- Five straight days of reaching new attendance marks. -

For the first time in its history, the Canadian International AutoShow has attracted record crowds over the first five days of its opening.

At the halfway point of the 2017 AutoShow, 206,224 patrons have come to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to see the stunning array of new cars and trucks, concept vehicles, muscle cars, classics, luxury cars and Formula 1 racers, a pace that is 11% ahead of last yearโ€™s record-setting numbers, when the 2016 AutoShow drew more than 320,000 people over its 10 days.

2017 Canadian International AutoShow Attendance
Date / 2017 Attendance / 2016 Attendance
Media Day/VIP - 13,600 - 13,400
Feb. 17 - 20,218 - 18,921
Feb. 18 - 47,962 - 40,089
Feb. 19 - 52,107 - 44,817
Feb. 20 - 48,545 - 48,253
Feb. 21 - 23,792 - 20,582
TOTAL - 206,224 - 186,062

Unseasonably mild weather and a host of strong attractions and features have helped drive crowds to this yearโ€™s AutoShow.

A total of 16 concept cars have been on display at this yearโ€™s AutoShow, from the ultra-stylish, comfortable and safe Lincoln Navigator Concept to the sleek Aston Martin AM-RB 001 hypercar to the futuristic Toyota FCV Plus Hydrogen Fuel Cell. Alternative energy vehicles, from full electric to hydrogen fuel cells, show where we are headed from a power standpoint. There are even features that speak to the lifestyle we want to live, such as the wardrobe management system in the Navigator concept.

ยซPeople want to see the future of the auto industry, and that future can be seen in the concept cars that are on display at the Canadian International AutoShow,ยป says David McClean, Director of Marketing for the AutoShow. ยซThese cars are building new relationships between the driver and their car, with increased connectivity, more comfort and, most importantly, more safety. Every innovation in automotive technology is being pursued to make driving tomorrow safer than it is today.ยป

The AutoShow is helping celebrate Canadaโ€™s 150th birthday with a host of unique features and attractions that are pure Canadiana. Art and the Automobile by Cobble Beach Concours dโ€™Elegance is using classic cars to trace the story of Canadaโ€™s first 100 years. The 50th anniversary of the Canadian Grand Prix is being celebrated with a collection of Formula 1 cars that include the 1978 Ferrari piloted by Canadian icon Gilles Villeneuve when he won the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the 1997 Williams driven by his son Jacques Villeneuve to the Grand Prix World Championship. Collections throughout the show, from Castrol Alley presented by Legendary Motorcar Company to Auto Exotica, feature rare cars from some of Canadaโ€™s top car collectors.

Of course, there is also a full roster of new cars, including the global premiere of the 2018 Hyundai Accent, the global auto show debut of the Aston Martin AM-RB 001 hypercar concept, the North American debut of the Jaguar F-Type Coupe and 38 other vehicles that have made their first appearance in Canada.

The Canadian International AutoShow is now open at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre between February 17th and 26th. Please visit autoshow.ca for more information. Follow us on Instagram @cdnintlautoshow, chat with us on Snapchat at autoshowcanada, Like us on Facebook and join the conversation on Twitter @autoshowcanada with the hashtags #AutoShowOhCanada and #CIAS2017.

SOURCE: CIAS 2017

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