Forget the new Ford Mondeo. It certainly is a "nice" car, but not really worth the walk to the Ford stand. That is unless you would like to confirm that "VW" isn't stamped on it anywhere.... The new Passat is another nice car. Quality and space it has, excitement and flair it has not. The Car Enthusiast went to the show in search of the latter, not the former....

Our first visit of the day was to the spacious Toyota display. Admittedly we were drawn more to the early morning coffee and bacon rolls than to the prospect of excitement. However, there were a few nicities in store. The sporty new Yaris T Sport was on a plinth, alongside the convertible version, which, even in primrose yellow looks a mite more butch then the dainty Toyota MR2 sports car.

The Car Enthusiast were first acquainted with the new MR2 at the 1999 London Show. We are huge fans of the less-is-more philosophy, where a light, nimble chassis and body are mated to a willing, but efficient drivetrain. New for the MR2 at the Birmingham Motor Show is a neat sequential transmission, with gearchange either BTCC style or by the use of buttons on the wheel - we approve.

The jury is still out with regards to the concept version of the Toyota Celica on display. Small children will be scared away by the head-on view, which is dominated by bulging, carbon-fibre framed headlights. The new rear spoiler is neat though, as are the black six-spoke wheels, and the luxurious interior. Pity it won't make production though.

The new-look Toyota RAV4 and Previa were also on display, but there were more important things to see.

Such as Vauxhall's diminutive VX220 (Opel Speedster in most markets). As expected, the production interior has turned out to be all but identical to the Lotus Elises. This is not a bad thing, although the lovely Vauxhall ladies were denied the pleasure of sitting in one, as long skirts are not desirable when getting into or out of this car.... Our only tiny criticism would be the plastic sill covers, which cheapen the interior some what. However, the VX220 more than makes up for that in looks - it is a much better looking car than the new-look Lotus Elise also shown at the show.

"Ugly" is not a term I would use to describe Lotus' updated baby, but "overstyled" is. The simplicity and purity of line of the original Elise has been replaced by gaping vents and too much fine detailing. It immediately reminds one of the Lotus M250 (at the show, still in concept form) which may well be what Lotus intended. We believe that a firm such as Lotus do not need a family-look. Apparently, the suspension geometry has been changed, improving the car's roadholding, and the ECU has been updated resulting in less emissions and a little more power. Let's hope that is enough to retain customer loyalty.

Of more interest to us is the Exige coupe, based on the original styling of the Elise, and the concept of the Lotus Elise Sport race car series. Getting in requires contortionist's talents, but once there, you will not ever want to get out. The steering wheel itself comes second only to that in the Ferrari 360 Modena. The driving position is superb, as are the seats. Once Damian (photographer and chief talent-spotter) wrestled his way out, we headed for the Audi bar, I mean stand....

Audi chose not to show the new A4 at the show, but instead put their efforts into publicising their dominant victory at Le Mans this year. Allan McNish wandered around, dwarfed by two very leggy blonde ladies and four silver-clad uni-cyclists, the relevance of which was lost on us. The cool German beer on tap helped though....

German efficiency was the name of the game on both BMW and Mercedes' stands. The fantastic new BMW M3 is worth a mention, but BMW did not make a big deal about the car. Very strange.

Anyway, there was the Mini (they insist on calling it MINI in BMW-land) to see and touch. First impressions? Stylish, funky, trendy and very mini-esque, but also much larger than its predecessor. Saying that, there is not much room for rear passengers. Think of it as a 2+2 coupe rather than a real four-seater. The detailing is lovely, with many original features retained - the central large speedo and domed roof for instance. We like it, and think that you will too. However, do not take the new Mini as a new car for the masses. This is as much a lifestyle accessory as a car. It will slot in well with the current wave of individual cars on the market.

One of which is Renault's production ready (finally) Clio Sport V6. The Car Enthusiast unfortunately did not get a chance to sit in it due to the presence of the new "Nicole" and a film crew. However, it is a very striking car, true to the concept. For those of you not ready to part with £30,000 for a Clio (ok, it isn't just a Clio), there is the very impressive Renault Sport Clio, with 172 bhp from its 2.0-litre 16v engine. Other new cars on the stand were the Laguna 2 - a substantial improvement - and the Avantime coupe/mpv thingy. Onwards to take the piss out of the new Subaru Impreza.

