March 31, 2007

Vancouver International Auto Show opens today

by Rob Rothwell,Auto123.com

Perhaps inspired by the rugged beauty of the west coast rain forest, this year's Vancouver International Auto Show is more about "green" than "mean," displaying the most eco-friendly hybrid and advanced technology automobiles ever in its 87-year history. The doors open to the public Saturday morning, March 31st at 10:00am.




In excess of 450 vehicles will cover more than 250,000 square feet of floor inside Vancouver's B.C. Place Stadium, where car buffs and prospective purchasers can kick tires and ogle the industry's latest concepts and prototypes. They can also examine the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon and the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg, both of which were unveiled - for the first time in North America - to the media folk previewing this year's impressive array of automotive machinery.

Canadian unveilings included the 2008 BMW 5-Series, the 2008 Ford Taurus X (which replaces the Freestyle), the 2008 Saturn Astra and the 2007 Triple White New Beetle Convertible (try keeping that clean). The list of concept vehicles on display this year includes a couple of retro-muscle cars, the Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro while a retro Ford Bronco rounds out the nod to yesteryear. Attendees will also find the opportunity to peek into the future with a look at what Hummer is planning to offer sometime soon.


2008 Saturn Astra

Seconds before a throng of eager journalists descended upon the automotive smorgasbord of the 2007 Vancouver International Auto Show, Glen Ringdall, President of the New Car Dealers Association of B.C., summed it up this way, "the evolution of the automobile is underway, and this is the place to see it."