page 7

Lorna · 15 Jan 2002, 22:02 (Ref:199213)

I thought it was appauling, Bluebottle. I apparently did say some loud comments in redshoes' presence on the Thursday, but the 'babes' as Maria corrects us, were probably too worried about how many calories were in the lettuce leaf they had for breakfast.

God! I promised I wouldn't get catty!

Definitely lack of cars, lack of alot. I still managed to get around lots of stalls to collect my trackdates info which I am madly inputting at the moment. It is good in that aspect. Apart from that - I was not impressed.

Speedworx · 15 Jan 2002, 22:08 (Ref:199223)

We all are intitled to our opinions.

Even I found it a little bit off colour this year, but did see lots of cars.

***Chris Y*** · 15 Jan 2002, 23:16 (Ref:199273)

Quote:

Originally posted by hakkiman
We all are intitled to our opinions.

Why so defensive Hakkiman? Do you work for Haymarket?

THR · 15 Jan 2002, 23:58 (Ref:199294)

Wot are you lot on about!
it was a good day out and worth the money, on trade thursday it was nice and quiet got to talk to all the people i wanted to.
the F1 grid was nice to see.. altho some of the cars were a little old.

We all thought it was bigger than it was last year.. mainly cos the bikes went, and the enigeering side was larger.

and wot about the girls!
fantastic id say. wasnt too many, was just right. it makes the day.

were the pipercross girls there on the sat and sunday?

perhaps some of you dont like it so much cos it is actually mainly a trade show..and unless you actually do motorsport i can see i might be a little boring.

if you got caught in the car park q's you left toooo early!!
im with Hakk, dunno wot you lot are on about

TimD · 16 Jan 2002, 01:24 (Ref:199319)

Ah, well, that's the trick, isn't it?

I'd have been delighted to attend the Trade Thursday and take in the stands without fear of having to fight to see anything worth looking at. However, Autosport will insist on marketing their show as an international event, while persisting in their policy of only opening their doors to interested non-trade individuals on two days.

Is it any wonder that the crowds are not conducive to a good show-going experience?

I think it's more than a little disingenuous to suggest that the disappointed visitors who have made their opinions known here are suffering from some lack of understanding of what to expect from the show. I think you'll find that the people who were disappointed in what was offered have an expectation of what they might see from attending previous Autosport Internationals, and indeed the old Racing Car Shows that went before.

I think this was probably my twelfth January motorsport show, and apart from an abortive one at Olympia in '94, this was easily the worst I have been to. It is from that standpoint that I felt it did not offer value for money, not from any lack of understanding through not being involved in motorsport.

I didn't get a chance to really examine the cars on the F1 grid. The crowds were too intense. But having confirmed to myself that the Jaguar at least was an ancient chassis, I did wonder just how many of the cars on the grid were actual race veterans, and how many were merely show dummies. Now, it's only about 5 years ago that the Autosport show put on a display of 30+ GP cars through the ages, many of them race and championship winners, carefully presented in chronological order, with nicely prepared potted histories to tell the observer precisely what they were looking at.

Now THAT would have been worth £13.50 all on its own, but there was nothing remotely comparable this year.

Oh, and where was the dedicated racing autojumble? It's always been a feature of the Autosport show, but this last two years, the small time memorabilia sellers have been priced right out of the arena by Haymarket's stand policy, and indeed one or two of the larger diecast and book specialists are unlikely to be back next time if the opinions I heard amongst the traders are anything to go by.

A good indicator in my book of how good a show was is whether I have money in my pocket after having browsed all the memorabilia stands. This year I hardly spent anything, and the stands took a quarter of the usual time to examine.

Finally, I'll say again, this is the 21st century. Women have a place in motorsport as drivers, designers, technicians, team principals, press officers, journalists and of course enthusiasts. The insistence of several stall holders on dressing their stands with models in varying quantities of lycra merely confirms to the outside world that the motorsport fan must be a throwback to the bad old days of the seventies. If our sport is to thrive, we need to be more creative than that.

