News November 23 2006

Autodelta Brera J5 3.2C makes its motorshow debut at MPH06 in UK

Autodelta unveiled its Brera J5 3.2 C at the MPH06 show in the UK recently (see our previous article)

It was a double date for the new 348bhp supercharged sportscar as the car appeared at MPH06 - which showcases prestige and performance cars 26th-29th October at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, and then 2nd-5th November at Earls Court, London (Earls Court Exhibition Centre is a stone's throw from Autodelta's London headquarters and is regarded by the firm as their 'home' motor show).

The Autodelta Brera J5 3.2 C was not the only representative of the London-based aftermarket design and tuning concern, as a second stand, in the new MPH Classic section at the Earls Court venue, showcased three of the evocative sports cars that took part in last month's Autodelta European Tour 2006, an event which saw a cavalcade of high performance sports cars travelling from London to Monaco via Holland, Germany and Switzerland, before the "driving tour" culminated with the official presentation of the new J5 model in the prestigious location of the Hotel Metropole at Casino Square, in Monte Carlo. MPH06 was an "Official Partner" of the Tour and so this is also the ideal occasion to celebrate this important association.

The cars shown at MPH06 were the Ferrari 348 TB (car 05), the De Tomaso Pantera (car 07) (see our other article here - link required), and the Alfa Romeo SZ Supercharged (car 10), all three of which will be presented carrying the full Tour livery. A fourth sports car, the famous convertible sister of the Alfa SZ, the limited-edition Alfa RZ, was also on their stand. This year's new MPH Classic showcased more than 200 classic performance cars worth more than £30 million. Other attractions included the unique Jaguar XJ13 valued at £7million, alongside a Le Mans class winning MGB, and the oldest Aston Martin in existence.

The MPH Show (you've missed it - but there's always 2008!)

The philosophy behind MPH is simple: the organisers bring together a collection of the world's most desirable cars, display them beautifully and bring them to life in a unique theatre hosted by the world-renowned TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson, together with James May. Now an established major event in the UK motoring calendar, MPH takes place in two venues, London's Earls Court and Birmingham's NEC. Exotica on show this year included the fearsome 806 bhp Koenigsegg CCX, the exotic 7.3 litre Pagani Zonda F, and the ludicrously fast Caparo T1, which packs a staggering 1,000 bhp/ton punch. The centrepiece was a 75-minute "theatre" experience, costing more than £1m to stage, including everything from flying caravans and high-speed 3D Apache helicopter chases. BBC TV Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson (who famously described the Autodelta 147 GTA AM 3.7 as "the world's fastest hot hatch - ever") along with co-presenter James May and friends hosted the live show.

MPH already has a strong legacy for Autodelta. The two-decade old aftermarket Alfa Romeo design and tuning house presented their first exclusive bespoke model - the Autodelta 147 GTA AM 3.7 - during the first edition of the show, MPH03, held at Earls Court back in November 2003. The next year Autodelta presented two models for their world premières at MPH04 - the Autodelta 156 GTA AM 3.7 and the Autodelta GT Super - while at last year's edition, MPH05, the Autodelta GT Super Evo, which featured a performance step over the previous model which made its world debut at the London show.

"The MPH Motor Show is dedicated to exclusive, high-performance, prestige cars, all displayed in relaxed and carefully laid out surroundings; values that fit perfectly with Autodelta's philosophy," said Autodelta's Jano Djelalian recently.