The 2018 Canadian International Auto Show, taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from February 16 through 26, is something special for anyone with even the remotest interest in cars. It encompasses more than 60,000 square metres (650,000 square feet) of not just new cars, trucks, and SUVs, but concept cars, prototypes, exotics, electrics, classics and other vehicles and exhibits that are just plain fun. It's an experience not to be missed.
Among the many special features in the show is a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Hot Wheels, which promises to be an attraction for kids and kids-at-heart alike. In addition to the Hot Wheels themselves, there are several full-size versions on display as well, including this 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS.
The Hot Wheels 50th-Anniversary display includes this super track, which will definitely make your kids happy, and may make you happy too. Occasionally a car flies off the track and if you're quick, you can scoop it up to take home. There are Hot Wheels to buy, colour, build and play with throughout the 10 days of Auto Show. So bring the kids - and have some fun yourself!
With six life-size Hot Wheels cars on display, including a Darth Vader car used by Darth Vader himself in the Star Wars films, there is a collector's Zone featuring more than 500 die-cast Hot Wheels models for you to peruse as well. The kids can build their own track in the Hot Wheels Play Zone, and Hot Wheels toys are available for purchase as well.
New to the Canadian International Auto Show this year is the Tuner Battlegrounds, aptly named the 'Auto Show Edition'. In partnership with PASMAG magazine, eight finalists are on display in the South Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
The Tuner Battlegrounds competition has been ongoing for five years and attracts entrants from all over the U.S and Canada. It features modified cars that battle for tuner supremacy, online. The car with the most votes moves on to the next round.
Attendees at this year's auto show can vote on their favourite at www.autoshow.tunerbattlegrounds.com by going to the profile page of the competitor they want to vote for and clicking on the gold star. The winning vehicle owner will get a $5,000 cash award and an exclusive print feature in PASMAG magazine.
This Subaru rally car, which is rarely seen clean, belongs to well-known Canadian Rally Championship driver, Crazy Leo.
Porsche has supplied five significant vehicles from its history to kick off its 70 Years of Porsche activities planned for 2018. Seen here is an iconic, mid-engined Carrera GT.
Porsche began turbocharging its vehicles in the late 60s, when it introduced this 911 Turbo. With a top speed of 246 km/h, this was the fastest production car in Germany; however, its downfall was turbo lag and oversteer which made it more of a white-knuckle drive than fun to drive.
With Porsche introducing its first hybrid 918 Spyder hypercar in 2013, the brand further solidified its name with performance and innovation, on and off the track. This highly-efficient yet powerful vehicle houses a V-8 that works in conjunction with two electric motors to produce 887 hp; hence the name "hypercar".
Concept cars are ways for manufacturers do to try out ideas for the future of their automobiles and see how the public responds. Sometimes they decide to produce them for the market; sometimes they go back to the drawing board. This concept, the i-TRIL from Toyota, which made its North American debut here at the Canadian International Auto Show, can operate autonomously and communicate with its driver through voice activation. Another cool feature is that the vehicle body and front tires lean left or right when cornering, while the rear tires remain perpendicular to the road at all times.
The auto show floor is full of ideas, creations and prototypes just waiting to become actual saleable vehicles for Canadian consumers, like this Project One Hypercar from Mercedes-Benz. With a top speed of 350 km/h, and 1,000 hp rocketing the car from 0-200 km/h in less than six seconds, Mercedes-AMG says only 275 will be available for sale.
One of the few concept cars at the show, the Lexus LS Concept further tweaks the styling of the latest LS flagship model and combines it with Toyota's “Highway Teammate” automated driving technology. Advanced onboard systems, expected to reach production in the next several years, will be capable of recognizing and responding to real-time traffic conditions -- enabling the vehicle to merge onto a highway, change lanes, maintain a set distance from surrounding vehicles, and exit all without driver input. Combined with Artificial Intelligence technology that's capable of learning a driver's own preferences and habits, it represents another step on the road to fully autonomous driving.
New to eSport Gaming? This is the online global phenomenon that's reaching millions of sports fans, competitors and viewers worldwide, with major sports franchises starting their own teams and filling arenas with gaming enthusiasts instead of sports fans. Formula One is jumping on the bandwagon too, creating Championship race events that mirror their Grand Prix races. You can check it out at the auto show.
The Canadian International Auto Show is hosting an eSport Motorsport Gaming Competition, taking place over the course of the entire 10-day show. Competitors have the chance to win daily, with more than $10,000 in cash prizes available to be won.
This year's Art & the Automobile feature is named "Jewels", a rather fitting theme that applies to the craftsmanship that goes into the creation of not only the cars themselves but their iconic badges and hood ornaments, helping to identify them visually to car lovers everywhere. Seen in this photo is a 1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC.
Presented in partnership with Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the lighting, backdrops, private room and decor all make you feel like you are in an art gallery and provide an exquisite presentation for these special works of art. The vehicle in this photo is a 1933 Pierce-Arrow 1242 Convertible Coupe.
Another great feature of Art and the Automobile is an exhibit of vehicle mascots themselves - many of which are now worth more than the cars most of us drive. Throughout history, we've seen these symbols change numerous times, but overall they have become icons for each of their respective brands, synonymous with the beauty and pageantry of the brands themselves. The car seen here is a rare 1953 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible Coupe.
Like what you see here? Make sure to mark your calendar for the Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance event, taking place September 15 & 16, 2018, at the famous Cobble Beach Golf Course on the shores of Georgian Bay. With beautiful and rarely seen vehicles, the event also hosts historic motorcycles and boats for your viewing pleasure.
Want a closer look at some rarely seen exotics, right here in Toronto? The auto show's longstanding AutoExotica exhibit on the lower level of the North MTCC houses vehicles from Aston Martin, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley, Karma, McLaren, Pagani, Rolls-Royce and Lotus, and there's even an elusive Tesla Model 3 on site this year. The Autostrada booth also features a1956 Pontiac Club de Mer (re-creation), 1977 Maserati Khamsin, 2015 McLaren P1, 1973 Ferrari Dino, 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO, 2018 Ford GT. A new addition to the display is a BAC Mono, built by England-based Briggs Automotive Company to appeal to track enthusiasts.
The Legendary Motorcar Company of Halton Hills' exhibit probably contains the highest-value collection of vehicles per square foot, with its four entries which include:
>1963 Factory Competition Shelby Cobra – the first Cobra to ever win a race, and first Cobra to win a championship; formerly a part of the Shelby American collection, it's valued at $6-million.
> 1969 Ford GT40; one of seven lightweight factory GT40s to be built to the same spec as the 1968 Le Mans Winning GT40; valued at $9-million.
> 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO; valued at $2.5-million.
> 1961 E Type Jaguar roadster; a super-rare flat floor car that captured a perfect 1000 score at the Jag Nationals.
The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) announced the winners of its Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year awards during the show's opening ceremonies on media preview day. If you are in the market to buy a new car in Canada, this is the resource you need. AJAC has car toppers scattered on the show floor, identifying the vehicles the association has awarded "Best in Canada" for 2018 in various classes.
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