Raleigh Auto Show Opens Thursday
Because I live a stone’s throw away from Raleigh, I get to enjoy the annual North Carolina International Auto Expo which is held for four days every February inside the Jim Campbell building on the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. This year’s show runs from February 11-14 and I plan on making my visit there on Thursday afternoon.
Small Show
Don’t get me wrong: this show is small and some manufacturers choose to stay away. Honda and Mercedes haven’t displayed their cars in the past few years, but fans of Ford, GM, and Toyota will not be disappointed: their vehicles take up a significant part of the showroom floor.
But despite the show’s size, you can happen upon some good finds. In recent years I got to see the Dodge Challenger, Buick LaCrosse, and Ford Taurus ahead of their respective releases and talk with company and marketing representatives. From a customer’s point of view you should be able to find many of the current 2010 models plus soon to be released 2011 cars.
No Pressure
One advantage with most any auto show is that you can see what you want without the pressure of a salesman. And, if GM continues with its past practice, you may be able to actually drive a few of Chevrolets or Buicks on display.
One of the local dealers, Capital Ford, will provide a display for an F250 Crew Cab, a Propane vehicle that ROUSH Performance has converted.
“Ford has been and will continue to be a leader in fuel efficiency and green technology,” said Tim Michael, President of Capital Ford. “We are thrilled to have the F250 Crew Cab at the Auto Expo to demonstrate that trucks too can be fuel efficient.”
Ford will also showcase the 2011 Mustang, the upcoming Fiesta subcompact, and the soon to be updated 2011 Lincoln MKX and other models.
New Releases
The 2011 Toyota Sienna will be shown just ahead of its big marketing push in time for the Winter Games which start on Friday. Super luxury makes including Aston Martin, Maserati, and Ferrari will each be present while Kia, Hyundai, all Chrysler brands, Mazda, and others will be present.
The North Carolina International Auto Expo is sponsored by the Wake County New Vehicles Dealer Association who contributes some of the show’s proceeds to local charities. Over the past four years, the group has donated $150,000 to a number of causes.
I will follow up here later this week with some of my finds including important “trends” you will want to know about.
