2020 Canadian International Autoshow

The 2020 Canadian International Autoshow was held from February 14 to 23. The theme this year was 'Transformative Times.' This is appropriate as the automotive industry is constantly evolving. For the first time in decades, the changes aren't just technological improvements but new disruptors. Artificial intelligence, semi-autonomous and the connected car are just some of the latest advances.

Show organizers can boast 1,000 new cars and light trucks on display in over 650,000 square feet of Toronto's Metro Convention Center.

Manufacturers such as Fiat Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, and Volkswagen were on level 300 - main floor. On the level 800 – main floor were Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW / Mini, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Genesis, GMC, Infiniti, Jaguar / Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Porsche and Toyota. McLaren and Bugatti, usually reserved for Auto Exotica, appeared with the other manufacturers.

However, there are additional attractions for showgoers.

As usual, the winning vehicles, as selected by Canada's most respected automotive journalists, were on hand.
Castrol Alley featured remote control cars, Cobble Beach Classics, The Pixar Vehicle Experience, Oblivion Retro Car Show and World Gaming Pfaff Forza 7 Esports Zone.
Auto Exotica has become a permanent fixture of the AutoShow. It once again featured all the Exotic Marques available across Canada and hosted a unique showcase of rare exotics owned by the country's most passionate collectors.
The show also included a section to showcase future technology featuring Drone Delivery Canada, APMA Project Arrow and an EV Test Drive sign-up.

The Canadian International AutoShow continues to be Canada's best-attended consumer show. There was something for everyone at this year's show.

The star of this year’s Canadian International AutoShow was La Voiture Noir. The black car was a special Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic created by Jean Bugatti. Only four were built between 1936 and 1938. The black disappeared at the beginning of WWII. If it were ever found, it would probably be the most expensive vehicle in the world. The car on display is a modern interpretation of the Type 57 SC Atlantic that goes for $16M CAD.

The 1959 Corvette Stingray is an example of a concept car moving to production. This model was the basis for the 1963-67 Stingray. This concept vehicle began as one of Zora Duntov’s 1957 Corvette race cars. GM’s Bill Mitchell took a particular interest in the SS chassis and bought one, commissioning a small group of young engineers to design the bodywork. Peter Brock is given credit for the car’s shape. It was built into a race car and entered by Mitchell.

An exciting new offering from Ford is the 2021 Mustang Mach-E. The Mach-E combines Ford’s pony car with a vehicle powered exclusively by electricity. The Mach-E is available with a standard range of 75.7 kWh or an extended range of 98.8 kWh battery pack. There is an option for rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, in which case the motors are mounted on axles. The Mustang’s range on a single charge is between 211 and 305 miles. This new venture by Ford has been well received, resulting in several automotive rewards.

Another all-new vehicle from Ford is the 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid. This new hybrid has a lot of standard and advanced features. The Explorer has a 318 horsepower 3.3-liter V6 mated to a 10-speed modular hybrid transmission. The vehicle also includes a liquid-cooled 1.5 kW/hr battery pack located under the floor between the front and second-row seats. Some of the features of this Ford include a hands-free liftgate, hill descent control, and advanced traction with roll stability control.

This 1972 Lancia Stratos was located in the Auto Exotica exhibit. Only 492 Stratos’ were produced. They were the ultimate rally car during the Group 4 era, collecting the World Championship from 1974-76. The Lancia is powered by a Ferrari Dino, which is a 2.4-liter V6 engine. The motor produces 190 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque. The rear-wheel drive car, which weighs 2,161 pounds, will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 232 km/h.

Plenty of concept cars were on hand, including the Lexus LF-30 Electrified. The LF-30 was unveiled at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. The ‘Lexus Electrified’ vision targets a fundamental leap in vehicle performance, handling, control and driver enjoyment. In-wheel electric motors for each of the vehicle’s four wheels and low battery positioning enables better handling and high-performance driving. Other advanced features include steering by wire, wireless charging, onboard AI, and autonomous driving.

At the AutoShow was the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition. The Hellcat’s main attraction continues to be its supercharged 6.2 liter V8 engine, which produces 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. The Daytona version gets a software upgrade, which increases the output to 717 horsepower. New for this year is a body kit that adds 3.5 inches to the car’s width. There is also an upgrade to 305/35R-20 tires on all four corners.

The Canadian International AutoShow and the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame partnered to recognize Bruce McLaren and the cars bearing his name. The McLaren M23 was a successful Formula One car designed by Gordon Coppuck with input from John Barnard. The M23 competed from 1974 to 1976 and was entered in 83 World Championship races, claiming sixteen victories, fourteen poles, and ten fastest laps. In 1974, Emerson Fittipaldi drove this model to the title, and James Hunt did the same in 1976.

Canadians got their first glimpse of Toyota’s new Supra at last year’s AutoShow. It was in production and available for sale in 2020. Standard features on the Supra include a 3.3 liter inline 6-cylinder turbocharged engine, which produces 335 horsepower. Gas mileage is 9.9 L/1000 km in the city and 7.7 L/1000 km on the highway. The rear-wheel drive vehicle also has a Sport Mode with Launch Control, Active Differential, Active Variable Suspension and Active Steering.

This 1938 Delahaye 135MS Coupe by Figoni et Falaschi was found in the Cobble Beach Classics exhibit. Until the 1930s, automobile design was the domain of engineers, who focused on function and manufacturing feasibility; however, Figoni et Falaschi added styling, which would differentiate cars and attract wealthy clientele. The Delahaye debuted at the 1938 Paris Auto Salon. It was hidden with the onset of WWII and remained in storage for 27 years.

The 2020 Porsche 935 is a track day car that pays homage to the late 70s 935/78 known as Moby Dick. This car is based on the Porsche 991 GT2 RS, and only 77 models will be built. This is the only one in Canada. The 1,380 kg carbon fiber Porsche is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six engine that produces 700 horsepower. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a 7-speed PDK transmission. The 935 was purchased for $1,000,000.

The Chevrolet Blazer RS is unchanged for 2020, which was a new design for 2019. The RS is powered by a 308 horsepower 3.6 liter V6 connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Chevrolet has positioned this midsize SUV between their Equinox and Traverse. A rear camera mirror, front pedestrian braking and adaptive cruise control are installed for safety. Other features include Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, a Hands-free liftgate, six USB Ports, and a 120-volt outlet.

A fully loaded 2021 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe retails for $129,479. The top-end F-Type R Coupe has a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 under the hood, which produces 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. The all-wheel-drive vehicle includes a ZF eight-speed transmission. This model also features a heavily revised suspension, including aluminum suspension knuckles and re-tuning of the adaptive damping, spring rates and roll-bar stiffness.

Genesis was well represented at this year’s Canadian International AutoShow. This is a Genesis G70. All-wheel-drive is standard on this model, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder. Key features include full LED highlights, genuine leather seating, and rear parking assistance sensors. Power-folding, auto-dimming, and heated side mirrors with Genesis logo puddle lamps are also included. The G70 also has a Lexicon premium sound audio system with 15 speakers and Quantum Logic surround sound.