The British are coming! The British are coming! Almost 100 antique, British-made cars will gather in Natchez today for the annual Brits on the Bluff car show, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Natchez Visitors Center on South Canal Street.

At around 11 a.m. car owners will cruise in procession down Canal Street to Franklin Street continuing to Rankin Street and park around the Main Street Marketplace.

Terry Trovato of Natchez, the current president of the English Motoring Club of Mississippi, is working with the event — the fourth of its kind in Natchez. During the first show in 1997, 11 car owners participated. From the early beginnings, the car show grew to 36 cars in 1998, 58 cars in 1999 and &uot;this year I’m expecting close to 80 or 90,&uot; Trovato said. &uot;Everybody loves Natchez.&uot;

In earlier years, the show always took place during the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race which is next weekend.

But with the growth in the car show, Natchez decided it needed a separate weekend for Brits on the Bluff, Trovato said.

&uot;The whole idea is to have fun with the cars,&uot; he said.

British-made cars were popular in the United States from World War II to the 1970s.

That era of car making has become so popular because &uot;these are the cars we grew up with,&uot; said Trovato, who will enter two of his own cars in the show. He will drive a 1949 Series 9 Roadster — which is one of only about 10 of those cars still driving in North America. It also is one of the few cars in the show which has right-hand drive.

Trovato said his wife will drive a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine, a car driven in the television show &uot;Get Smart.&uot;

Other cars that will parade in the show include a Gordan-Keeble. Only 99 of these cars were made, and only four are known to exist in North America.

Another car in the show will be an Armstrong Ciddeley Star Sapphire Saloon with saloon meaning &uot;big room&uot; in British, Trovato said.

&uot;Natchez is known for its antiques and I guarantee you, we will have some impressive rolling British heritage antiques&uot; in Natchez today, Trovato said.

Prizes will also be awarded. Guests will vote on a &uot;Show-stopper&uot; or the car they would most like to take home.

Natchez Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith will pick the &uot;Mayor’s Choice,&uot; car, Police Chief Willie Huff will select the &uot;Blue Light Special&uot; and Fire Chief Gary Winborne will select the best red car.