2016 Vancouver Auto Show Highlights
A range of vehicles motored their way into this year's showroom, including appearances from the Batmobile and James Bond's Aston Martin!
The 96th Vancouver International Auto Show took place March 23-27, 2016. Car lovers congregated at the Vancouver Convention Centre to take in the latest and greatest of vehicles from across the globe. This year’s event was heavily attended, with attendance up over 100,000 across the five days.
Canada Drives ventured out to visit the show and see first-hand what all the fuss was about and – more importantly – to report to our readers what’s hot in 2016. Here’s what we found…
Get Sporty
The show was filled with rare and exclusive vehicles, most of which were sports cars. In addition to some of the latest sports vehicles from Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini, a number of cars were being unveiled for the first time at the show. Unveilings this year included the Acura NSX supercar and Lexus’ new LF-SA. The Bentley convertible graced the entrance to the show floor, and with a price tag of nearly $400,000 it caught the attention of many.
Additionally, the roundup of McLaren supercars were a big hit at the show, where it was difficult to even get a full glimpse of the cars on display due to their popularity. In addition to sports cars making up a sizeable area in the showroom floor, they also occupied a large amount of real estate outside – attracting attention from show attendees but also the general public. A range of sports cars were on display outside including BMW’s M4 GTS and the 2016 Lexus RC. These slightly more affordable vehicles were available to test drive, which was an opportunity many car show enthusiasts appeared to take advantage of.
Big Rigs
It wouldn’t be a Vancouver-based show without a fleet of 4-wheel drive vehicles. A range of SUVs, trucks and off-road vehicles were in the spotlight, including the Ford 2017 F-150 Raptor pickup and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The Rubicon was a big hit with families at the show as the demo on the floor showed how a tent could be mounted to the top of the vehicle. Kids were encouraged to climb to the top and experience how camping would feel from up above the 4-wheel drive. It was a great addition to the show, especially in Vancouver, a place that is blessed with so many beautiful spaces for outdoor adventures.
Electric Avenue
Walking around the show, there was a definite buzz around electric vehicles. US-based electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors had a major presence at the show, spotlighting its range of existing and upcoming vehicles. What was most impressive about Tesla was its showcase of what was under its hood – which was pretty much nothing. After stepping into the seat of a Tesla, you got a sense of the quality of design, manufacturing and overall value for money. Interest in Tesla was definitely high, with it being very difficult to speak with a representative – even in quieter times of the show.
In addition to Tesla’s presence, hybrid electric and electric vehicles were also on show from other auto manufacturers, including the Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf. Electric vehicles are all the rage at the moment – peaking enthusiasts’ interest to save money on fuel. The show demonstrated that many are thinking of making the move to electric – possibly sooner than later.
The Vancouver International Auto Show was a major success, attracting car lovers from far and wide. While some of the supercars may be out of many of our price ranges, they did provide a lot of eye candy for those who visited the show. However, there were a number of more affordable vehicle options on show too.
