Prepare to be dazzled by latest auto offerings

If you’ve been chomping at the bit to find out the latest on upcoming domestic and imported autos, your wait is over. Just jump into your current car and head to the City of Brotherly Love.
It will be worth it, said Kevin Mazzucola, executive director of the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia.

Sponsored by the ADAGP, the 2010 Philadelphia International Auto Show will allow the curious to just look around and literally kick the tires of many of the industry’s 2010 — and 2011 — models. The show runs from Saturday, Jan. 30, to Sunday, Feb. 7.

“It’s vitally important to the dealers in our area, and it’s important to the manufacturers because they’re showing off their new wares,” Mazzucola said.

“The great thing is the consumer will be able to see and sit in all these vehicles, in whatever niche they’re looking for,” he added. “Instead of going to several different dealers, they can see them all under one roof.”

And that roof will cover a lot of ground. The show is being held at the Philadelphia Convention Center, which offers more than 500,000 square feet of exhibit space. What’s more, prospective customers can look over all the offerings, including those 2011 models that haven’t yet seen much advertising.

And consumers can observe and inspect anything they want, all without a salesman constantly at their elbow.

“You can go in and just look,” Mazzucola said. “It’s the old-fashioned way of looking at cars.”
Over the past 10 years, the show has drawn in approximately one-quarter million people over each nine-day run. People show up from the tri-state area, as well as farther beyond, just to get a glimpse at the new offerings.

And those offerings are varied. One is the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe, an all new vehicle with a direct-injection fuel system that offers power and fuel efficiency from its 304-horsepower, 3.6-liter, V6 engine. Another is the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, a four-cylinder auto its manufacturers hope will change the definition of “compact car.”

Both vehicles are expected in dealer showrooms between the spring and summer of 2010.
In addition, people attending the show can look forward to seeing the 2010 Acura ZDX, currently in showrooms; the 2010 Kizashi, the Suzuki company’s flagship all-wheel drive sports sedan; the 2011 Mazda2 subcompact; and the 2011 Ford Fiesta, a compact vehicle imbued with luxury car features designed to deliver 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

A program book will be provided so shoppers can compare and contrast the specs on each car, Mazzucola said.

An underlying theme of this year’s show is much the same as the recent Detroit auto show, reflecting people’s concerns about making major investments given the current economy, Mazzucola said. Car manufacturers are looking to stretch mileage through new technology such as better electric or hybrid vehicles or just by making major improvements to the venerable gasoline engine.

“They’re using technology to get the most out of a four-cylinder engine and you’re seeing cars that get 40 mpg but they’re not electric vehicles,” he said. “Improvements allow them to squeeze the most out of these engines.”

And despite the small size of some of the new offerings, they’re not the econoboxes of the 1980s, Mazzucola said.

“You’re seeing the contents of these vehicles rival what used to be high-end cars,” he said. “They’ve got everything, including Bluetooth technology.”

As in years past, the auto show will offer some other attractions, including appearances by sport stars Darryl Dawkins and Hugh Douglas, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and some additional Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles players.

Overall, Mazzucola predicts an enjoyable experience for everyone, from the genuine car buff to those just mildly curious about what’s coming down the pike.

“The Philadelphia International Auto Show is a good way for people to decide where they want to put their hard-earned money,” he said.

Email Jeff Brown at jeff.brown@doverpost.com

IF YOU GO
WHAT Philadelphia International Auto Show
WHEN Saturday, Jan. 30, through Sunday, Feb. 7
WHERE Philadelphia Convention Center, 1101 Arch St., Philadelphia
ADMISSION $10 for those 13 and older; $6 for children between 7 and 12; free for 6 and younger. Seniors admitted for half-price on weekdays. Children 12 and younger free on Feb. 7.
MORE INFO Go to www.phillyautoshow.com

Some of the automobiles on display
2011 Audi A8
2011 Buick Regal
2011 Chevrolet Volt
2011 Ford Mustang
2011 Hyundai Equus
2011 Mazda 2
2011 Lincoln MKX Crossover