Auto Shows-Museums

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Strike A Pose at the 2023 LA Auto Show

There are many ways to explore the new cars, reveals and concepts at the 2023 LA Auto Show, running from November 17 to 26. One way yet to be evaluated was how auto manufacturers would show off their best car pose. As the reader, you are requested to determine your favorites and leave a comment. I visited different manufacturers’ displays and asked for their best representative to give me a car pose. Some took it seriously, some embraced the weird and knew exactly how to show off their poses and the car. Asking someone to pose with the cars resulted in a whole new experience for the show. These photos were challenging to achieve, with people opening doors, getting in

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What a concept! LA Auto Show continues future car prototype spotlight — barely

The 1938 Buick Y-Job has a unique and dubious place in automotive history. It arguably had the worst name of any vehicle ever made. More important, it was the first concept car. It’s the practice of showcasing a vehicle to the public it may never be able to purchase. Harley J. Earl, the automotive designer and industry executive icon whose “Project Opel” became the Chevrolet Corvette, drove the concept for years. It had electric windows, flush door handles, a “gunsight” hood ornament, power-operated hidden headlamps and wraparound bumpers. The Y-Job, a 2-door convertible coupe with a 5.2-liter engine, also featured the waterfall grille design still used by Buick. Its name, in part, was Earl’s penchant for being different. While other

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Luftgekühlt 9: Beauty at the beast

Luftgekühlt, which translates from German to “air-cooled,” is a pilgrimage for dedicated Porsche fans. It showcases the best of what many consider to be Porsche’s Golden Years — the air-cooled period. Luft 9 highlights the fastest, most prestigious air-cooled products from Porsche’s 1931 founding leading up to the discontinuation of the air-cooled 911 in 1998. For the first time Luftgekühlt, often shortened to Luft 9, offered back-to-back days to commemorate all Porsches without regard to door count, means of cooling, motorsport success, and more. Air | Water exhibits vehicles from the Pre-A era to 992 — Mezger 997’s, Carrera GT’s, GT3 Tourings — alongside their classic counterparts. It did so with the mentality the venue makes the event. Mare Island’s

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2022 LA Auto Show: A look back in images

The recently concluded 2022 LA Auto Show featured its annual array of new cars with new colors and plenty of innovation as the industry moves toward all-electric mandates. As always, there were automotive surprises: some good, others awful. A smaller show welcomed the media and the public for 10 days at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The absence of recent mainstays, Rivian and Tesla, as examples, was part of the show’s smaller stature. Manufacturers had more room to display their new editions. Subaru presented its usual lineup of utilitarian, all-wheel-drive sedans and SUVs. And the manufacturer, which markets its vehicles for owners who have dogs, again created a national park-type setting with a few dogs on site to attract potential

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2022 Los Angeles Auto Show promises electricity, tradition

The Los Angeles Auto Show has lots of bright lights and bling, concept cars and customized cruisers from yesteryear. It’s the annual first major industry showcase uniquely held at the end of the calendar year. Global debuts of the newest Aston Martin, Hummer and Porsche are fine. Concept cars are great, although many may never be made for consumers. The latest electric vehicle innovation are the industry’s future. But much was made of the Bollinger, Byton, Canoo and Elio and none have been manufactured. The 115th Los Angeles Auto Show will be held Nov. 18-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Charge Cars, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, ElectraMeccanica, Fiat, Genesis, GMC, Hummer, Hyundai, INDI EV, Jaguar, Kia,

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Velocity Invitational: Mario Andretti, epic races, big crowds

LAGUNA SECA – The Velocity Invitational, a motorsports festival held Oct. 14-16 at WeatherTech Raceway, was a nod to the adage that good things come in threes. First, there was living legend Mario Andretti, 82, behind the wheel of a modern Formula 1 car for the first time. Second was exciting split-second race finishes that thrilled the crowd of more than 15,000. Third was the tens of millions of dollars worth of vintage race and hypercars gracing the track. It made the Velocity Invitational one of the country’s more unique motorsports experiences. While the three-day event featured hundreds of vehicles across 10 different groups and classifications, it wasn’t hard to argue Andretti’s turn on the raceway was the highlight for

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Parts Authority Turn5, Inc. schedules annual charity event

The annual Parts Authority Turn5, Inc. Charity Auto Show, the automotive community event held to support Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, will be held Oct. 1, 2022, at the Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania. The show expects to attract more than 8000 muscle car, truck, and off-road enthusiasts. Highlights include Make-A-Wish’s opening ceremony parade, a muscle car burnout competition, dyno competition, RTI ramp and teeter-totter for Jeep/Off-Road vehicles, raffles and a muscle car revving competition. In addition to thousands of vehicles, events will be held throughout the day with proceeds adding to the more than $400k Turn5 has raised to date. Turn5 is proud to support Make-A-Wish as its grants heartfelt wishes to children coping with a life-threatening

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Concept cars: back to the future again — maybe

