2016 Canadian International Autoshow

The 2016 Canadian International AutoShow was held from February 12 to 21.

Not only was there an opportunity to view over 1,000 new cars and trucks, but there were several additional attractions for showgoers to visit.

Returning features included:

Auto Exotica with cars from McLaren, Tesla, Pagani, Ferrari, Maserati and much more.
Art and the Automobile was back for a second year. The display featured art about automobiles and automobiles as art.
Also making a second appearance was the Xbox One Gaming Area. This is where the best games, movies, music, sports, and live TV came together in one place.
As usual, the winning vehicles, as selected by Canada's most respected automotive journalists, were on hand.

There were even more new exhibits for 2016:

Cars and Stars where vehicles made famous by their celebrity owners and pop-culture presence were available to view.
Indy 500: The Greatest Spectacle in Racing was a celebration of the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
Hot Rods & Choppers Featuring Kreater this exhibit allowed attendees to catch a glimpse of some of the nation’s most impressive custom vehicles and motorcycles.

The Canadian International AutoShow also offered some exciting promotions.

CAA offered free gas for a year to one lucky visitor by simply completing their survey.
The Trillium Automobile Dealers Association were providing attendees with a chance to win $50,000 towards the purchase of a new.
Subaru and Hyundai returned with contests that would see individuals win a free car.
During the Esso Free Fuel Savings promotion Esso brand representatives were handing out free Price Privilege cards for discounts on fuel purchases.

Below are some of the vehicle highlights from the show.

Last year, Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo returned to the North American market. In 2016, Fiat was debuting with a modern take on its 124 Spider. The car looks like the original 124 but has many upgrades. Under the hood is a 1.4-liter MultiAir turbocharged inline 4-cylinder with a 6- speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment includes 17-inch aluminum wheels, touch screen display, Keyless Enter'n Go and dual chrome exhaust.

The Bloodhound SSC land speed record team aims to achieve 1,000 mph with a 135,000-horsepower vehicle. Jaguar has partnered with the project by providing the Bloodhound SSC F-Type. The Bloodhound Jaguar is an all-wheel-drive vehicle with a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 producing 550 horsepower. The SSC F-Type will serve as the quick response vehicle for the project.

As usual, some MOPAR muscle was on hand at this year's Canadian International AutoShow. In addition to the Viper, there was a new 2016 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. This Hellcat was finished in Plum Crazy Pearl with Black Laguna full-leather SRT performance seats. Power for the Dodge comes from a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi. Completing the powertrain on the rear-wheel-drive vehicle is an 8-speed automatic transmission.

In contrast to the Hellcat was this 1969 Plymouth Road Runner. Production of the Road Runner was from 1968 to 1970. All models were a 2-door but either as a coupe, hardtop or convertible. There were three engine options available - the 383-cu. in. V8, 426 cu. in. Hemi V8 or 440 cu. in. V8. The Road Runner on display has the A12 option, which is the 440 motor with 3X2 barrel Holley carburetors. This setup was rated at 390 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque.

Every year, Toyota brings at least one of their concept cars. In 2016, it was the Lexus LF-C2. The LF-C2 premiered at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle has a 2+2 layout derived from a simple sports coupe idea. Painted in a lustrous yellow, the concept vehicle highlights the Lexus design cues, such as a massive grille and aggressive lighting units. The LF-C2 sits on 20-inch alloy wheels.

In celebration of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, several historical race cars were on site. The No. 61 was entered by the Cummins Engine Company for Jimmy Jackson. Mounted in the Kurtis chassis is a Cummins supercharged 401 cu. in. inline 6-cylinder, which makes 340-horsepower. Jackson was the 32nd faster qualifier for the 1950 edition of the race and retired on lap 52. However, the car garnered fame at Bonneville Salt Flats, setting six land speed records.

Art and the Automobile included this 1963 Buick Riviera. The Riviera was General Motors' answer to Ford's Thunderbird. It was also Buick's first entry into the personal luxury car market. Buyers had two engines to choose from – 401 cu, in. Nailhead V8 or 425 cu. in. Nailhead V8. The 1963 model was equipped with a Twin Turbine Dynoflow automatic transmission. The front suspension uses double wishbones, while the rear is a live axle with trailing arms.