The pre-launch pictures do not do the car justice. Ok, the regular non-WRX versions look no more special than before, but we don't normally concentrate on those at The Car Enthusiast. The WRX versions are stunning, especially the estate. Good stuff. The 2001 WRC version of the Impreza was also on display, and we can report that it certainly looks the part. Can it revive Subaru's World Championship glory next year? The competition in the WRC is fierce these days, with serious contenders from Ford, Peugeot, Mitsubishi and Hyundai.

SEAT, however, has quit the championship. Chatting to Gwyndaff Evans at the show, the reasons for this centre around the new boss' disinterest in rally. Mr Evans agreed with us though that it was good for the SEAT brand image. Fans of the quiet Welshman will be glad to hear that he will contest the Network Q rally this year, in the SEAT Cordoba WRC.

Ford were one of the few manufacturers in the WRC not to show their car. Surprising, given its recent success. There is a mock-up alright, which doubled as a video-game.... The championship-winning BTCC Mondeos were on display, but perhaps of more interest was the official launch of the long-awaited Ford Focus RS. It was almost a disappointment seeing it in the metal though. It is stylish, but perhaps a little too understated. We look forward to driving it soon.

Where to next? The Alfa Romeo stand was quiet, but there was the new 147 hatch on display. The Alfa 147 continues Alfa's design resurgence, using the best of its heritage with modern curves and creases. Honda showed the equally new Civic, which is just plain boring to look at. Why oh why do they not style these cars? The Civic will, potentially be better to drive than the rival 147, but it just does not excite visually. The Honda S2000 however is fabulous in all respects.

You may well have noticed the lack of sports cars in this report. Don't worry, I've been saving them. Take TVR for instance. As is the norm for the little Blackpool-based manufacturer, new cars were on display at the show. Last year it was the sexual Tuscan, with its radical swoopy bodywork and outrageous interior design. At the 2000 show two new variants of the TVR Tuscan were unveiled. The Tuscan R is not the racing version the name suggests, but a 2+2 coupe. Unlike several manufacturers, TVR have managed to make the 4-seater as beautiful as the original 2-seater - both inside and out. This car could proudly hold its own in a "most beautiful car in the world" competition.

As if that was not enough, a new small TVR was also shown - called the Tamora (named after a Queen of the Goths). TVR's excuse for this car is that it is the sensible version of the Tuscan Speed Six, in the same way that the Chimaera was the more conventional sibling of the Griffith family. There is a faint whiff of a male cow's excretion.... The Tamora may have more traditional circular front lights, but there is nothing ordinary about this car. It really is gorgeous. The size is pretty much comparable to a Lotus Elise, although the Tamora is a lot more powerful and the interior is sublime as expected from the TVR craftsmen. We were very reluctant to leave the TVE stand.

The lure of the Porsche and Ferrari exhibits did eventually loosen our grip on the TRV railings. Porsche showed the fantastic Carrera GT concept car. This is a tad more than a concept though, as it has been driven in anger by none other than Walter Rohrl himself. It should go into production if Porsche receive 500 orders. The styling of the car is a mixed bag really, although you can be guaranteed of dropping jaws at the show. The wheels, rear end and the massive brakes are unmistakably Porsche items. The front of the car is a sleek mix of Porsche and Ferrari 360 Modena. Obviously, that is no bad thing. We noticed certain members of the aristocracy trying it out for size....

Which is just what we did on the Ferrari stand. The new, limited production 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was on display, alongside the much prettier 360 Spyder. To be honest, the 550 is better as a coupe. This car looks unpure.... Unlike the 360 Modena coupe, which is one of the most desirable cars in the world. Sitting snugly in the lightweight seats, the steering wheel is perfect. What else to say really? It is just so perfect.

If you are going, or have gone to the 2000 British International Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham, you will realise what a great event this is for everyone, from the car enthusiast to the serious car buyer. Enjoy it. We did.

Shane O' Donoghue