It’s that time of year when Toronto is abuzz with auto industry news and Canadian model debuts. The 2012 Canadian International Auto Show kicks off tomorrow with media day and winds down with an exclusive VIP night. Before the event officially opens to the public on Friday Feb. 17, hordes of automotive journalists will be tripping over one another going from booth to booth to see the newest model unveilings.
The new Scion FR-S
Organizers say this year’s theme is: “Discover, Connect and Experience,” and helps emphasize the show’s forward looking perspective.
In its opening year, the show was held at the International Centre and attendance was 85,000. This year organizers expect a crowd of more than 300,000. The CIAS is the largest consumer show of any kind in Canada in both size and attendance, with more than 125 exhibitors and approximately 1,000 cars and trucks on display.
Toyota North American President and CEO Yoshimi Inaba, will officially open the 39th edition of the Canadian International Auto Show at 9:00 a.m on Thursday, Feb. 16 with opening remarks about the state of the automotive industry.
A manufacturer’s official representative has traditionally hosted the show’s opening ceremonies since 1995, when the CIAS Board of Directors established this honour to recognize the invaluable part played by automobile manufacturers in their contribution to the Canadian economy and their tremendous support in building the CIAS to its current stature. Past hosts have included Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, Audi, General Motors, BMW, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz as well as Toyota, which hosted the opening ceremony most recently in 2008.
The opening ceremonies for the 2012 CIAS will precede a full day of press conferences, which will include over forty Canadian exclusive new vehicle premieres.
Vehicle premieres
At least forty North American and Canadian vehicle premieres will make their debut, including:
- 2013 Audi A4 Sedan
- 2013 Audi Allroad
- 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 3
- 2012 BMW M5 Sedan
- 2013 Mini Goodwood
- 2013 Dodge Dart
- 2013 Ford Fusion
- 2013 Ford CMAX Energi PHEV
- 2013 Ford Flex
- 2013 Lincoln MKT
- 2013 Cadillac XTS
- 2013 Cadillac ATS
- 2013 Buick Encore
- 2012 Kia Rio Sedan
- 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550
- 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG
- 2012 Toyota Prius
- 2013 Scion FR-S
- 2012 Toyota Prius PHV
- 2013 Volkswagen Passat CC
CIAS Media Day
The 1,050 media that attended last year’s show established a new benchmark. The end of day media reception was also a hit.
Media day is presented by Canadian Black Book, Castrol, KPMG and Natural Resources Canada. The day begins with a media breakfast, hosted by NRCan, followed by their “ecoEnergy Awards” in the “swing space” at approximately 8:00 am in the south building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The 2012 AJAC Awards will follow on the same stage at approximately 8:15 am when the journalists’ association announces the overall Canadian Car of the Year Award winners.
Media will then move on to the opening ceremonies in the host’s exhibit.