Concept cars, also called prototypes, are showcased at auto shows to test media and public interest. The idea began in 1938 with the Buick Y-Job, a specialty vehicle presented as a vision of how future cars might look in 20 years. The idea of forecasting the automotive future stuck. Nearly 85 years later the practice remains, including during the LA Auto Show. Its 10-day run, the show’s first edition since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, ends today at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Themes presented in concepts change. Sometimes a one-off creation is so bizarre its only job is to attract attention. Sometimes, concepts are nearly identical to the production vehicle about to debut. Will they be made? Overridingly,

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Monterey Auto Week returned to glory with cars galore

Monterey Auto Week has a problem, and it’s about as good as it gets. After a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19, the return edition ended Sunday, August 15 with the 70th anniversary of the Concours d’Elegance. It was the grand finale to a now 10-day occasion of about 30 events. And therein the issue for automotive enthusiasts gathering on the Monterey Peninsula: Where do we go and what do we all do first? How do we prioritize? Isn’t it great to have choices? Bruce Aldrich and I have represented The Weekly Driver website and podcast at Monterey Auto Week for several years. I’ve attended various auto shows, racing, auctions and related events on the peninsula since 1987 while contributing content

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Monterey Auto Week: sensory overload for all things cars

Monterey Auto Week is the umbrella name for all things automotive collectively presented for 10 days during mid-August. It all began with the Pebble Beach Road Race in 1950. The races were called “The Del Monte Trophy” and were held on the twisty, leafy and narrow Pebble Beach roads. The series lasted until 1956. The Concours d’Elegance, now the world-renowned finale to international collections of races, rallies, auctions, memorabilia and car debuts, began as an afterthought. Now, Monterey Auto Week attendees have to make decisions. Where does a visitor go first? How many events can be taken in on any given day? Here’s a calendar of events for the 2021 edition of Monterey Auto Week. For details of events, click

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Kaiser Darrin, 1954: Best Of Show At Concours On The Avenue

It was one of the first cars I noticed, and after looking at an estimated 200 other vehicles, the 1954 Kaiser Darrin was still my favorite at the recently concluded Monterey Auto Week. The Concours on the Avenue in Carmel was only presented for the second year in 2008. But it has come into its own, particularly with cars like the Darrin Owner John Nirenstein of Tiburon, California, showcased it on Tuesday, Aug. 12, the second day of the event. Art Deco on wheels Nirenstein, participating in the event for the first time. He bought the car 10 years ago and took 22 months to restore it. While soft jazz played in the background, the car got plenty of attention

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Car travel is great for spontaneity but plan anyway

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT If you have a car and want to go on a road trip, you’re lucky. Particularly considering the current complicated global epidemiological situation, being the road seems like a great luxury — whether it’s locally or across the country. Before traveling, however, making sure your car is in proper condition and that you have a plan can mean the difference between a successful and unsuccessful journey. Being prepared will help prevent any potential problems — like getting stuck in the “middle of nowhere.” Car travel has a wide range of advantages. If you haven’t tried it yet because you’re overwhelmed with assignments, it’s time to examine EduBirdie reviews and gain time travel without stress. Traveling by car has

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LA Auto Show back after two Covid-19 delays

The LA Auto Show has a unique position in the automotive industry. It’s the yearly first major industry show to view new cars, trucks and occasionally motorhomes. It’s always held in November, except for when it was supposed to be held this spring. Back A Year Later But the coronavirus has altered the show again. After being rescheduled from last November to May, the pending spring dates have also been scrapped for a return to November. With a two-day Auto Mobility media event as its preamble, the public show is scheduled Nov. 19-28 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Dozens of manufacturers annually either have global debuts or North American debuts of new models, the much-touted Rivian electric truck to

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Tiny cars display shows big world of small wonders

Pickup trucks and SUVs rule the automotive landscape. Bigger is better. More horsepower and torque equate to sales. But it all means very little to tiny car enthusiasts. For mini, micro, pedal & toy cars owner great things come in small packages. The Audrain Automotive Museum, located in Newport, Rhode Island, recently announced its newest exhibit dedicated to tiny vehicles. The “Small Wonders: Mini, Micro, Pedal & Toy Cars” will open November 21 and continue through February 14, 2021. The BMW Isetta, Fiat’s quirky 500 Jolly, a Nash Metropolitan and a Peel P50 are among the more well-known micro cars scheduled to be on display. But the exhibit will also feature experimental cars, concepts and race cars. Besides gas-powered vehicles,

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Covid-19 postpones LA Auto Show until May 2021

The LA Auto Show is annually held in November, but it’s the first major national showcase for new models of cars, trucks and sometimes campers and motorhomes. The show must go on, but it won’t be as planned because of Covid-19. Like of auctions, motorsports events and various regional auto shows, L.A. Auto organizers have rescheduled the event until next May. The show’s original dates were Nov. 20-29. And like other events, the event was rescheduled event because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Memorial Day weekend is a fantastic time for enhanced outdoor activations and product debuts. The LA weather creates exciting new opportunities for a spring show,” said Lisa Kaz, LA Auto Show CEO. LA Auto Show part of tight

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