MORE than half a million people are expected to visit The British International Motor Show in 2008, making it the biggest automotive exhibition in the UK.

The organisers are confident that ticket sales will top the 550,000 mark as motoring enthusiasts, car buyers and fun-seeking families visit what is set to be the hot ticket of the summer.

The UK's largest consumer exhibition, the show will be open to the public from Wednesday, July 23, until Sunday, August 3, and will feature more than 60 vehicle marques and 600 new cars.

Though the doors are not due to open for another eight months, over 80 per cent of stand space has already been sold. The Show is returning to ExCeL London where last year's award-winning event attracted more than 415,000, exceeding the expectations of the industry and securing its status in the international automotive industry calendar.

As well as offering the chance to see the broadest range of cars at any UK exhibition, the show will include interactive features to keep the crowds entertained.

New for 2008 are:

  • The Heritage Enclosure and Parade - a driving display providing the sights, sounds and thrills of supercars from the last five decades
  • The Marine Experience - the British Marine Federation brings marina glamour with a line-up of luxury craft and a programme of on-water entertainment throughout the show
  • Kidz Car Zone - fun-packed entertainment for the drivers of tomorrow
  • Drift School - a chance for visitors to be driven sideways around a demanding circuit by professional drivers. These innovations will appear alongside all-new versions of the most popular attractions from 2006, including The Autoglym Supercar Paddock, a high-octane collection of luxury marques
  • The 4x4 Experience, a challenging terrain for testing the best of the off-road pack - Motor Theatre, a thrilling live-action stunt show
  • The Motor Show Music Festival, featuring world-famous live acts in the purpose-built dockside arena each night of the Show.

Marketing director of the event Kirsty Perkinson said: "Vehicle manufacturers have responded very positively to our plans for the 2008 show, and we are delighted that so many have already signed up to attend. We expect to increase the number of world vehicle debuts, building on the 14 unveilings in 2006, and several reveals are already scheduled to take place.

"When the show returned to London last year, after 30 years away from the capital, the public demonstrated its appetite for a high quality, interactive exhibition of the best the motoring world has to offer.

"Our objective for 2008 is to deliver an even better experience for show-goers, and we are very confident that our plans will help us exceed 550,000 ticket sales."