Every year, The Metro Toronto Convention Centre hosts a massive attraction: The Canadian International AutoShow. This year, it ran from February 14-23 and had a huge variety of activities to participate in. At Ridge Report, we know how much people love cars, so we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 highlights of CIAS 2020.
The top floor of the North Building. Photo by Daniel Shah
5. Third-Party Vendors
At the CIAS, there’s always a slew of vendors who have bought space at the show to sell their products. They display a variety of products, and though most of them are car-related, some are not. They can range from rim selling companies to gutter installation services.
If you aren’t planning on bringing food to the show, don’t worry! Food courts are open for business in multiple places across both buildings the AutoShow runs in. They provide a variety of options, such as pizza and other fast foods, like hamburgers.
There’s something for all ages in the show, as there are exhibits from stores such as Toys “R” Us, selling car-related merchandise. The quantity and diversity of the vendors means that even if you don’t check out the cars at all, you can still occupy yourself at the show for at least an hour.
4. New Cars
A big point of auto shows across the globe has always been to showcase concept cars that will go into production soon, and the CIAS is no exception. Visitors are greeted with all sorts of brand-new vehicles, such as:
The Genesis GV80: The Korean manufacturer Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, is debuting their first SUV. It features numerous upscale touches for its price point, most notably luxuries such as soft-close doors and customizable interior ambient noises. The GV80 features an optional 3D gauge cluster, which is enough to feel immersive but not distracting.
The Ford Mustang Mach E: Ford, an American company famous for its Mustang, recently unveiled an SUV that bears the same name. The Mustang Mach E is a fully electric vehicle, a fact that may seem confusing due to its namesake. It does, however, have decent performance, due to the instantaneous torque from its power source.
The Chevrolet C8 Corvette: The newest addition to the Corvette lineup hugely changed the direction the car would take in the future. Instead of being front-engined like other, older Corvettes, the newest generation would be mid-engined. This means that the car would place its power plant in between its two axles.
The C8 Corvette. Photo by Daniel Shah
3. Manufacturer Exhibits
Frequently, the CIAS can factor into people’s decisions when buying a new car. This is due to the sheer plethora of manufacturers that inhabit the show while it is running, with only a few notable omissions. If you can think of a vehicle, it is probably at the AutoShow.
There are more than 1 000 cars at the CIAS, which makes it a powerful tool for potential consumers. Mercedes and Volvo may have decided to skip out on this year’s show, but that doesn’t change the fact that physically being with so many cars is one of the best kinds of research you can do. You can even test out a few features in some of them.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S. Photo by Daniel Shah
2. Auto Exotica
Going to an auto show is one of the best ways to see the world’s most exclusive cars in person. Every year, the CIAS has a specific exhibit dedicated to these automobiles. In Auto Exotica, you will find all sorts of supercars, such as a Ferrari 488 Pista or a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ.
If you’ve been to many auto shows, though, these may be regular finds. However, you may also see even more exclusive vehicles that might not be seen anywhere else, such as one of this year’s showpieces, the Canadian-built Felino CB7R.
Among the more intriguing vehicles are the Pininfarina Battista and one of Lamborghini’s original cars - a tractor.
The Pagani Huayra BC Roadster. Photo by Daniel Shah
A Lamborghini Tractor. Photo by Daniel Shah
The Felino CB7R. Photo by Daniel Shah
1. The Bugatti La Voiture Noire
The CIAS has a major showpiece every year. Last year, it was the Devel Sixteen, and the year before that it was the Koenigsegg Agera RS. This year, the most expensive car in the world, the Bugatti “La Voiture Noire”, travels to Toronto as Canadian audiences are able to feast their eyes on what is possibly one of the most over-the-top cars ever.
It was sold for over $16.1 million, and sports six exhaust pipes. Its name literally translates from French to “The Black Car”, as a tribute to the original Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic, specifically the one that went missing after 1941. It has never been found to this day.
The Bugatti “La Voiture Noire”. Photo by: Daniel Shah
Every year, the CIAS comes to Toronto with a dazzling show of over 1 000 cars. These were just a few of this year’s highlights, but to really capture the spirit of the show, you need to see it in person. Next year, it runs from February 12-21. Be sure to show up next year, as there are a whole lot of unmissable attractions!
Come back next time for more news from the world of cars.
-Daniel Shah
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