- driveme allows visitors to test drive many of the cars on display
- Performance models and latest low emissions cars driveable
- Win an exclusive Lotus F1 drive with the ‘Canary Wharf Race Room’ simulator
This year’s Motorexpo, the UK’s largest free automotive event (11 to 17 June; motorexpo.com) at Canary Wharf, will put car enthusiasts and prospective buyers at the centre of the action, with an unrivalled range of vehicles – real and virtual – available to test drive.
As well as being able to open and sit in many of the 250 cars on display, from today (Friday 1 June) those planning to visit can head online to the ‘driveme’ page of Motorexpo’s website (
) to book a test drive in many of the cars on the roads around Canary Wharf and the wider public road network*.
Road tests for some of Motorexpo’s more specialist cars can only be booked in person on the day. Among these will be the very latest crop of low- and zero-emissions powertrain vehicles displayed in Motorexpo’s Eco Zone, including the revolutionary Vauxhall Ampera range-extender hybrid and the all-electric Tesla Roadster. For those looking for higher-octane thrills, test drives in many of the latest models from Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lamborghini and McLaren can also be booked on the day.
In addition to real-world test drives, visitors will also be given the chance to get behind the wheel of a virtual F1 car in the event’s ever-popular ‘Canary Wharf Race Room’ feature. Located in the Jubilee Place shopping mall, this state-of-the-art racing simulator will allow would-be racing drivers to pit their skills against one another in a virtual single-seater F1-style car on the famous Brands Hatch racing circuit.
The individual who posts the fastest lap time during the show will win a money-can’t-buy driving experience with the Lotus F1 team. Along with a friend, the winner will attend the Paul Ricard circuit near Marseilles and spend the day learning to drive increasingly powerful road and racing cars, before finally being let loose in a real F1 car.
Graeme Carver, CEO of Motorexpo, commented, “Motorexpo has always been about letting visitors get up-close to, and wherever possible interact with, as many of the exhibits as possible. Our driveme, Eco Zone and Canary Wharf Race Room experiences add to the unique Motorexpo format, offering an experience that visitors won’t find at another UK automotive event.
“This year’s show will get showgoers closer to the action than ever before, experiencing more than 250 cars on display – most of which can be sat in and explored, and many of which can be driven. The Canary Wharf Race Room is always very popular, and with a fantastic F1 driving experience on offer, we are expecting some intense competition in 2012,” he concludes.
Now in its 17th year, Motorexpo is set to be bigger and better than ever in 2012, with more automotive brands attending and more interactive exhibits. Motorexpo is open daily at Canary Wharf from 10am to 6pm (Monday 11 to Saturday 16 June) and 11am to 5pm on Sunday 17 June.
