call to ’Save British Motor Show 2010’

Dotcom Millionaire Entrepreneur Darren Richards has called on fellow famous car enthusiasts to get on board with his campaign to save the British Motor Show for 2010.

The century-old motoring showcase was scheduled for next summer but organisers pulled the plug in the March due to the decline of the motor industry.

But multi-millionaire Mr Richards, 42, is urging the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to reinstate the British Motor Show - and he believes a syndicate of well known car enthusiasts could finance a more modest version of the event.

The owner of Worcester-based property portal PropertyIndex.com, competitor to RightMove.co.uk, has contacted Rowan Atkinson, Jeremy Clarkson and Simon Cowell to support his initiative. Richards, who made £30million from selling DatingDirect.com in 2007 has pledged to see the journey through to the end.

Richards said: “We need to weather through this storm. It’s more reason to preserve the tradition of the motor show. We must not just roll over. Even if the event is scaled down dramatically next year it must still happen.“

The first step to save the show was Richards’ approach to BMS’s license holders, IMIE Ltd. including Sales Director Luke Perry and MD Rob McKenzie.

Although Mr. Richards travels frequently and divides his time between the UK and Tenerife, he added his love of cars was motivating him to try and show the motoring institution there was light at the end of the tunnel.

He said: “I’ve got an Arial Atom, which was tested by Jeremy Clarkson and is one of the world’s fastest cars, a Caparo T1 and a Ferrari F430 Spider.“

Other models gracing his car collection include a Porsche 997 Turbo, a Range Rover Vogue SE Supercharged, an Aston Martin DB9, a Lincoln Navigator, a 1966 Ford Mustang and a new Ford Mustang convertible.