It’s March … time to start thinking about your Christmas shopping

• Date announced for 2017 Regent Street Motor Show
• Free-to-view show attracted 400,000 visitors in 2016
• See pioneering veteran cars up close as well as younger classics
• Modern and futuristic cars on display, plus many other attractions

The Festive Season might be months away, but it’s already time to plan your Christmas shopping if you don’t want to miss out on the Capital’s annual free-to-view motoring extravaganza, the Regent Street Motor Show.

While the leading shops and boutiques on the Capital’s ‘Mile of Style’ are crammed with Christmas goodies for you and your loved ones, the famous road itself is shut to through traffic and, instead, filled with cars from motoring’s past, present and future.

The date to remember is Saturday, 4 November, the day before the famous Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run supported by Hiscox makes its annual trip from London to Brighton.

Both the Regent Street Motor Show and the Veteran Car Run are key events in the week-long London Motor Week run by the Royal Automobile Club. The first Regent Street Motor Show was staged in 2005 and it has now become a hugely popular must-see spectacle. In 2016, more than 400,000 people visited the show.

Taking centre stage along Regent Street are one hundred veteran cars  taking part in the International Concours d’Elegance. With many of the drivers and passengers also dressing in period costume it’s a photographer’s delight.

Several one-make car clubs take part – one such last year was the Jaguar Drivers Club, which displayed Jaguar sports cars through the years from the XK140 and E-type to the rare XJ220 and the current F-type. Another highlight in 2016 was James Hunt’s McLaren M23 F1 car, displayed on the 40th anniversary of his championship year by Hunt’s son Freddie.

And there will be masses more besides with motorcycle displays, a stunt motorcycle team, dance troupes and simulator drives.

“There’s something for everyone here. Cars from the dawn of motoring rub shoulders with the latest, technically advanced, zero emission electric vehicles to book end the history of motoring.

“It’s free-to-view and a real highlight of the Royal Automobile Club’s London Motor Week,” said Peter Read, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club’s Motoring Committee. “And with all the shops and restaurant on and around Regent Street open for business, it’s the perfect time and place to go Christmas shopping.”