1955 – Britain’s Second Greatest Motor Show

Our blogs celebrating motor shows of the past conclude with 1955 – the year of so many automotive innovations:

For a start, just imagine yourself at Earls Court on the opening day of the 19th October. Your first visit is to the Fiat stand to marvel at the 600, their first rear engine car. The company's design criteria was a small saloon weighing no more than 900lbs, within financial reach of the average Italian citizen, able to accommodate four adults and capable of at least 53 mph.

The salesmen at Earls Court enthuse about the 600's 633c engine and the all-independent suspension. The Fiat certainly looks like an attractive proposition at £585 and it has no direct rival from the British Motor Corporation. Next is the Jaguar stand, where the new 2.4 saloon is somewhat of a surprise. It is not only the first unitary-bodied saloon to hail from Browns Lane, but also the first ever unitary-bodied car to top 100 mph.

Naturally, you crave the £1,298 15s 10d 'Special Equipment version', for who wanted the £1,269 10d 'Standard' Jaguar devoid of a heater, reversing, fog and spot lamps, windscreen washers, a clock, a tachometer, a cigar lighter, folding armrests and even the 'Leaping Car' mascot. Alternatively, the new 234 and 236 Sapphires from Armstrong Siddeley do not look quite as dashing but are true gentleman's conveyances at £1,510 and £1,565, respectively.

Of course, the Sunbeam display catches the eye with the latest Rapier. Its appearance is faintly reminiscent of the Studebaker Starliner, although the engine is the familiar 1.4-litre OHV unit from the Hillman Minx Mk.VIII, with a larger clutch, a Stromberg carburettor and an enhanced compression ratio. £985 14s 2d is a fair price for such mid-Atlantic glamour, and there are rumours that the Rapier anticipates an entirely new range of medium-sized Rootes Group saloons. "Not everyone will like the two-door body", grumbles The Daily Telegraph, but you certainly do.

Sadly, one's budget does not entirely extend to £4,796 10s 1d-worth of Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud – not when the average weekly wage is £10 17s 5d. Financial considerations also rule out the £15,000 Daimler 'Golden Zebra' on the Hooper stand, although the gold-plated coachwork is not to everyone's taste. Its owner Lady Norah Docker, the wife of BSA's chair Sir Bernard Docker, told the press, "Six zebras provided the skin for upholstery. I decided it was the best skin to use – mink is too hot to sit on".

Fortunately, the latest Vanguard Phase III follows the Standard tradition of durable vehicles and £797 7s 6d is a fair amount for a saloon as sensible as a pair of army boots. Unfortunately, The Evening Standard's claim, "It corners as steadily as a sports car" appears a tad over-optimistic. Still, management at Canley did not intend the Vanguard d to provide motoring thrills.

From the Nuffield division of BMC, the eight-seater Morris Isis Traveller looks equally good value at £957. However, the MGA is somewhat less practical but looks to be rather more fun. The styling is unlike any previous Abingdon sports car, and from many angles, it resembles the EX182 of the Le Mans 24-hour race fame. But could you justify spending £844 10d on such a dashing open two-seater, when petrol costs 4s 6d per gallon? Even if it is the first MG sports car with a boot. As for the Triumph TR3, it looks set to be sporting transport in the Terry-Thomas tradition.

Earls Court plays host to 187 domestic models and 100 foreign cars, including the GRP-bodied Cadillac La Espada and the Lincoln Continental Mk. II saloon. The Borgward Isabella and the Peugeot 403 are so attractive as to make one regret the UK's heavy import duties. Škoda, making its second appearance at the London Motor Show, has the sole display from an Eastern European firm. The 1,039cc Orlik has an under-bonnet petrol tank, while the 1.2-litre model features 'wire' wheels.

Other overseas marques include Volkswagen, whose line-up includes the 'standard' Beetle, with a non-synchromesh gearbox. There is also a Type 2 Microbus, the VW that recently featured in the horror film The Quatermass X-Periment. Finally, you head to the Alfa Romeo stand to wonder if you could ever own a 1900 Super Saloon or the utterly delightful Giulietta Sprint Spider.

Alas, such exotic machinery seems unattainable to the average Briton, as do the Lancia Aurelia Spider, the Porsche 356 Coupe and the Mercedes-Benz 300C 'Adenauer' Automatic. The BMW 507 is the province of the 'Jet Set', although the Isetta bubble car is somewhat cheaper. Meanwhile, the Daimler One-O-Four 'Ladies Model' is "a car specially designed to appeal to the woman who has very definite ideas about the car she wants her husband to buy".

Yes, for £2,983 4s 2d you too could own a fine motorcar with "a long list of 'luxury features carrying a strong feminine appeal". These included suitcases, a sheepskin rug and a travelling rug, a shooting stick, a patented set of maps, a vanity case containing Max Factor cosmetics, electric windows, an umbrella, and a picnic case plus an ice box.

Finally, and your primary reason for attending Earls Court, you encounter the new Citroën billed as the "'2-Litre Six-Seater saloon". It is probably the understatement of the decade, as this surely is not a car but a four-wheeled interpretation of a spaceship. Even if you could afford £1,403 12s 6d, the presence of such a vehicle on your driveway might cause the neighbours to faint. After all, just five minutes of gazing at the DS, causes you to become so overwhelmed that you seek sanctuary at the Wolseley display, where the 6/90 proves as reassuringly sensible as ever.

And the new car you decide to order? Well, it must be the latest Ford Squire 100E for just £688. Forget adjustable air suspension and FWD – the future clearly lies in sensible brogues and pipe smoking -