RickP:Clio51 · 16 Jan 2002, 07:57 (Ref:199388)

Two things.

1 Peter... aren't you concerned the manufacturing tolerance on that helmet was so poor that one fitted you and one didn't despite being the same size?

2 The Pipercross girls were only there on the trade days, (which were really rather pleasant compared to the scrum they insist on putting the general public through), rest assured that if "those who don't approve" had seen them, there would be some pretty serious squeeling going on. I am afraid I too fall into the "It's all pretty pathetic camp" but it certainly wan't hurting Pipercross' business...
For all those of you adolescents for whom Jo Guest was the show highlight... you missed out!

**Peter Mallett** · 16 Jan 2002, 08:22 (Ref:199393)

Quote:

Originally posted by RickP:Clio51
Two things.

1 Peter... aren't you concerned the manufacturing tolerance on that helmet was so poor that one fitted you and one didn't despite being the same size?

Good point and I did wonder but then then having once experienced "made to measure" which left me with a headache after each race (not naming names) I take a bit of a relaxed view of mass produced. This one actually does fit very well and the structure is Snell SA 2000 (which the majority have to be now). I expect it's more a case of bad labelling than bad quality of manufacture.

Quote:

Originally posted by RickP:Clio51
2 The Pipercross girls were only there on the trade days, (which were really rather pleasant compared to the scrum they insist on putting the general public through), rest assured that if "those who don't approve" had seen them, there would be some pretty serious squeeling going on. I am afraid I too fall into the "It's all pretty pathetic camp" but it certainly wan't hurting Pipercross' business...
For all those of you adolescents for whom Jo Guest was the show highlight... you missed out!

I too enjoy the sight (but preferably the company

)of a good looking woman but I draw the line at being "enticed" to buy/look/visit places and things because a pretty girl is on the stand. It's just too old fashioned.

The show was a disappointment for me but if I get the chance, no doubt I'll be back next year, just to see if les girls are doing ok you understand.

Speedworx · 16 Jan 2002, 18:53 (Ref:199675)

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why so defensive Hakkiman? Do you work for Haymarket?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No, I don't have a job

What I meant, was that I saw loads of cars. Maybe if you have not chatted quite so much and actually looked around the show, yopu would have seen some cars.

Next year, I might decided to drop you lots, so I can actually look at the show and not spend the whole time chatting to ppl!

BAR Babe · 16 Jan 2002, 19:37 (Ref:199700)

Hakkiman.
I don't wish to seem rude but... You are your own person, you had no tie to anyone. If you didn't wish to "chat" to "people" Who happen to be our FRIENDS, There was actually nothing stopping you going your own way.

Many of us go to catch up with friends we have made in the season that we haven't seen for ages as well as to 'look at the cars' etc. and i will definitely not apologise for stopping to say hello to them. Especially as i know that the soonest i will see anyone of these people is March 31st.

Please, if you wouldn't mind, don't blame your part non-enjoyment of your show experience on something you could have so easily have remidied yourself at the time.

Thank you.
BAR Babe

To everyone else,
Sorry if my opinions have upset anyone at this time.

Speedworx · 16 Jan 2002, 19:52 (Ref:199720)

Whatever!

Speedworx · 16 Jan 2002, 20:02 (Ref:199729)

Sorry

I'm just bitter, because none of my friends share my interest in motorsport.

Minardi fan · 17 Jan 2002, 11:35 (Ref:200049)

I have to say that, as a first-timer, Autosprout was c

p. No questions about it. Yep, it was a great chance for a social gossip mid-season, and a chance to stalk a few drivers, but there was too much for the racing drivers and not enough for the motorsport enthusiasts. We don't need the stand slappers (especially the one with the horrifically flapping buttocks... bloody hell...), we want MORE BLOODY CARS! After about an hour you've practically seen everything there is to see - hardly worth £13.50 really. I dread to think how disappointed people must have been - can you imagine taking a family, then having to pay for food there (ridiculously priced), AND pay for carparking? Blimey...

