International NEC Motorshow 1996. Were you there...

That’s odd, according to ‘tinterweb’ it moved to NEC in 78 where it stayed until 2004

Close, but unfortunately I've only got a stash of photos of the 98 show. Didn't the show alternate between NEC and Earl's Court?

I remember going to the Earl’s Court one in the late 90’s - think it was when the new London taxi came out

That confirms that it was indeed 1996 I went (I was 10, went with my dad and one of his friends) - and I remember sitting in that silver Xantia estate that you can see in that photo! No idea where that memory suddenly popped into my head from. Is that the OP's car?

It was at Earl's Court in the odd years. I went to the NEC with my dad from '80 to '88. I went to Earl's Court in '87 when the redesigned Esprit was launched. My last NEC outing was '94 I think.

Is it this one by any chance?

You have the first VTS? That's awesome! 
I wish I still had one of my mk1s. I still have a complete set mk1 front end panels so could retrofit fit them to my mk2 I suppose 

The British Motor Show was held bi-annually at the NEC. I went in 96, 98 and 2000. I remember sitting in a VX220 and thinking one day I'd own one. Twenty years later I'm still waiting lol. I also remember my mate accidentally breaking the glovebox on a Mitsubishi 3000GT trying to open it the wrong way

The London Motor show ran at Earls court every other year until 2006 when the show moved to Excel for '06 and '08

I recall several manufacturers stating that it had become too expensive and that Goodwood FOS offered a better value