See everything that’s new in the British motor industry for ’73 on display at Earls Court in London.

We never got to attend the grand old British International Motor Shows at Earls Court in London, where they were held from 1937 through 1976. So for us, these period  newsreel features are the next best thing. This one, produced by British Movietone News for the 1973 show, happens to be in crisp, bright color, so even better. The Earls Court shows were a major event in British commerce: Princess Anne was called upon to open this year’s proceedings. The big stories at Earls Court for October of ’73 include:

+   Formula 1 team owner Ken Tyrrell and driver Jackie Stewart, who claimed his second world driver’s title in ’73 and then announced his retirement.

+   The freshly restyled Mark III Ford Cortina, a top-selling car in Great Britain and available in numerous trim levels. Here it’s displayed with the starboard doors and pillar removed to show off the upmarket cabin accommodations.

+   Introduced in August of 1973, the MGB GT V8, powered by an all-aluminum 3.5 liter V8 originally produced by Buick and later acquired by Rover. Here the MGB V8’s top speed of 124 mph is a headline feature.

+   The Jensen Interceptor, a hybrid British-American GT powered by a mighty Chrysler 440 cubic-inch V8 and styled by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, Italy.

We noticed that purple was a hot hue in the UK in ’73—on the show floor at Earls Court, anyway. Jaguar, MG, and Lotus are all sporting the flamboyant color. The announcer mentions a growing threat for the British motor industry: the rising popularity of imported cars, here pegged at 30 percent of the market. Lord Stokes of British Leyland is quoted here in reply: “Our cars are as good as any in the world, and our spares more readily available,” a cringeworthy comment in hindsight. Enjoy the video.