For many auto-addicts, there is one car show that looms over all others. Sure, there’s club meets, cars and coffee, and more – but the shadow of the North American Auto Show, and the week long madness in motor city, is omnipresent. Did you see that new Camaro concept they unveiled in Detroit last month? I wonder if we’ll see that today.” The NA Auto show is about big reveals, cameras flashing, major announcements, brand shockers, technology teases, and the concepts – OH the concepts. Are they REALLY gonna make that? With all that being said, it’s fair to have a few tentative preconceptions about the largest car show in a six state radius. It can’t be Detroit… So what kind of beast is it?
It’s likely not a mysterious one for most. There aren’t cameras flashing, and certainly no big reveals. So what does the New England auto show have? A sweeping array of consumer facing, enthusiast focused, brand new, coach built custom, entry level, rare exotics, and everything in between. It was extremely hard to nail down the main demographics amongst the attendees, because quite simply you’ll find almost everyone. The main groups seemed to be parents and families there to share the joy of cars with their wide-eyed kids, young adults there for the automotive eye candy, and adults looking to kick the tires and get behind the wheel of some prospective new rides.
More on that point: Show goers were hard pressed to find a single car they couldn’t get behind the wheel of, and those they couldn’t were usually roped off for very, very good reason (think $300,000 Aston Martins). More so than many other larger shows, it was 10% about what was spinning around on platforms, and 90% about gripping the steering wheel of something you never have before. And it wasn’t just large entry level and domestic brands (GM, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Kia, Subaru, Ford) that was in on the fun. Porsche, Lexus, Audi, Mercedes, BMW – even Alfa Romeo! – cars available for up close and personal interaction. Plenty of beaming young enthusiasts got to sit shotgun with their equally inspired parents in a gleaming 2016 Corvette Stingray, Nissan 370Z Nismo, Challenger SRT, and more.
On top of all the opportunities for seat testing, switch flipping and stat scouring, the show took great care to offer a layer of pure “show” exhibition to make sure there was something entertaining every way you turned. An authentic Indy pace car, intense racing simulator, and impressive spread of red-carpet exotics from Lamborghinis to Rolls Royces kept show goers gawking. 
They might not have been “just-revealed” eye-candy, but it was right in front of your eyes with half the crowds they deserved.
The New England International Auto Show may be one of the least focused in all of North America. For the hardcore enthusiasts hoping to be blown away by newsworthy new concepts, it may have disappointed. But for everyone else – practical buyers and wide-eyed kids (young and old) of almost every make and allegiance, its blend of accessibility and variety made it a can’t miss event. 
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Photos by Lian Todd
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