2015 Canadian International Auto Show – Winners & Losers

The Toronto Auto Show is the little stepsister to the Detroit one. As a result, to headline the Show, all a manufacturer needs to do is register a small score on the “give-a-sh** meter.” (For the locals, I paraphrased Toronto Maple Leafs coach, Peter Horachek.)

So, without further ado, here are a few who I felt didn’t show enough.

The German Big Three

Audi, BMW and Mercedes all had a presence, but none provided any excitement. While this certainly won’t hurt sales, each could have done more for its Canadian customers.

Porsche

I got the impression from Porsche, that it felt like it was too good to be there. By only displaying a few cars and keeping the doors locked so people couldn’t sit inside, most people near me were grumpy and quickly moved onto neighbouring Jaguar.

Mitsubishi & Volvo

Both tied for having the smallest displays at the show. To make matters worse for Mitsubishi, it was buried in a corner. At least Volvo was central, but with only six regular models, most people quickly past them by.

With that out of the way, I can focus on the positive side of the spectrum.

The American Big Three

Not surprising, the big U.S. manufacturers had the three largest displays at the show. Each used its space well and showed the public something special.

Jaguar/Land Rover

I wouldn’t have been surprised if Jag took the same stance as Porsche, but instead they offered a very welcoming display and showed off a few special cars.

Acura

Acura gets special mention due the fact it brought the new NSX. The rest of the display was forgettable, but at least they showed its big gun and didn’t leave it at home like a lot of others.

To wrap this all up, I’d like to say my single favourite car at the show.

Honourable mention goes at the Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 and the Acura NSX, but the car that held my attention the longest was the Ford GT. It’s just so dramatic and I doubt I’ll ever see one on the road.

What did you think about CIAS2015? Who were your winners and losers?