UK Car Show 2025: Farnborough in Full Throttle

Car shows are funny things. You go in thinking you’ll just “have a look around”, maybe sit in something shiny, collect a tote bag, and be home in time for tea. What actually happens is you walk into a cavernous hall that smells of polish, petrol and new leather, and immediately turn into a wide-eyed child. That was us, August 2025, Farnborough International, the UK Car Show.

And it was glorious.

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The Scale of It All

Farnborough is famous for air shows, but stick a few hundred cars under those hangar-sized roofs and suddenly you’re in motoring Disneyland. Everything was there: battery-powered spaceships, fire-breathing supercars, and classics so pretty they should be in an art gallery.

The noise alone was worth the ticket price. One minute you’re listening to a manufacturer wax lyrical about “sustainable mobility solutions” (yawn), the next — BRAAAAP — a McLaren Artura blips its throttle and the whole place vibrates like it’s been hit by an earthquake. People nearly dropped their lattes. Wonderful.

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The Electric Stampede

Let’s not pretend otherwise, this year’s show was basically a coronation for the EV. They weren’t tucked away in a corner anymore, they were the show.

Ford plonked its Mustang Mach-E GT centre stage, painted in a shade of blue so rich it looked edible. BMW rolled out the i5 M60, the sort of executive saloon that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with an office. And then there was the Astra Electric, proof that even Vauxhall has decided the future isn’t petrol, it’s plugs.

But the real show-stoppers were the concepts. Hyundai’s Ioniq 7 looked less like a car and more like a Scandinavian living room on wheels. Nissan wheeled out something with a grille lit up like Piccadilly Circus. These weren’t cars, they were four-wheeled iPads, buzzing with screens, AI assistants and “visionary” interiors that made you feel underdressed just looking at them.

Now, I’m as suspicious of EV hype as the next petrol-sniffer, but even I had to admit, they were impressive. One old boy next to me muttered, “Well, if that’s the future, I don’t hate it.” High praise indeed.

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Petrolheads Still Had a Playground

Before you think the show had gone fully vegan don’t worry. The petrol brigade still had plenty to drool over.

There was an entire section that looked like it had been curated by someone who spends their weekends glued to Top Gear reruns. Porsche 911s lined up like soldiers. Audi RS6s glinting under the lights. And then, the McLaren Artura — sitting there like it knew it was the alpha, occasionally roaring just to remind everyone.

And the classics. Oh, the classics. Jaguar E-Types so elegant you’d happily frame them. Minis that made you grin without even trying. A Ford Capri that looked like it had time-travelled straight from 1976. It was a beautiful reminder that while batteries may be the future, petrol is still the heartbeat.

Even the cars looked happy to be there

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The Fun Bits (Because It’s Not Just About Looking)

Static cars are great, but we all secretly want to do something. Farnborough delivered.

There was a VR Formula E simulator that flung you around so violently you wondered if chiropractors had sponsored it. I gave it a go, promptly stuffed it into a digital wall, and walked off with a newfound respect for professional drivers (and whiplash).

There were demos too: ceramic coating tips, EV battery care 101, even a guy showing the right way to clay-bar your paint (spoiler: not the way most of us do it). Useful stuff you can actually take home.

And yes, I climbed into a Range Rover Sport Hybrid. Big mistake. Within 10 seconds I was mentally re-mortgaging the house. That interior? Like sitting in a luxury hotel suite on stilts. The touchscreen count? Enough to keep NASA busy. Did I want to drive it out of the hall there and then? Absolutely.

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Unexpected Stars

Every car show has them, the “oh wow, I didn’t see that coming” moments.

• BYD Seal: a sleek Chinese EV saloon that had everyone whispering “Tesla killer?” under their breath. The build quality was jaw-dropping. Elon should probably worry.

• MG Cyberster: an electric roadster with scissor doors. Yes, MG. The people who gave us the Rover Metro’s cousin. Now, apparently, they’re channelling Tony Stark.

• Restomods: classics re-engineered with electric powertrains. A VW Camper that charges overnight on your driveway. Part genius, part sacrilege. I’m torn.

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The Vibe: Excitement Meets Reality

What I loved most? It wasn’t just people gawking at shiny toys. Real conversations were happening in every corner. Running costs. Lease deals. “Should I go hybrid first?” vs “Nah, straight to full electric.”

It wasn’t fantasyland. It was real buyers, real dilemmas. The car world isn’t just about horsepower anymore — it’s about spreadsheets, tariffs, and how far you can get on 200 miles of range before the family mutiny kicks in. And strangely, that made it more exciting.

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Personal Highlights

Three moments that stuck with me:

1. The McLaren Artura revving so hard indoors that small children probably developed tinnitus. Worth it.

2. Sliding into the Range Rover Sport Hybrid and instantly wishing I’d brought a sleeping bag so I could stay there.

3. Watching kids lose their minds over the Hyundai Ioniq 7. If Gen Z is this pumped about EVs, the industry’s future is secure.

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Final Thoughts

By the time we left, my feet were killing me, my phone was clogged with photos, and my head was fizzing with ideas. The UK Car Show 2025 was more than just cars on display — it was a crystal ball into where driving is headed.

Electric is no longer a novelty, it’s the main act. Petrol still thrills, classics still charm, and technology is racing ahead so quickly it’s hard to keep up.

Would I go again? Absolutely. Should you? Without a doubt. Because whether you’re a die-hard petrolhead, an EV evangelist, or just someone who likes sitting in £80,000 cars you’ll never buy — Farnborough delivers.

Big time.