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Motorshow 2000 SHOW REPORT SUNDAY 22ND OCTOBER FERRARI CELEBRATE FORMULA 1 SUCCESS October 22 -- There were celebrations on the busy Ferrari stand at the International Motor Show in Birmingham this morning, following the Italian marque's victory in the FIA Formula One constructors' championship. Champagne corks were popping as platform staff placed a second 2000 championship banner on the stand just minutes after this year's drivers champion, Michael Schumacher, crossed the finish line in his scarlet red machine at the Malaysian Grand Prix. "We were on the edge of our seats watching it on television because it was really quite close," explained Huguette Boyagis communications and marketing services manager at Ferrari UK. "We will be celebrating for the rest of the day but, of course, keeping it fairly low key since we're still working," she added. The Italian team's progress was news to many of the visitors to the Show who had been queuing to get into the Motor Show as the final act in this year's F1 drama was being played out. And for one unlucky member of the tifosi standing at the crowded Ferrari platform - which includes an F1 show car - the result came too soon. "We had the constructors' title stickers just in case and soon after they had gone up, one visitor said he had recorded the race on video and had been trying to avoid the result," Boyagis explained. "We are all absolutely thrilled and delighted for the team, as well as Ferrari's many public followers. Everyone here knows someone working at the factory and I would just love to be at Maranello now," she added. Congratulating Ferrari on the win, Al Clarke, head of communications for the Motor Show organisers, SMMT, said: "Thousands of visitors saw Ferrari clinch the world championship live on TV at the show. "The race was a great curtain raiser for the second week, when we will see the stars of Formula One at the Show on Friday and Saturday." JAPANESE MOTOR GIANTS "UPBEAT" ABOUT UK MARKET October 22 -- Confidence is rising in the land of the rising sun as a raft of innovative new models, a flood of orders and interest from visitors to the International Motor Show in Birmingham puts the smile back on the face of the Japanese motor giants. Toyota, Honda and Nissan are upbeat about their future in the UK market, with an array of futuristic motors and concept cars to crow about at the show. And Lexus, Toyota's luxury car brand, is celebrating a glut of orders for its latest crowd-pullers. Toyota built its largest NEC stand yet -- a whopping 2,500 square feet - - with 28 different motors for Show-goers to view. Staff are delighted with crowd interest in their latest line-up, especially the eco-friendly petrol/electric-powered Prius. The recyclable Prius, available at 62 specialist Toyota dealerships, proves how seriously the Japanese giant is taking 'green' issues. The five-seater family car can clock 61 mpg for the urban cycle and 43,000 of them have been sold in Japan in the last three years. Shane Gregory, stand manager for Toyota, who was upbeat about the company's prospects in Europe, added: "We've been really surprised that people already know about the Prius." Rivals Nissan are equally bullish about the "feelgood" factor returning to the motor industry after a tough and uncertain period. Nissan, currently seventh in the UK sales pecking order, are showing the all-new Maxima QX luxury car, available with Nissan's own space-age satellite navigation system, and two concept cars - the X-TRAIL 4x4 and the Fusion, a template for the future Primera. The latest version of the red-hot Skyline coupe - the R34 V-spec - boasts gizmos galore and, of course, awesome performance. Stand manager Nigel Land explained its 'cult car' status: "It's definitely in the supercar category - customers are car enthusiasts who are not buying an 'image' but something to really enjoy." One order had already been confirmed at the NEC. Meanwhile, Honda's all-new Civic boasts a five-model line-up ranging from GBP11,995 to GBP13,995 with cutting-edge safety features, three trim levels and loads of space inside. Also on the stand is the innovative Insight, using petrol/electric power. Fifty have been sold in the UK, and it's clocked a record- breaking 103 mpg average run around the UK. And at Lexus, 45 orders had flooded in for the stunning SC430 sportster and customers are flocking to see the new RX300 and all-new LS430 - updating the car that launched the luxury brand a decade ago. FORD BRINGS "KRYPTON FACTOR" TO SHOW October 22 -- A leading motor company has been bringing a "Krypton-factor" style challenge in an attempt to highlight the benefits of one of its vehicles at the International Motor Show in Birmingham. The Ford Transit Challenge features regular timed races between visitors to pack the vehicle with four specially designed colour-coded boxes in an effort to show the public the loading capacity of its all-new Transit vans. The tall boxes measure 1.2 metre by 0.8 metres at their base to represent a tower of standard size Euro-pallets that can now be loaded through the side door of the new Transit. The hourly event is also part of Ford's attempts to introduce "a brand experience rather than just a car park," according to the company's manager of retail and event marketing, Andy Nicholson. "We first tried the challenge at one of our European training events in Seville earlier this year as we were demonstrating the Transit's loading and carrying capabilities and it turned into a kind of Krypton Factor game show which we thought would work well at the Motor Show," he explained. He said the activities on the platform were all relevant to the product they were alongside. "So where we have our new Maverick and Explorer we continue the outward- bound theme with a climbing wall which people can try out." Every hour a group of aerialists have been performing a spectacular routine at the centre of the Mondeo platform, emphasising the car's key qualities of strength, refinement and balance, while a race track area houses various race driving simulators. "By using interactive events and displays we ensure that we provide a brand experience rather than just a car park," he added. NEW MINI IN SHOW SALES SUCCESS 22 October 2000 -- When the last Mini reached the end of the production
line just a month ago many of the car's loyal fans were reluctant to
accept any new or improved version. But after its UK launch at the start
of the Motor Show in Birmingham last week, pre-orders for the BMW MINI
have rocketed through the roof, with 55 recorded on the first public
day. Since then the new MINI has received 40-50 pre-orders a day with
figures set to rise over the next few weeks as it prepares to go into
production next Summer. "It's been crazy," said a spokeswoman for BMW.
"The orders have been coming so quickly, it's been constant. "We have
been sensitive to the launching of the new MINI but people have been
so overwhelmingly positive about the new car. "The people from the MINI
club absolutely love it. They came here and didn't want to love it but
now they have seen it they have just fallen for it. The new car has
got the character of the old MINI with added reliability and safety.
This car is just so design led," she added. If you wish to contact us either : PHONE 0121 444
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