Attendance for this year’s Edmonton Motor Show, hosted by the Edmonton Motor Dealer Association (EMDA) from April 10-13, reached a record number — 83,279, up from 80,125 in 2013.
Bob Vilas, Executive Director with the EMDA and manager for the Edmonton Motor Show, says the event continues to grow in stature.
The 2014 show encompassed 500,000 square feet at the Edmonton Expo Centre, contained 420,000 square feet of carpeting, 22.5 km (14 miles) of wiring and 1,800 high level lights. “It’s a big show,” says Vilas. Key attractions this year included two official Canadian premieres — the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban and its archrival, the 2015 Ford Expedition and numerous other regional debuts.
A new edition in 2014 was a light commercial vehicle zone
A significant change this year has been the introduction of a commercial vehicle zone, catered to light and medium duty pickups, chassis-cabs and cargo vans. “It really made sense for us to do this,” says Vilas. He notes that because of the show’s location, there’s big demand for work trucks in central and northern Alberta and having a commercial zone at the show where attendees can not only sample the trucks themselves but also the products and services offered by upfitters and aftermarket suppliers really adds a new dimension. “It’s really good exposure,” says Vilas.
The collector car auction proved to be a big draw once again, with 90 of the 120 cars crossing the block on Saturday alone and all but one selling.
Other changes have seen a growing number of interactive displays such as simulators among the OEMs — Edmonton boasted at least six this year — while another growing trend has been the interest in diesel powered vehicles in new segments, such as the Ram 1500 half ton pickup and Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan. “In Northern Alberta, diesel is often more widely available than gasoline,” says Vilas “so there is big interest in vehicles like this.”
