The brand said the show was too expensive and did not drum up enough business last time to warrant a return.

“It's not just the cost of the stand, it's the staff costs too with hotels and the congestion charge,” said Lance Bradley, sales and marketing director.

He said the brand was better able to reach its core customers through appearing at regional shows. Bradley said the Cirencester-based brand would attend 100 country shows this year as well as the Caravan Show. Bradley said that in 2006, when the show transferred to London from the Birmingham NEC, Mitsubishi had invited dealers along to talk to customers but had been underwhelmed by the response. “At the last show we tried to cars but it didn't work,” he said