THE SUNDAY TIMES Motor Show Live at Birmingham promises much when it opens to the public at the end of next month.

However, it will be the static displays that will capture most attention. Between now and the first public day of the show, May 28, there will be endless press releases from car manufacturers announcing new models.

Among the first to arrive are those from Honda, Hyundai and MINI.

Honda is unveiling a new production super car. The HSC, Honda's High Performance Sports Concept, has just been confirmed as the basis for the company's next generation super car to replace the fabled NSX.

The wedge-shaped HSC carries a lightweight body and engine, a 3.5-litre V6 sitting midship for balance and handling. Gear change is through a unique dial shifter on the centre console or the F1-style paddle shift on the steering wheel. There are lots of standout features, including projector headlamps, a rounded cockpit and even a clear glass engine cover behind the cockpit.

Honda's IMAS (the letters stand for Integrated Motor Assist System) features the mixed power system of petrol/electric. But that is not the important element in this futuristic machine: it has been designed to somehow capture the freedom of movement provided by a bicycle and, to achieve this, emphasis of design has gone into a vehicle that is light in weight, aerodynamically efficient and suitably powered. It is made of a super-light carbon fibre and aluminium and weighs in at only 700kg.

Also on the Honda wish-list is the NSX Type-R, never before seen in this country, and packed with newly developed aerodynamic devices to provide high-speed performances.

Hyundai's offering includes the HCD8, a study in possible future coup design, and the CCS, a study of a convertible coup. The HCD8 has been seen in the USA where it was designed and built, and has also attracted many admirers, while the CCS, a product from the German-based Hyundai research centre, offers a unique slide-and-fold roof, from full glass to open top at the press of a button.

Hyundai is also providing its Santa Fe or Terracan for the off-road driving experience, and the Getz supermini, coup and Matrix mini MPV for those who want a test drive.

And then there is MINI's contribution. In particular its new MINI Cooper S convertible, which goes on sale at the end of August with a £17,595 price ticket.

The convertible is powered by a 1.6-litre, four cylinder engine as in the MINI One and Cooper, except it also gets a supercharger and new intercooler technology which enable the engine to produce 170bhp at 6,000rpm, seven horse power more than in the original Cooper S.

Updated: 13:24 Friday, April 30, 2004