Published: February 18, 2019, 5:30 PM
Updated: October 11, 2021, 10:20 AM
Weird and Wonderful at CIAS
We scoured the show floor in Toronto to bring you must-see displays at the 2019 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto – from full-size LEGO cars, to shoebikes, to custom hot rods (Death Race style), to army vehicles – we’ve found 22 weird and wonderful things you don’t want to miss when you visit the show.
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LEGO Bugatti: over one million pieces
This wonderful life size LEGO Bugatti (Technics set) consists of over 1 million pieces and took a team at LEGO over 13,000 hours to build. It even runs and can propel itself forward at approximately 30 km/h. It has working lights on the outside, working gauges on the inside and a removable steering wheel. This is cool!
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1967 Mustang: Death Race or Mad Max
This 1967 Mustang is featured in the Custom Battlegrounds area of the show that features many unique, weird and strangely wonderful machines. This vehicle was found on a farm north of Barrie, and its owner slowly modified it over a few years to look like this. It looks like it should have starred in Death Race to me.
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1964 Chevrolet Impala: Reflecting on the Carpet
It’s not very often you see a vehicle that matches the carpet – at least not here at the auto show. Coming all the way from California, this “Legacy” has undergone many modifications and houses a 350 small block Chevy engine. This paint job was the owner’s first ever on a vehicle and has won Best Paint & Best Interior awards over the past few years. This car has even been showcased at SEMA.
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1900 Overland Custom: gag gift from Bob Hope to John Wayne
This custom Overland was built by the legendary George Barris, and then bought by Bob Hope and given to John Wayne on his birthday as what we would call a gag gift. Unfortunately, the custom wagon sat in a barn on John Wayne’s estate until its next owner added a few items: disk brakes and seat belts. If you look in the back, it appears to be carrying a lot of manure.
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1949 Delahaye Drophead Coupe: Art & the Automobile never disappoints
This pre-WWII era Delahaye made its debut as an enclosed vehicle with a sunroof at the 1949 Paris Salon and later made its way into pop-star Elton John’s garage. On loan to the Toronto auto show from the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles California, this Delahaye was purchased off the stand during its time in that Paris Salon in 1949 and was painted red later in its life by a succeeding owner.
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Metrolinx GO Bus: largest vehicle at the show
Believe it or not, this is the largest vehicle at the Canadian International Auto Show. With 8 wheels, 3 axles, 425 horsepower, and a ride equivalent to a self-driving car, I couldn’t get the entire vehicle in one shot. Weird, but kinda cool too.
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1942 Willys Overland: quarter-tonne utility truck
In the late 1930s, the US Army asked automotive manufacturers to submit a design for “a general purpose, quarter-tonne 4x4 truck”. Bantam and Willys MB (along with Ford) submitted this vehicle, which we know as the first World War II Army Jeep. Canada was the first the acquire all models and by 1941, the War department asked Willys to supply over 10,000 vehicles. This “Jeep” was expected to last only 90 days, however, it is now 76 years old! Over 600,000 were produced.
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Devel Sixteen: from the shores of Dubai
This V-16 engine – that’s right, 16 cylinders – producing over 5,000 horsepower, the Devel Sixteen has many waiting with bated breath. In its prototype stage, this model was first seen in Dubai in 2017, and showcased in Paris – but makes its debut to the western shores just for the Canadian International Auto Show. Coming in three models, a V-8 model, another V-16 with only 3,000 horsepower and this one, boasting 5,007 horsepower, start your bidding high as the V-8 model sells for $1.6 million.
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Aston Martin: Bond, Cars 2 and maybe Cannonball Run?
This right-hand drive DB2-4 may look like James Bond’s Aston Martin, and even the Fin McMissile character in Cars 2, but its not. It’s in the same family though. Doesn’t quite fit for Cannonball Run either, in which Roger Moore played – or pretended to play – himself as James Bond. With only about 1,100 cars produced, total, they were built for speed and comfort in long distance touring, rather than being a sports car. Available as a 2-seat, 2-door coupe, and a fastback coupe too, they cost about $6,000 during their era.
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Legendary Motor Car Exhibit – Auto Exotica
The Legendary Motor Car Exhibit will surely not disappoint. With an AC Cobra, a 1969 Corvette and a Shelby Mustang on display, vintage cars are a great time capsule to see just how far we have come, and to see where we have been. Always classics in many of our minds, they are becoming works of art, and Legendary Motor Car’s intent is just that.
