Ford Motor Company has today confirmed that it will not be exhibiting at the London Motor Show in October.

Ian McAllister, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said: “We had to weigh the significant cost of attending this year's London Show against the impact of a depleted industry presence.

“It was not an easy decision to make, especially considering our long association to the event. We are pursuing other ideas to reach our customers this year.”

Ford's decision comes a day after Vauxhall officially signed up to exhibit at the show.

Nick Reilly, Vauxhall Motors chairman and managing director, said: “The British public loves its cars and deserves an annual motor show, and as a major British manufacturer I believe we should be at Earls Court in October.”

However, the show will take place without the presence of several carmakers, including Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, and Skoda.