Great social event, had a lovely time nattering away, but motorsport show? Hardly...

woodyracing · 17 Jan 2002, 11:49 (Ref:200063)

hi peeps,

i was going to go to the autosport show, but couldn't make it due to car problems. I dont think i would have complained about it coz ive never been to one before and so cant compare.

Quote:

Originally posted by TimD

And quite what the justification was for topless photos, pole-dancers and a pitch dedicated to selling a sex magazine I have no idea. This is the 21st century, and I thought motor sport was supposed to be marketing itself for the whole population, not just frustrated adolescent boys.

On this topic, I bought a Max Power magazine the other day to get some car insurance phone numbers. Its more like a porn mag now, i used to buy it for the cars, but it got worse and worse. If it gets any worse it will have to go on the top shelf. There are a number of other mags which have declined to this too, god, if i buy a car mag i want cars!

woodyracing · 17 Jan 2002, 14:26 (Ref:200135)

ahh MF, your post sneaked in there b4 mine

Crash and Burn · 17 Jan 2002, 19:20 (Ref:200278)

Has anyone got any good photo's on the net yet from the weekend?
if so what is the url to have a look at them.

Total-F1 · 17 Jan 2002, 23:47 (Ref:200426)

I can see where you're all coming from - my biggest gripe was the lack of atmosphere.

There just wasn't the same edge the show had before - I thought it was just being surrounded by all the hacks, but evidently not.

I didn't like the scantily-clad women - especially on trade day when it isn't necessary - and especially not that stand with the sex mag.

The stalls - there were 2 pockets of stalls - I managed to get some 2000 cars for £15, but none of the variety I've seen before.

I much prefer wandering round the motor show, to be honest - it buzzes.

**Peter Mallett** · 18 Jan 2002, 08:47 (Ref:200518)

I may be endowing the organisers with more intelligence than they deserve but d'you think that with the possibility of a world recession, they took the view to "tart" the show up rather than stick to the formula as before?

Or the race car people thought they should compete with the bike people?

The BARC had two very pretty ladies in lycra but when I spoke to Clare Nixon on the stand she thought they intimidated blokes rather than attracted them to the stand. It certainly appeared to me, to be the quietest Sunday I'd seen on the BARC stand.

Speedworx · 18 Jan 2002, 21:02 (Ref:200843)

I got some of my pics back today (rest are on current film) and I will try and put them up tomorrow.

My advice is NEVER buy food at the NEC as its ALWAYS overpriced. Bring food along with you (like me) and you can eat when you want, where you want (opposite Minardi F1 car was nice)

Just a little advice from a seasoned professional of the Autosport International (6th visit)

**Craig** · 18 Jan 2002, 21:14 (Ref:200859)

Quote:

Originally posted by hakkiman
Just a little advice from a seasoned professional of the Autosport International (6th visit)

Or keep hold of a contractors pass from a previous show and go wandering round the back of the site to the cafe where the build-up guys hang out...

Just a little advice from a seasoned professional of the NEC.

Speedworx · 18 Jan 2002, 21:22 (Ref:200866)

lol

Claire · 23 Jan 2002, 13:35 (Ref:203183)

I e-mailed Autosport with my views of the show and I actually had a response!! I let them know how I felt about all the promo girls and they will be looking to change the amount in the areas they have control over!! They also agreed that the F1 grid wasn't used to it's full potential and this will be looked at for next years show, they are already working on features for next year and details will be available on the website from August.

Crash and Burn · 24 Jan 2002, 19:00 (Ref:203775)

One question is still puzzling me about the show

Why did they have a stall from sex city .com??? This has no meaning what so ever about Motor Sport.

Lorna · 2 Feb 2002, 22:21 (Ref:209255)

Crash and Burn: I suppose its the

who likes cars mainly?
Men (stereotypically)

What do men like?
Women (stereotypically!)

Well done Claire! I think I'll do the same to add to the numbers!

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