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1981 DeLorean: But not Back to the Future’s
This 1981 DeLorean is featuring something a little different at the show this year, housing information for DeLorean owners and offering restoration, care and maintenance. This car is all original parts and was spotlessly detailed for the show.
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CAN-AM Ryker: baby Spyder
So, this is weird – there is a 3-wheeler at the show, and its infant sibling was there too. Bombardier has a small space to show its newest addition to the Spyder family, the Ryker. It’s about half the size of a Spyder, sits its lone rider lower to the ground and sells for $8,500.
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Nissan Leaf NISMO RC: motors in front and in back
Soon to be the new pace car of the Micra Cup Series, this car features 2 of Nissan’s Leaf motors (one in front and one in back), making it all wheel drive. With only 6 built, each boasting 327 horsepower, all they will do is pace the track for the Micra Cup Race Series. With a 100% electric drivetrain that needs no oxygen, it can maintain performance levels even at high altitudes, like the one at Pikes Peak recently, where a Nissan Leaf raced to victory.
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Nissan Altima: AWD makes it the Altimate, so they say
With the announcement of Nissan’s AWD Altima, you have probably seen the commercials on TV boasting the Altima driving up ski hills, or the Altimate vehicle on tracks … well. Here it is. An Altima on tracks. This is a first for Nissan, in that they are now offering Standard Intelligent All-Wheel Drive for 2019. I just hope that buyers don’t think they can start driving them up ski hills anytime soon. With or without the tracks.
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The founding father of Civic Nation
Maybe this 1973-79 generation of Honda Civic will jog your memory. Back when gas prices were on the rise and there was a large demand for utility, this fuel-sipping and roomy Honda Civic became the answer to many of consumers’ needs during that time. Front wheel drive, a revolutionary engine, and a hefty 50 horsepower, this vehicle was reliable and met the price point of many buyers. And Civic Nation was born.
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Honda Gold Wing: motorcycle pioneer
Well that sure has changed. I think its great to see these older models of vehicles – even if they are on two wheels – when we still have the model around. This looks nothing like the Gold Wing of today, and yet, this version still holds its look and appeal. This GL1000 sure is a lot smaller than the versions we see today, but it looks like it just rolled off the production line this morning.
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Here comes the sun ...
I walked past this display and thought, “Hmmm. What’s missing?” I realize its not Abbey Road, the street where the Beatles’ famous album-cover shot was taken, however, that’s what comes to mind. It’s weird, but I hope show goers have fun with it.
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Shoe Bike: one step ahead
This is Weird. There are shoes on this bicycle - a concept developed by Continental Tires and Adidas. Online videos show you can ride it, though something tells me, it wouldn’t be a smooth ride.
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Snow Globe Nissan Altimate
You may have seen the commercials by now, there is supposed to be snow in there – fake snow – and if you look closely, there is some of the white stuff in there. It just didn’t seem to be working. I am not sure what the new AWD Nissan has to do with being in a snow globe, but, it’s a different way to look at a vehicle.
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The King of Cool: Steve McQueen
An accomplished race car driver, Steve McQueen had a passion for Porsche. He won a race in 1970 with a cast on his left foot, and was the star of the movie Le Mans, where he spent most of his time behind the wheel of a Porsche 917. This 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera, one of 500 built specifically to sway Porsche’s focus away from the 917, were powered by a 2.8-litre, air-cooled 6-cylinder engine, making 308 horsepower. These 911s would later become the starting point for a racing dynasty that extends to this day.
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Naturally, she drove a Cadillac
The quintessential “blonde bombshell”, Marilyn Monroe was the most famous actress of her time, and remains so, to this day. During the boom of the 1950s, Cadillac was just as synonymous with success as Marilyn was with fame. It was the car people aspired to drive, and the top-of-the-line Eldorado was the one to own. With higher, thinner tail fins and dramatic rear-end styling, it became more distinctive that the rest of the line-up. It’s no wonder Marilyn drove a Cadillac.
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1933 Delage D8S Roadster: what Cruella De Vil might drive
That may be because it has De Villars (the coachbuilder) in the name. Delage, known as a French automaker who designed and engineered exceptional quality from the early 1900s to 1935, just before Delahaye acquired the company. With multiple Grand Prix victories under its belt, the D8S was recognized as tailor-made to carry the most elegant coachwork of the era. Only 99 D8S chassis were built over the 4 years of its existence and became the star of the 1934 Paris Salon. Looking at this vehicle from the front will absolutely blow you away. The size, the curvature and the detail are mind blowing.
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