As per tradition, the 2013 LA Auto Show open this week not only featuring about two dozen stunning world debuts and many North American unveilings — Toyota to Porsche to BMW — but the manufacturers’ equaling stunning product specialists.
The automakers may not be willing to admit it, but the choice of models they choose to present their new products around the world may be as important as the cars presented. It all means one thing: pretty women.
The history of the car show models is detailed in the 2008 book called “Sirens of Chrome” written by Margery Krevsky. The author owns an agency that books the product specialists and Krevsky also has extensive knowledge of the tradition of the models that dates to the 1930s.
The practice of auto show models may be viewed as sexist by some. But the tradition is well accepted in the auto industry and the women who participate seem to enjoy their jobs.
(Click on thumbnails for full-size images.)
Even National Public Radio produced a story about Auto Show Models called “Want To Chat Up An Auto Show Model? Talk Cars.”
Some of the manufacturers’ models were just arriving early on the first of two Media Days at the L.A. Auto Show, but plenty were ready for what they like to do and what they do best — pose, engage in conversation with the media and discuss the cars.
For more information, visit: www.laautoshow.com.
Article Last Updated: March 26, 2026.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.