A good steer from the TADA president
Beat those end-of-winter blahs by heading to the auto show for fun with friends and family
Many Ontarians may be feeling the February blahs. One surefire remedy is to attend the 2017 Canadian International AutoShow, presented by the Toronto Star and Wheels.ca.
For the hundreds of thousands of visitors who attend the AutoShow each year, this singular event offers a day of excitement and memories that will last a lifetime.
Canada is celebrating its 150-year anniversary in 2017 and the AutoShow plans to commemorate the occasion with an incredible lineup of automotive features, exhibits and surprises (visit autoshow.ca for more information).
For me, personally, attending the AutoShow to visit or for work has always been a wonderful experience: seeing the big, bold manufacturers’ displays, the new vehicle models on the floor, the prototypes and the entertainment.
I remember one year in particular — one of the manufacturers hired Stompin’ Tom Connors to perform at their booth, and he had a piece of wood that he kept banging his right foot onto as he played his guitar and sang.
I grew up in the era of big American chrome-laden cars, the rise of muscle cars, and the Energy Crisis. At former auto shows, I was exposed to many imported vehicle brands that you may never had heard of, such as Lloyd, NSU, Isetta, Daimler, Riley, Rover, DKW, Borgward, Datsun, Triumph, and more.
Over the decades, the AutoShow has grown in size and attendance, making it the largest consumer show in Canada.
In 2001, it was awarded international designation by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles, beating out Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and other major cities for the honour.
Not only is the AutoShow exciting for the public. It’s also a must-attend show for dealer principals, dealership staff, suppliers and, of course, manufacturers.
Most major auto manufactures participate in the AutoShow to showcase their current lineup.
They also gauge feedback on their concept vehicles as well; many plans for concepts are often shelved or given the green light based on feedback from auto shows.
The best way to experience the AutoShow is to give yourself at least three or four hours.
This year, in commemorating Canada’s 150th anniversary, show organizers have again raised the bar in terms of features, exhibits, and surprises, including the North American launch of the Aston Martin-Red Bull concept hypercar, and Electric Avenue, where visitors can test drive electric vehicles.
Plan to visit the AutoShow with friends, relatives, friends or neighbours. It’s a great way to spend some time learning about the dynamic and rapidly-changing automobile industry.
Enjoy the show! Bob Redinger is president of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association and a newcar dealer in the GTA. This column represents the views of the TADA. Visit tada.ca or email president@autoshow.ca.
The AutoShow will commemorate Canada’s 150-year anniversary with an incredible lineup of automotive features, exhibits and surprises