THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL Motor Show 2002 is a true sports car show. 66 sports cars are ready to meet their fans (you can study the complete entry list next page with cars from Ferrari, Porsche, TVR, Bentley, Caterham, Morgan, Subaru etc.).

TVR show their new T350C, Bentley is ready with the Continental GT (perhaps with 600 bhp!). But perhaps the biggest surprise was when the wraps came off the year's best kept motoring secret when an all-new British supercar was revealed to the world's press at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham.

Developed in total secrecy over the last two years, the Invicta S1 made its global debut and the makers immediately opened up the order books.

The Invicta Car Company draws on a historic marque for its name, but the sensational S1 is most definitely a car for the 21st century enthusiast.

It has the pace and the performance of a top sports car, but inside the cabin it is leather trimmed, air-conditioned luxury.

Invicta Chairman Michael Bristow said: "We worked in secrecy for two years because we wanted to talk about what we have achieved, not what we hoped to achieve."

Costing a fraction under £70,000 each car is hand-built by craftsmen at the Invicta factory in Wiltshire. But with the development phase now complete, Invicta has already started taking orders for delivery to customers in early 2003.

The S1 will undoubtedly be a big attraction for visitors to the show, which opens its doors to the public on Friday and runs at the NEC in Birmingham until Sunday November 3.

Among the Motor Show visitors yesterday was Martin Brundle. F1 pundit and part-time sports car racer Brundle called for more showbiz to be injected into F1 racing.

Dropping into the British International Motor Show for the first time in a few years, the former F1 driver had plenty to say about the current issues facing the world's top motor racing series.

"Formula One doesn't need to change too much, however it's clearly not as exciting as it needs to be. For me, the balance between the technology and the showbiz that is at the heart of F1 is tipped too far towards technology right now - we need to see it go back the other way."

Brundle added that the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' of the F1 grid has become too wide. "And if we're not careful there won't be any more 'have nots' left soon," he warned.

Other fine (and good looking guests) were the Atomic Kittens unveiling the MG Atomic.

Pictures:
1. TVR T350C
2. Invicta S2
3. MG XPower SV
4. Atomic Kittins
5. James Bond Jaguar
6. Bentley Continental GT
7. Martin Brundle