CAR SHOW SEASON KICKS OFF IN MONTREAL
More than 45 vehicles made their Canadian debut at this year’s Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS)
Amid fairly mild temperatures — enough to lift the spirits of most during the middle of winter, the 46th annual Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS) began with a press preview on January 16, 2014 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal (public days run from January 17-26).
2014 MIAS President Stéphane Guilbault welcomed attendees to the event
Hosted by the Montreal Automobile Dealers Corporation (MADC), the show is a major highlight on the city’s calendar, attracting attendees from across the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and beyond. This year’s event was no exception, with an exclusive North American premiere and more than 45 Canadian new vehicle debuts.
A NORTH AMERICAN FIRST
Mitsubishi Motors chose Montreal as the first North American event to reveal its Mirage G4 subcompact sedan. Small cars are big business in Canada (particularly Quebec) and although Mitsubishi has yet to make a decision as to whether it will market the G4 in this country, the automaker is looking to gauge response to the car as it makes the rounds during auto show season. Montreal was certainly a good place to start.
The 2015 Nissan Micra generated a big buzz among attendees
Another small car that made its debut in Montreal was the 2015 Nissan Micra. Absent from the Canadian market for more than two decades, the new Micra is already generating considerable buzz. Talking with Christian Meunier, President of Nissan Canada Inc. during an exclusive interview at the show, Canadian auto dealer discovered that Nissan and its retail network is very excited about adding a new small car (and volume model) to the stable.
Meunier said Nissan will be doing its very best to position the car as an attractive option to a wide range of buyers, aiming it not only at traditional new vehicle customers but also those who might normally shop for used cars. That sounds like good news for the manufacturer, its dealers and their customers.
The Charity Preview evening saw $611,759.40 raised in support of six local health foundations
The 2015 Ford Mustang was a major highlight of the show
PERFORMANCE SIZZLES
There was definitely a bit of a performance theme running at this year’s show — highlights included the Canadian debut of BMW’s new M3 sports sedan and its M4 coupe, the 2014 Corvette Stingray convertible and Camaro Z/28, plus the new (and highly anticipated) 2015 Ford Mustang. Other performance offerings on display in Canada for the first time, were Jaguar’s stunning F-Type coupe, the Nissan Juke Nismo RS; Porsche’s 2014 iterations of the 911 Turbo S coupe and cabriolet, Range Rover’s latest supercharged flagship SUV, the new 2015 Subaru WRX performance sedan, plus the 2015 Volkswagen GTI, Jetta GLI and Beetle R-Line.
Kia Canada Inc. chose Montreal to unveil its new Forte and Soul models
In fact, Volkswagen paid homage to the GTI with a special display at the entrance to the show, showcasing each generation of the original hot hatchback, from the first Rabbit-based model to the 2015 car.
Quebec is considered a hotbed of car culture in Canada and this was reflected in the dramatic looking FELINO CB7, seen by many as the star attraction of this year’s Montreal International Auto Show. Conceived by former Quebec racing driver Antoine Bessette, the handbuilt super sports car features angular, futuristic styling touches and is said to deliver stunning performance, thanks to a curb weight that’s pegged at approximately 1135 kg (2425 lbs) and a monstrous 6.2-litre V-8 engine generating 525 horsepower and 489 lb-ft of torque. The FELINO Corporation says the car will have a starting price of less than $100,000.
Locally produced supercar, the Felino CB7 was a star attraction
INFINITI CLINCHES TECHNOLOGY AWARDS
A major change to the show this year, concerned the annual Automobile Journalist’s Association of Canada (AJAC) Technology Awards. To better represent the advancements in vehicle technology, two separate categories — one for technical innovation, the other for safety, were announced for the first time. Infiniti was declared the winner for both, the jury panel of 12 technology specialists voting the brand’s Predictive Forward Collision Warning technology tops in the safety category and its Direct Adaptive Steering as the best new innovation.
For many dealers, the annual Montreal International Auto Show is a chance to not only celebrate the excitement and passion that’s so ingrained in the car business but also a chance to network and support worthy causes. The 10th annual Charity Preview evening, which took place following the press preview on January 16, included plenty of gourmet food, beverages and live entertainment, including musical entertainers, Brazilian style dance and stilt walkers.
Hosted by comedian/actor Remi-Pierre Paquin, this year’s Charity Preview continued in the vein of bringing industry leaders and members of the business community as well as athletes and artists together in support six major health charities in Greater Montreal. This year, a total of $611,759.40 was raised in support of six local foundations — Sacred Heart, St Mary’s Hospital, the Montreal Heart Institute, CHUM, Pierre-Boucher and Santa Cabrini.
