I love an auto show. We just had a really exciting one in Munich that bucked the trend of the slow death of the show. Growing up in Detroit, all the kids talked about on Mondays in January was who had gone, what they’d seen and who’d they’d gone with. To be fair, it was like the only thing to do in Michigan in January. When I then got a job in automotive, auto shows became no-holds-barred press conference speed dates complete with running into CEOs, famous actors and even future presidents.
My favorite auto show moment is either back in 2017, when I was able to shout a question at then-Vice President Joe Biden about autonomous car infrastructure and felt like a capital J Journalist, or when I was at the Mercedes-Benz C63 reveal at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show and got to sit right behind Jon Hamm. Such memories aren’t being made at auto shows anymore really, but your memories of family fun, swag acquisition and amazing moments in automotive heritage will live forever in your hearts and this blog. Scroll through to see some of my favorite responses to last week’s question where we asked What Are Your Favorite Auto Show Memories?
Making memories at the auto show
No particular one, just the fact that practically every car show I’ve been to was with my dad. It’s always been one of our ‘things.’ He’s still around thankfully, but starting to show many signs of dementia. I’m not excited for our last car show.
From Arnold Rimmer
I, too, love a good piece of swag
When I was an older teen in the late 80s you could go to a car show and get all kinds of cool swag — posters, keychains, stickers, cool brochures, etc. This was of course before I ever bought a new car, yet even today I give preference or consideration to the brands that gave out the cool stuff. It’s never too early to invest a little into building future customers.
Oh, and the brands that locked their cars so you couldn’t sit in them made a lasting negative impression, too.
From BuddyS
What a day to be in a convention center!
I was lingering around on the last day of the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, later on Sunday after the official end time, and the Lamborghini stand started the just unveiled Murciélago LP640 and revved it in celebration of the last day. Ferrari couldn’t be outdone, so they revved the 599 GTB Fiorano to answer. Inside the arena, was a beautiful noise as nearly all the v12’s joined in. Even the Maybach Exelero with it’s twin turbo v12 joined, twisting with every rev like an angry Darth Vader. What a treat!
From William Drake
Cool mom!
In 1999 my mom let me skip school and brought me to the NYIAS for the day. Got to see 3 spectacular cars for the first time ever – the brand new S2000, a Nissan R390 road car, and a McLaren F1 GTR. Thanks Mom!
From Stephen
Auto shows were always a family event for me as well. Yet another thing COVID screwed up
Apologies in advance, this will be a bit of a downer. Car shows of all kinds were a me-and-dad thing since I was little, but the Cleveland Auto Show at the I-X Center was a me-and-dad-and-grandpa thing and my brother was added once he was old enough. With few exceptions, we went every year and they each have they’re own memories attached to them. It’s held very early in the year, so we were able to go in 2020 before COVID hit in a major way. My grandpa died in December that year from complications related to COVID. That auto show was one of the last things we got to do together and one of the last happy memories I have before the world went to hell. My dad, my brother, and I haven’t been to an auto show since. We may go to another one eventually, but planning for it hasn’t come up.
From Frosteeman
This would be the highlight of my 13th year of life as well
I was one of the lucky ones who saw the Mazda Furai in person at the Detroit Auto Show in 2008 about 8 months before it burned to a crisp. I had just turned 13 and I thought that car was just the coolest thing I had ever seen.
From Cristian Little
Had a heck of a time finding the pre-GM Hummer. So here’s a Hummer at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show
1991 or 1992 car show in Phoenix. I recall sitting in a Hummer H1, which at the time Hummer wasn’t a part of GM yet. They had a very sad little corner of the exhibit hall. I remember thinking this has to be the strangest thing here. It was really really uncomfortable. The Benz’s. They had their entire line up, a huge part of the exhibitiion hall. They were just pure quality. Sitting in a Mercedes Benz vs really anything else at that time you realized they were just tanks no matter what model. The VW area had a Mkii GTI in Montana Green. Great color and the Recaros!.
From hydrospanner
Boston auto show domination of old people? I love it
I have tons of good memories at the Boston Auto Show (actually called the New England International Auto Show). Unfortunately, it looks like it has gone out to pasture these days.
In any case, back in the early ’90’s, when I was maybe 10 or 11, and the show was at the Bayside Expo, Jeep had some sort of desert racing simulator that pitted like 8 drivers against each other. So I stand in line, and when it’s my turn, it’s me and then 7 adults in the race. I won (this being the ’90’s it was pretty rudimentary), which actually wasn’t a surprise to me. Even though this involved operating a steering wheel, gas pedal, brake, which, obviously, given my age, I had never done before, it was basically still just a video game to me. So, after winning, I didn’t think much of it and just went back to find my mom…except she is laughing. I guess when the race was over, all the adults got out and the looks on their faces when they saw that I had beat them were hilarious. I didn’t notice because I was just looking for my mom, but my mom got a good chuckle out of it.
From Crucial Taunt
Jeep *still* brings that off-road test driving course to the various auto shows
Jeep had an “off-road” setup that people could test drive on. Things seemed to be going well until one of the SUVs made a bang sound near the top of the hill and there it sat for what I assume was the rest of the day. Nothing like having a demo that goes horribly wrong.
From Cluck
Retro auto shows seems like swingin’, happenin’ places
Circa 1962, my best friend and I went to a car show in Washington, D.C., with our Dads. The car I remember was a Bugeye Sprite with a Mercury flathead V8 engine that was painted International Harvester red. Since then I have seen more than one Allard J2/J2X, Hemi Cuda, first generation Cobra, etc., but I have never seen another car like that.
From Huttersfield