This is Porsche's entry in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Its model 919 Hybrid and competes in the Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) category. The 919 Hybrid features a composite chassis made of carbon fiber with a honeycomb aluminum core – even the motor is a stressed member. Powering the car is a 2.0 liter turbocharged V4. The hybrid systems consist of Thermal Energy Recovery and Kinetic Energy Recovery. The combined output is 900 horsepower.

This 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS was located in Auto Exotica. The car recently received a ground-up restoration from the Ferrari of Ontario Classiche Department. The 246 replaced the 206 and was given a larger engine and longer wheelbase. This model has a Targa top, which was introduced at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show. The 2381 lb. 246 GTS is powered by a 2419 cc V6 engine, which produces 195 horsepower at 7,600 rpm.

In 2016, Mazda introduced the all-new fourth-generation MX-5. The car on display is set to compete in this year's Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The MX-5 Cup race cars are prepared to series standards by Long Road Racing. The process includes disassembling the car, welding in a roll cage and adding more than 250 motorsports components. The vehicles can be purchased from Mazda Motorsports for $53,000.

The GTI Roadster Concept Car is a Golf GTI show car initially created as a CGI for the Sony Playstation 3 classic 'Gran Turismo.' The Roadster is powered by a 3.0 liter V6 twin-turbocharged TSI engine. This motor produces 503 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. A 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission and a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system are fastened to the engine. The Roadster will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 192 mph.

This 1958 Pontiac Parisienne was located in the Art and the Automobile display. The model name was introduced to the Canadian market before appearing in the US in 1983. The American equivalent was the Bonneville. The first generation Parisienne was available in several different body styles – 2-door or 4-door, and convertible, coupe, sedan, or station wagon. There were also three engine choices – 261 cu. in. inline-6, 283 cu. in. V8 or 348 cu. in. V8.

Another race car included in the Indianapolis 500 display was this 1935 Ford V8 Miller. Ford commissioned car builder Harry Miller to build ten cars using the company's V8 for the 1935 contest. Unfortunately, only four were completed and qualified for the event. The No. 43 car was driven by Ted Horn, who qualified for twenty-sixth and finished sixteenth. A design flaw caused the gears in the steering box to expand and lock up.

Cadillac used the Canadian International AutoShow to present the 2016 ATS-V Coupe. The ATS-V is powered by the first-ever twin-turbocharged engine in a V-Series. The engine has been SAE certified at 464 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque. The Cadillac will go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 189 mph. Some other features include the Carbon Fiber Package, which consists of a carbon fiber front splitter, hood vent trim, and rear diffuser.

Appearing in the Art and the Automobile exhibit was this 1953 Studebaker Starliner Coupe. Now defunct, Studebaker was a leader in automotive styling in the early 50's. In fact, the 1953 Starliner, which was designed by Raymond Loewy, won Motor Trend's award for 'the most aesthetically styled' vehicle. The car is powered by a 232 cu. in. V8, which produces 120 horsepower and gets 20 mpg on regular fuel.

The 919 Hybrid wasn't the only race car Porsche showcased. They also had the new Cayman GT4 Clubsport on display. The Clubsport is a production-based race car for club racing and development series. The 1,300 kg vehicle has a composite bodyshell made of aluminum and steel with an FIA-approved safety cage. The Porsche uses a 3.8-liter boxer engine with a power output of 385 horsepower and 309 lb-ft. of torque.

Following on the heels of the Pagani Zonda was the Huayra model. The Huayra was designed with lessons learned from the Zonda. For the new car, Pagani focused on aerodynamics and lightweight construction. Designers replaced the dual-clutch transmission with the more straightforward and lighter sequential gearbox. However, the rear-wheel-drive car continues to use the 6.0 liter twin-turbocharged V12, which produces 730 horsepower.

The 1996 McLaren F1 GTR BMW was among the exclusive cars found in Auto Exotica. Gordon Murray is credited with designing this car, which was constructed for the BPR Global GT Series, FIA GT Championship, JGTC, and British GT Championship. The F1 GTR competed in one form or another from 1995 to 2005. The McLaren is powered by a naturally aspirated BMW S70/2 V12 engine. The highlight of this model was the overall victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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