What to see at the British International Motor Show

Tired of the same old saloon? Want to escape the estate? Well, why not build your own sporty little number? Top kit-car manufacturers Westfield can supply you with a limited edition Jubilee XI - inspired by the Lotus XI - for just £18,950. Its sleek, sexy lines are ideal to enjoy on a sunny summer's day.

Not to be outdone, legendary custom-build marque Morgan have some of the classiest cars at the show. Just £76,000 will net you an Aero8, its 336bhp more than enough to set you apart from the crowd.

And if you are worried about the environment, never fear. Morgan even offer an eco-friendly model which runs on a hydrogen fuel cell.

With personalised number plates all the rage you can customise your car in a matter of minutes at the DVLA's stand. Go online and spend up to £4,000 to get the plate of your dreams - just have your credit card handy.

The Brabus Bullit V12 is all matt-black moodiness, and it packs a powerful punch under the bonnet too. With a top speed of 224mph, doing 0-60mph in less than four seconds, you can act out many a driving fantasy behind the wheel of this black beauty provided you're willing to part with £101,000.

Petrolheads worried about the escalating cost of fuel can get some inspiration from the ecomarathon cars on the Shell stand. Pride of place goes to the Amirvec, which managed a staggering 876.1km on just one litre of unleaded. However, it does lack legroom.

This is a family event and kids of all shapes and sizes will enjoy the myriad attractions on offer. But be prepared to dig deep for some of the things the little ones might want to try.

Go-karting is always fun for troublesome teens.- £10 will get you eight minutes on the outdoor circuit.

Motormouth Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear chums have a lot to answer for when it comes to the current craze for four-wheel fun. Fans can get up close and personal with the boys' self-built "police cars" on a special stand in the main concourse.

Younger children can get their kicks at the Disney Pixar paddock, where they will come face to fender with the likes of Lightning McQueen and Sally the Porsche 911.

And get them started early by letting them try out their driving skills at the Peugeot Kids Driving School, where they can even pick up their own junior driving licence.

If all the motoring mayhem is too much for you, there are even some places to go to kick back and watch the world go by.

Head to the water and watch some of the country's top powerboat racers make some waves in the docks, reaching speeds of up to 100mph in an F1 powerboat.

More sedate is the opportunity to explore some superb yachts moored by the venue. If you have a spare £250,000 or so, one of these beauties could be yours to sail into the sunset.

Or why not just chill out with a glass of champagne and watch the heritage enclosure parades held every day at 11.30am, 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm.

Musos can indulge themselves at a series of concerts held to tie-in with the show. Headline acts include Deep Purple on Wednesday, July 30 and Meatloaf on Saturday, August 2.

The show is open between 10am and 9pm every day, apart from Saturday when it closes at 8pm and Sunday when it finishes at 6pm.

Get there on the DLR, stopping at either Custom House or Prince Regent stations.

Tickets cost from £10 for adults, from £6 for a child or you can get in for £5 after 5pm.

Check out more pictures from the show in our picture gallery.

Go to www.britishmotorshow.co.uk for more details.