MOTORSPORT company Prodrive has been chosen as a shining example of Cool Britannia.

The world championship-winning Banbury firm was invited to exhibit to 25 international heads of state at yesterday's preview of powerhouse::uk.

Based in a futuristic structure of four 16m-diameter inflated cylindrical drums in Horseguard's Parade, London, the exhibition is run by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Exhibits include fashion and furniture design and film special effects, genetic engineering and product innovation. They were chosen as "ambassadors for the UK's prominence as an island of fizzing creativity", says the DTI.

Prodrive runs the triple world championship winning 555 Subaru World Rally Team as well as Team Honda Sport in European touring car racing.

The firm was the first Oxfordshire Business of the Year winner in 1995.

The company's Subaru Impreza 555 WRC98 rally car and the Team Honda Sport Accord race car will be at the exhibition entrance with a video presentation of the company's activities in the "networking" section.

The event was opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday and will be open from tomorrow to Sunday, April 19, from 10am until 6pm daily. Admission is £3, with advance bookings through Ticketmaster on 0171 413 1440.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.