Taking a sneak peek at the 2017 Canadian International AutoShow

Feb 16, 2017- Permalink

The 2017 Canadian International AutoShow pulls into the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and runs from February 17th to the 26th. I had the pleasure of attending the Media Preview Day and I can tell you that there’s a lot of things to dazzle and awe you as well as a lot of information to help you with your automotive shopping. More details on the show can be found by visiting autoshow.ca.

Before I get to the vehicles, the 2017 CIAS is massive so parents can park their children at the Volkswagen Children’s Playcare Centre, a FREE professional daycare service filled with exciting activities for your children brought to you by your local Volkswagen dealer. Kids can take part in arts and crafts, interactive activities and much more. It’s on Level 600 in the South Building beside the restaurant and coat check.

Wait did I say restaurant? New this year is the Earth Café & Lounge where you can refuel with a wide range of healthy organic and fair trade snack, drink and lunch options, ranging from kale shakes to organic fair trade coffees to quinoa and kale salads.

Okay, but let’s get down to business:

The always popular Auto Exotica, presented by Castrol and the Globe and Mail, will allow car enthusiasts to check out luxury vehicles from Aston Martin, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Karma, McLaren, Singer, Pagani, Lotus and a six-car vintage Ferrari display presented by Ferrari of Ontario. A new addition is a display of classic exotics from some of Canada’s most discerning collectors, presented by Autostrada Forum Magazine, which will be profiling several rare and visually stunning examples of exotic motoring in years gone by.
The Ontario Provincial Police have a large presence at CIAS 2017. Show visitors will be able get behind the wheel of several new service vehicles, including a Dodge Charger, a four-wheel drive off-road UTV and a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Throughout the week, the AutoShow Live Stage will host numerous OPP presentations and performances, including the OPP Golden Helmets, K9 and emergency response teams, and under water search and rescue demonstrations.
AutoShow Trivia Challenge will let you test your knowledge and your speed. Just visit game.autoshow.ca, enter your email address and slide to start. One daily prize will be awarded beginning Feb 15, 2017 and ending February 26, 2017 at 4 PM EST. One lucky winner will be awarded a Grand Prize of a $1,000 gift card from VIA Rail Canada. For full contest rules and regulations please contact the Canadian International AutoShow.
It’s Canada 150 so celebrate Canada’s first car, the 1867 Seth Taylor Steam Buggy, which was designed and built by Henry Seth Taylor, a prosperous watchmaker, jeweler and businessman in Stanstead, Que. The one-of-a-kind exhibit is being hosted by Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The 50 Years of Grand Prix Racing in Canada exhibit will feature the 1997 Williams FW19 that former F1 superstar Jacques Villeneuve drove in the 1997 European Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain, when he became the first, and so far only, Canadian to win the Formula 1 World Championship. It is the first time the car has been in North America since that 1997 season.
Electric Avenue will allow visitors a chance to check out the greenest vehicles around.
Over 41 vehicles will be unvieled at the AutoShow, including Aston Martin’s AM-RB 001, Audi’s R8 Spyder, RS3, TT RS, and SQ5, BMW’s 5 Series, M760Li xDrive, and MINI Cooper S E Countryman All4, Cadillac’s Escala Concept, Chevrolet’s Traverse and Equinox Diesel, Ford’s Mustang and F-150, Genesis’ New York Concept, GMC’s Terrain, Honda’s 2018 Odyssey, Hyundai Canada’s Elantra GT 5-Door, INFINITI’s QX50 Concept, Jaguar’s F-TYPE 400 Sport, Kia’s Stinger and Cadenza, Lincoln’s Navigator Concept, Maserati’s Quattroporte GranSport, Mazda’s CX-5, Mercedes-Benz’s Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+, Mercedes-AMG GT R and Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster, Nissan’s Vmotion 2.0 Concept, Porsche’s 991 GT3 Cup Car and Macan Turbo, Rinspeed’s Oasis concept vehicle, Subaru’s Viziv-7 Concept, Volkswagen’s Tiguan – Long Wheel Base, and Volvo’s V90 R Design.
Family Day is on February 20th, and the AutoShow celebrates it with Family Fun Day which will include special entertainment, prize giveaways, and more.
Castrol Alley with Legendary Motorcar Company will celebrate the muscle cars of the Golden Age of North American auto manufacturing. Ontario’s own Legendary Motorcar Company will celebrate the beasts from the ’60s and ’70s in Castrol Alley on level 700 in the South Building.

Whether your ready to drop some cash on a new car, drop some drool on a luxury car, or drop a jaw for a concept car, the 2017 Canadian International AutoShow will have something for everyone. It was a great Media Preview day. Check out autoshow.ca for more details.

Here’s a look at some of the things that caught our eye today: