Retrospective: London Motor Show 1966

The '66 show, held at the Earls Court exhibition centre, was the 51st major automotive showcase in London. Sponsored by the Daily Mail newspaper, the show came at a time when the British motor industry felt itself to be under threat. In the show programme's introductory editorial column, the Mail's motoring editor Denis Holmes - a square-jawed fellow pictured with a large pipe in his mouth - declared that the industry 'has been hit at many levels. It has taken the full brunt of the economic squeeze and has also been the Aunt Sally of Transport Minister Mrs Barbara Castle's experimentation as the non-driving dictator of 13million subjects on wheels.'

Holmes's objections did not extend to Castle's introduction of the breathalyser - 'every responsible motorist should welcome the new drink restrictions' - but he was unhappy that 'the 70mph speed limit experiment has been extended till next autumn... it is hard to see a case for an arbitrary speed limit of this kind.' Well, Denis, it's still with us. What would he have thought of speed cameras?

Of more worry, however, was the state of the economy. 'In the year that has passed since the motor industry last displayed its wares here,' Holmes wrote, 'it has been jumped upon and taken every sort of kick that it is possible to imagine.'

Besides the interference of Mrs Castle, the price of petrol had risen, hire purchase schemes had become dearer, insurance premiums had increased and car prices risen.

'The motor industry is under severe pressure because of labour and material cost rises,' said Holmes. Exports had also been affected by a seamen's strike.

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