Home of the great Canadian auto race, the Grand Prix, Montreal is well-known as Canada’s most racing’est city. In just over a week, the 44th annual Montreal International Auto Show will take place at the Palais des congrès. With three floors of exhibitions from dozens of international manufacturers, black ice currently coating the city’s roadways will be easily, if not happily, risked. The action runs from January 13 – 22.
Already making waves is the Canadian reveal of the 2013 Infiniti JX, a luxury SUV that emphasizes technology and safety (but don’t they all, these days?) while delivering killer looks (ah, that’s something they don’t all do, these days). Also guaranteed to have the gawkers lining up is the 2013 Mazda Cx-5.
For thrill seekers, the convention centre’s 7th floor showcases over forty heavily modified cars, trucks and motorcycles. The Performance Zone is the opportunity of the year to look under the hoods of street racers and dragsters alike, giving insight into the hottest — but not necessarily safest — gizmos on the market. Nearby, there will be racing simulators to engage teens and overzealous adults; have no shame, these gaming consoles are like Need For Speed on hallucinogens.
A new attraction this year is Les légendes de la route: an exhibition that charts the evolution of vehicle models across eight generations. The cars included in the display are featured on an upcoming television series to be aired on the Historia channel later this month. Attendees will also be able to get an on-site sneak peak of the first two episodes.
As usual, there are prizes to score and presentations to participate in: Notably, you can win an iPad through Desjardins’ Made-to-Measure Parking contest, a challenge that tests how many cars a driver can park within the time limit. CAA-Quebec will be giving a presentation on the dangers of texting and driving, and also provide a live demonstration using a driving simulator (event open to all valid driver’s license holders). Talk about a crash course!
Palais des congrès Adults $15, Family Pass $35.
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Image courtesy of pylacroix.
