As is now traditional, the American and British contingent arrives on the Thursday afternoon for the set-up day. Everyone who is anyone was there, having got in early to secure a few choice pieces of Automobilia or just to meet up and chat at this season opener of a show.

Octane spotted musician and Jaguar driver Jools Holland with his trademark flat cap pulled low over his eyes. “I can’t resist an early rummage around some of the stands before the crowds arrive,” said Holland. “There are just so many lovely things to be had,” he said, as he peered at another glass cabinet full of enamel motoring badges.

This year the exhibition had been re-located to the large and bright Hall 4, and the smaller Hall 3, where the Bonhams auction was also held. The theme for 2008 was les femmes et l’automobile including Josephine Baker and Delage, Gaby Morlay and Mors and Mistinguett and Voisin.

With over 300 exhibitors on display, there was something for everyone, with a large number of small traders catering for the automobilia and model collectors. At the heart of the show are the classic cars displayed by clubs, dealers, and auctioneers: Bugattis, Hispano-Suizas, Amilcars, and Panhards share floor space with Hondas, Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, Peugeots, Renaults and CitroΫns.

Hall & Hall had an impressive stand right in the middle of the main hall. On Friday morning a fit looking Stirling Moss was attracting a scrum of keen fans, as he looked over the impressive display including a patinated Aston Martin DB3S and Ferrari Dino 206SP and 312B2. Lukas Hüni can also be relied on to produce some great cars, and this year presented the Maserati 250 F used by Juan Manuel Fangio at the 1957 Nurburgring Grand Prix.

A number of quirky exhibits were most amusing including Jean Bertin’s crazy 1957 Aerotrain capable of speed of up to 300kmh, and a lovely barn find Stanguellini caught the imagination.

This was Bonham’s landmark first auction at Retromobile and James Knight, Philip Kantor and Matthieu Lamoure and their team had gathered an impressive selection of motor cars for sale, including the flamboyant artist, George Mathieu’s equally flamboyant Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet, as featured in last month’s issue of Octane.