Ensuring the thrill is delivered, the Live Motoring Theatre section of the exhibition is a 75 minute heady mix of carbon monoxide and adrenalin hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Tiff Needell. All known for their respective TV motoring shows Top Gear and 5th Gear.

Steve Sinclair has worked with MPH since its inception in 2003. Firstly as lighting designer and now as technical director, working closely with Pete Barnes on the overall look of the show.

The Gladiator’s Pit is an open area where the cars perform. The 80m x 70m arena is encased by large concrete blocks to protect the audience. PixelLine 1044s and PixelLine 110s are positioned on top of the blocks to front light the cars. And during rehearsals a request was made for a traffic light effect! This was achieved with 3 PixelPars attached to one of the scaffold legs of the centre stage.

Steve explains: “We needed to light the cars at audience level as well as from the normal front truss position. To do this we had to find a fixture that would sit on the concrete barrier and not get in the sight lines of the paying audience. It also had to have the desired output and the combination of the 1044s and 110s worked perfectly. The PixelPars were a perfect solution for the traffic light scenario.”

As well as the Live Motoring Theatre, there was an exhibition of prestige cars from all of the world’s top manufacturers. Presented this year at the NEC and Earl’s Court, next year MPH spreads its horizons and is going to be staged in South Africa as well as the UK.

All lighting crew and equipment was supplied by PRG Europe.