2016 London Motor Show: McLaren 570 GT UK debut & new MG GS SUV WORLD debut

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The 2016 London Motor Show in Battersea Park starts next weekend and will see the UK debut of the McLaren 570 GT and world debut of the MG GS SUV.

It’s been eight years since we last had a decent motor show in London, and even then it was stuck out East at the ExCel Centre, but next weekend – Friday 6 May until Sunday 8 May – the 2016 London Motor Show struts its stuff in Battersea Park promising something for everyone and tickets at just £15.

It’s not exactly on the scale of Geneva, but the new show is promising some interesting cars and some debuts too, with the McLaren 570 GT getting its UK debut and the MG GS SUV its world debut.

McLaren 570 GT UK Debut

The 570 GT is McLaren’s ‘practical’ Sport Series car, offering more storage space, more luxury and a driving experience that is, whilst still sharp and focussed, more compliant and peaceful than the 570S. It’s also, to our eyes at least, better looking than its more hardcore sibling.

The 570 GT will start arriving with customers by the end of 2016, and looks like it could account for up to half of McLaren’s Sport Series sales.

MG GS SUV World Debut

At the other end of the car scale, the now Chinese MG will be revealing their new MG GS SUV to the world in Battersea Park, a car they hope will see MG sales accelerate more significantly than they have managed so far, and with the world and his dog wanting a crossover/SUV they could be in with a shout.

In terms of size, the MG GS – which sits on a new scalable platform expected to be used for a smaller crossover/SUV later – is going up against SUVs like the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson, and be MG’s take on the Nissan Qashqai, although we’d expect it to be cheaper.

Engine options seem likely to be a 1.5 litre petrol and a 1.9 diesel to appeal to the economy market, with the possibility of a hybrid at some point.

What else is at the 2016 London Motor Show?

Apart from the two debuts mentioned above, the turnout seems to be quite interesting.

One interesting exhibitor is TVR, although whether we’re going to see a physical car is extremely debatable, but we could get more idea of exactly what the new Welsh-built,  Cosworth-powered TVR will offer.

Other exhibitors include Khan with their take on the Land Rover Defender, Mitsuoki with their retro Jaguar cars, the Mazda MX-5, dealer stands including everything from the BMW i8 to the VW XL1, the Vuhl 05 track car, the Riversimple RASA hydrogen car, the Noble M600, the UK debut of the Infiniti Q60, Tesla, Zenos and much, much more.

The 2016 London Motor Show is at Battersea Park from 6-8 May with tickets costing £15 (and under-11s free).