Auto shows are back in a new avatar! - highlights from CIAS Toronto

After a 3-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most major auto shows have returned this year. While India saw the revival of Delhi Auto Expo in January 2023, North America is seeing the resumption of the Chicago, Toronto, and New York auto shows.

However, the ongoing supply chain issues due to the chip shortage have pushed major automobile manufacturers (Audi, BMW, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volkswagen) to sit out of certain auto shows. I was at the 2023 Canadian International Auto Show (or CIAS) in Toronto last week, and while it was clearly a shadow of its past (despite celebrating its 50th iteration), the event still saw record-breaking crowds on opening weekend. This clearly shows that the demand for personal mobility, or rather the interest in it, still remains strong!

The theme for this year's CIAS was "Mobility Reimagined", with a special focus on electric vehicles. The event saw participation from only 20 car manufacturers, with Hyundai-Kia-Genesis, Nissan, Stellantis (Alfa-Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM, and Wagoner), Subaru, Toyota-Lexus, and Chevrolet (including Buick, Cadillac, and GMC) being the key exhibitors. There was one newcomer too, as Vinfast - Vietnam's electric car startup - made its Canadian Auto Show debut.

One of the show-stoppers this year was the LEGO Technic Lamborghini Sián FKP 37, a life-sized replica of the first sports car powered by a V12 engine and hybrid technology based on super-capacitors. This was the North American debut of this car, which has been built from over 400,000 LEGO Technic elements.

The legendary DMC DeLorean from the Back to the Future movies, also made an appearance as part of the Oblivion exhibit, which brought back classic cars from the 1980s and 90s. Fun fact: this car did not have much of a "future" in the real world, with a reputation for poor build quality and unsatisfactory driving experience. Not surprising then that only 9,000 units were produced in 1981-82, before the DeLorean Motor Company filed for bankruptcy.

Hyundai-Kia probably attracted the most eyeballs on the show floor. While Hyundai had the Canadian debut of its Ioniq 6 "electric streamliner" sedan, Kia showcased its EV6 GT and the electric-global modular platform (E-GMP) that underpins the Hyundai group's electric vehicles. Hyundai even pulled a surprise, as they showcased two EV concepts - the RN22e (which previews the Ioniq 6 N) and the N Vision 74 (a rolling Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV Lab)!

                    

                                            

                                            

Chevrolet brought its entire portfolio of electric vehicles, including the Silverado RST electric pickup truck, the GMC Hummer EV and Sierra EV (no, not this one), and the upcoming Equinox and Blazer EVs. All these vehicles will share the GM Ultium platform. Their tagline at the auto show was "EVs for everyone" and I really liked how they highlight the EV in Chevrolet!

        

                    

While Cadillac showed the stunningly designed Lyriq EV, Buick wowed the audience with the Wildcat EV concept. These cars also use GM's Ultium platform, and I think the Lyriq is not only one of the best looking EVs, but also one of the best cars we have seen in a while.

        

Nissan showcased the Ariya EV, a late entrant to the electric vehicles space that did not attract a lot of attention, despite making its Canadian debut. The company even brought the Ariya Surfwagon concept, which uses faux wood panels and roof-mounted surfboards to show what autonomous electric SUVs could look like, but I don't think it helped much, if at all.

Toyota brought its Grand Highlander three-row SUV, but the highlight was the new Prius, which now looks like a koi fish! Over at the Lexus stand, the new RZ electric SUV (which is based on the same platform as the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra) also grabbed eyeballs. However, Toyota-Lexus still seem to be focusing on hybrid vehicles more than electric ones, as the majority of cars at both stands had hybrid powertrains.

        

Jeep had the most interactive stand with Camp Jeep, which was a specially-designed off-roading track to demonstrate the all-wheel drive capabilities of Jeep vehicles. This is how manufacturers are tweaking the auto show format, as less participating exhibitors means more floor space at venues. The other interactive element was the EV Test Track, where visitors could test drive the latest electric vehicles on a 1 km loop right inside the auto show venue.

The two SUVs from Stellantis that stood out at the auto show were the Dodge Hornet (hopefully not inspired by murder hornets!) and the Alfa-Romeo Tonale, the luxury brand's first hybrid SUV.

One other concept that managed to attract some visitors was the Project Arrow, an electric vehicle built to demonstrate the capabilities of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA) in Canada.

As this has become my longest post so far, there is a bonus car I would like to share with you. This was one of the most expensive vehicles on the show floor, with a sticker price of $1.5 million. It's the 2022 Ford GT MK II in a one-off livery (only 45 of these were built). Feast your eyes on it and let me know in the comments which car you liked the most.