WELL, that's it then. The Geneva Motor Show one of the world's best-regarded shop windows for the very latest models is out of the way for another year.

Across the Atlantic, America's car city Detroit staged one show in January and another earlier this month.

Others will be held in Turin, Lisbon, Beunos Aires, Hanover, Tokyo and Paris. Even such unlikely places as Tallin, Zagreb, Kiev, Seoul and Cairo are among the list of venues.

So what about Britain? You'd be forgiven for thinking that our motor show seems to be on its last legs, alternating rather confusingly between London and Birmingham. Last year's London show was cancelled due to lack of support.

That's odd, when you realise that the UK is now Europe's second largest market for new cars 2,458,769 in 2001. Germany topped the table, with 3.3 million sales.

This year it's the turn of Birmingham's NEC to stage the show from October 23 to November 3 and the organisers insist that it'll be a winner.

"We're looking forward to it being a great success," says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

The presence (or absence) of the big makers will be a key to the show's success, and its future. Car enthusiasts who are expected to pay £15 each will expect a decent display for their money.

The SMMT tells us that 90 per cent of the show space has already been booked, representing the top two-thirds of the market share.

But the UK's last remaining major car maker, MG Rover, was this week uncertain whether it will be at the NEC.

BMW has also decided against it. It would cost them £1.5 million to come to the NEC, and the company would rather spend the money on more useful things.

However, it will have a Mini stand.

Mercedes, a major player at Geneva, still hasn't decided about Birmingham, and frankly such successful brands don't need to promote themselves in Britain.