DSkippy

http://www.excal.on.ca/cms2/index.ph...k=view&id=5730

I bet his appearance was a bit more natural then the forced contrived appearance of the Tuttles (sp?)

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2008 Auto Show
Written by Nick Maronese, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
EXCALIBUR AT THE 2008 CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL AUTOSHOW

In the beginning, there was the voice: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2008 Canadian International Auto Show!”
Dubbed “The Turning Point,” the show began with a beautifully choreographed performance by a pair of snow-white-clad inline skaters. The beginning was flashy and exciting; exactly what the show is known for. Now in its 34th year, Toronto’s Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS) is bigger and better than ever.
Playing host to over 1,000 new cars, trucks, customs and concepts, with attendance in excess of 300,000 visitors, the CIAS, running until Feb. 24, is the largest consumer show of any kind in Canada. The CIAS is huge: of the five internationally sanctioned North American auto shows, it is the largest (in area), covering over 850,000 sq. ft. of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and the Rogers Centre.
This year features over 30 vehicles making their Canadian or North American debuts. The show kicked off, however, with a curious introduction: Toyota’s new single-passenger i-Real. All eyes followed the nifty little three-wheel chair as it danced circles around the stage. The vehicle, a product of Toyota’s Research and Development department, is meant to fill an urban transportation role.

Toyota i-Real
Toyota’s new three-wheeler is designed to help curb urban congestion.
Photo by Nick Maronese
Photo by Nick Maronese



Later, Dodge’s production-ready Challenger muscle car made its Canadian debut. Recently unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, the 2008 Dodge Challenger will be assembled in Chrysler’s Brampton plant. The car is absolutely stunning: wrapped in Hemi Orange and sporting carbon-fibre stripes, you can’t help but stare. The retro styling echoes the classic pony car of the 1970s, down to the chrome fuel cap. The 2008 model, however, comes with all the modern amenities and is the perfect blend of old and new, as designer Paul Gilles puts it. Production has already begun, and will start with the SRT-8 performance model, motivated by a 6.1L Hemi churning out 425 horsepower.
Not to be outdone, Ford surprised everyone with the appearance of celebrity guest Chip Foose, star of TLC’s Overhaulin’. Foose helped unveil a new limited edition truck, as well as Ford’s new Flex crossover. The stylish four-door was the perfect canvas for the legendary hot rod designer, who dazzled the crowd by presenting his own revamped Flex concept. The Flex will be assembled in Oakville and will go on sale later this year.
Also making its debut is the 2009 Nissan GT-R of Gran Turismo video game fame. This striking new replacement to Nissan’s Japanese Skyline is powered by a twin-turbo V6 that can launch the car from zero to 60 mph in three and a half seconds. The car, priced at under $80,000, is what Nissan likes to call an “everyday supercar,” capable of handling a variety of conditions.
Mazda is displaying their Furai concept (its name is Japanese for “sound of the wind”), a 450 horsepower rotary-engined race car that runs on ethanol fuel. The car has proved to be a sensation at auto shows around the globe, largely because of its interesting shape. Rumour has it that the design was derived from the patterns of ribbons blowing in the breeze; the car is, after all, part of Mazda’s “flow” design series.


Nissan GT-R
At under $80,000, Nissan calls the GT-R their “everyday supercar.”
Courtesy of CIAS
Courtesy of CIAS


Also on display for the first time in Canada is the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the latest iteration of the classic sports car and General Motor’s fastest automobile yet. It owes this title to its 625