Coventry MotoFest 2021 – Photos

To celebrate Coventry’s “City of Culture – 2021” status, MotoFest was spread over four weekends from 24th July to 8th August. I visited on 7th August, lured by the expectation of seeing some stunning Modern Modified and Kit – Cars on show in the old Ikea building’s car park. Just as I was arriving at the Ikea car park I saw an Audi RS8 and a Lamborghini Aventador leaving, making the driver’s flipping their car engines’ throttles for the maximum volume of noise. A spectacular welcoming, except they were going in the wrong direction, I wasn’t going to be able to photograph those cars was I? I then walked up the slope to the car park to see what awaited me there. I soon came to the conclusion that other cars must have preceded the Audi and the Lambo to the exit, or, not many cars had been there in the first place. I took photos of the most interesting (to me) cars that were there and you can see them below.

I spoke to Darren Skidmore, MotoFest’s official photographer and he told me of the Riley Motor Club display in Priory St. opposite the Cathedral. He cautioned that as it was now 3.00 pm and it had been raining, the cars may no longer be there. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, so off I set to Priory St. I called in at the Transport Museum, on my way, to see if there were any cars on display. There were just two, the Lotus Elise and the Fiat 500 Abarth. On stage in front of the Museum, 🙂 was a band that was really pumping up the volume, I had to restrain my inner self from “dad dancing” to the music :-). I resumed my journey to Priory St.; when I arrived I was treated to the most marvellous sight of numerous Riley cars, of all types, still on display and accompanied by their owners. This vision made the whole trip worthwhile, I hope that you agree when you look at the photos I took.

As I made my way back to my car, in the West Orchard car park, I caught some stragglers from what had been a display of cars in the main shopping precinct. As a result of these encounters, the mild disappointment of the Ikea display was soon forgotten and overall, I judged the day a success. I wonder what will greet me next week at the Retro Warwick Classic Car Show? better weather I hope.

Ikea Car Park Display 

Coventry Transport Museum Quadrangle

The Riley Motor Club Gathering

Coventry Shopping Precinct

Historic Coventry

Nick