Tycoon's drive to save motor show

The 2010 show in London was cancelled earlier this year by organisers the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) due to the global recession.

But Darren Richards, who made £30 million from the sale of his internet dating agency two years ago, believes the event can still be saved.

Mr Richards, aged 42, who splits his time between homes in Worcestershire and Tenerife, believes a syndicate of wealthy car enthusiasts could finance a more modest version of the event.

He is trying to secure the backing of car-loving stars like Rowan Atkinson, Jeremy Clarkson and Simon Cowell for his campaign to save the show.

Self-confessed 'petrolhead' Mr Richards said: "We need to weather 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 entrepreneur started in business as an importer of novelty toys from the Far East. He got the idea for an internet-based dating agency after breaking up with his girlfriend in 1999. He set up DatingDirect.com, with the aim of charging single people £5 a month to use its services, and cashed in when he sold the site in 2007.

Mr Richards has since invested in a property portfolio in the UK and Tenerife, where he has three bars, three apartments and two villas, and the Cape Verde islands off the coast of Africa.

He has also indulged his taste for exotic vehicles and says it is his love of cars which is motivating his desire to save the motor show. His collection of supercars currently includes a Ferrari F430 Spider, a Caparo T1, an Aston Martin DB9 and a Porsche 997 Turbo. He also owns an Ariel Atom, one of the world's fastest cars, along with a series of classic American cars.

SMMT spokesman John Procter said that while the campaign to save the show was laudable, he thought it 'unlikely' that a scaled-back version of the show would take place next year.

"The decision to cancel the 2010 event was taken early on for the sake of the show's credibility. The economic climate meant that not all manufacturers would have been able to support it. We are now looking to make a spectacular return in 2012 with the next show."