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The BMC & Leyland show is a real enthusiast’s show and celebrates the fantastic vehicles that were produced by the British Motor Corporation, including vehicles produced by British Leyland, The Rover Group and pre-BMC group vehicles. The show has something for everyone with over 400 vehicles on display, including cars, commercial and Service vehicles. The show highlights the enormity of vehicles produced under the BMC and British Leyland marques. From Minis to Alvis fighting vehicles via Leyland trucks and buses. Oh where did it all go wrong? I hear you say. But that kind of soul searching is for another day. To-day is for rejoicing, rejoicing in the fact that so many of these cars are preserved to such a high standard. To rejoice in the fact that so many people are getting enjoyment from these cars, not only as owners but as visitors to the British Motor Museum at Gaydon and shows like these. In any case, as British car enthusiasts who are interested in the British motor industry doing well there is certainly no reason to be despondent. Yes, today we are celebrating two brands (that encompassed many famous individual marques) which finally failed more than a decade ago and the questions why will continue to resonate in the minds of those of us who were involved. But the British motor industry in its many current guises, whether it be design studios, manufacturing plants or Formula One racing teams, is still a force to be reckoned with on the worldwide automotive stage. So, with an air of inevitable nostalgia but with great, current, National pride, lets look at just a few of the great cars that were on show today – Austin – Morris  Austin 1800 S
 A Chorus of ‘Landcrabs’  Austin 3.0 Litre front wheel drive
 Austin Metropolitan (U.K.) / Nash Metropolitan (U.S.A.)
 Morris Marina
 Morris Oxford Series V Farina  Austin Mini Cooper S
 Phil Mead’s 1956 Austin Healey 100 BN2
 Austin A40 Devon
Triumph TR7s and 8s  Triumph TR7s and 8s
 TR V8 engine Spitfire  Triumph Spitfire
 TR2
MG
Go to Part 2 click on this image –
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