By Chris Miller
On the day before Valentine’s Day, Canada’s love for the automobile was shown at The 2020 Canadian International AutoShow with some outstanding new products. As usual, the Germans and Koreans showed great audio-visual presentations, followed by some good Japanese launches. The displays were as usual very professional and I noticed this year lots of bright, happy colours.
When you visit this, the largest consumer show in Canada, you will see more than 1,000 vehicles from the truck segment which seems huge (large footprint!), to many SUVs of course and (other than the big three) many cars shown. There are classic cars and lots of fun exhibits for the kids, or the kid in you.
The show runs from Valentine’s Day until Feb. 23. As we welcome in a new decade, autonomy is on the horizon and electric vehicles are becoming more popular, together with the option of hybrid. Many auto manufacturers are thinking about the climate crisis, however, some, not so much. It’s time to get on board and help save the planet. If many manufacturers can, why can’t you? Enjoy and go and visit for fun, an auto experience or to do window shopping.
The largest motor company in the world has the fastest sports car that is electric, the 1000HP. Toyota was the first manufacturer to mass produce hybrids and in 20 years has produced 214,000 HV and PHV vehicles.
The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) car of the year is the ever-popular Mazda 3. The finalists included a Mercedes and Porsche.
One of the outstanding vehicles at the show is the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace. It won over a Ram 1500 truck and Kia Telarude SUV.
This year VW launched a revised Atlas SUV with a difference. The photo shows Camp OOCH which is sponsored by VW, where special camps are held in various locations around the country for children suffering from cancer. Well done VW, so different but so wonderful. The vehicle to transport seven kids/persons and all their camp gear is the Atlas. I am sure they use GPS and not maps!
Welcome to the all-new Jeep Gladiator. Wow, what a vehicle from the Jeep guys who have been producing these great vehicles for 70 years. Thanks to a very humourous commercial with Bill Murray and his pet groundhog from the original Groundhog Day movie, there could not be a more memorable commercial. The scenes repeated themselves but with a slight difference and Bill was driving a Gladiator all the time.
As I have mentioned the Koreans and Germans know how to put on a presentation. The first photo shows a futuristic park where autonomous vehicles drive you around. The second photo shows the CEO and an amazing concept, the Vision T, tomorrow’s SUV.
The year is 2025 and autonomous driving is commonplace. This is the Lexus LF-30 electrified concept.
The second photo is the front facia. I know you thought it was the trunk!
As this product was unveiled, we knew we were in for something unique. Never mind that this Bugatti La Voitre Noire vehicle is 1500HP and is the most expensive road vehicle ever made, so only those who win the lottery can afford the deposit. Whaat! Value 11 million Euro! Do the math! A French masterpiece in automotive engineering.
One of the most talked about new sports cars anywhere is the 2020 mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Not only is it a wonderful sharp style but you could fill your driveway with dozens of them compared with the Bugatti. This beauty starts from under $79,000. It has two trunks and the hardtop folds away in under a minute and you can drive at up to 45 kph and turn the coupe into a convertible. 490HP. A real bargain, I am sure every one built will be presold. Well done Chev.
The luxury brand from Hyundai, Genesis has launched an all-new SUV, the GV 80. Beautifully styled to go with its sedan siblings. Genesis continues to grow, producing excellent-quality products from one of the largest manufacturers of vehicles in the world.
