2007 Canadian International Auto Show
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February 16, 2007

'Top Ten' must-see vehicles

2007 Dodge Sprinter. Click image to enlarge; Photo Gallery: Dodge Sprinter

By Jil McIntosh; photos by Grant Yoxon and Paul Williams

Photo Gallery: 2007 Canadian International/Toronto Auto Show

Toronto Auto Show news

It's that time of year again: the Canadian International Auto Show opens its doors in Toronto, running from February 16 to 25 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Rogers Centre.

Due to the venue's layout, the show is held on several levels (accessible by escalators) and on the playing field at the Rogers Centre (formerly Skydome). Unlike most auto shows, the Toronto version has numerous peripheral attractions, including antique cars, the Sport Compact Revolution with cars and musical events, and some 125 vendors selling everything from aftermarket accessories to complete cars.

Volkswagen Tiguan concept. Click image to enlarge; Photo Gallery: Volkswagen Tiguan

Since the dates of the Chicago Auto Show overlap slightly, many show vehicles go there, including the new Pontiac G8, Chevrolet Volt and a soft-top Toyota FJ Cruiser. But Toronto still gets a number of high-profile vehicles, and while you'll want to check out everything, here's my list of the Top Ten that you won't want to miss:

Volkswagen Tiguan - While it's still a concept, the Tiguan is reportedly very close to what we'll see when Volkswagen brings its new compact SUV to market for 2008. Based on the Rabbit car platform, the bright orange Tiguan bears a general resemblance to the bigger Touareg, but to my eye it looks more nimble and better proportioned. Even the big-nosed grille, which isn't necessarily one of my favourite styling cues, looks appropriate on this vehicle. If Volkswagen can keep the price within a reasonable range, I'm picturing a ton of these on Canada's roads. I really like the concept's Continental tires, too, which feature black tread blocks on a base that matches the Tiguan's paint scheme.

Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 (top) and Acura Advanced Sedan concept. Click image to enlarge; Photo Galleries: Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 and Acura Advanced Sedan concept

Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 - If a car could make your fingers tingle just by looking at it, for want of holding the wheel, the SLR 722 is that car. The 150 copies of this model are named for the 7:22 a.m. starting time of Stirling Moss and Dennis Jenkinson in the 1955 Mille Miglia. The 722 features a 650-hp 5.5-litre supercharged V8 courtesy of AMG, assembled by a single craftsman's hand, capable of zero to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 337 km/h. It's set into an aluminum chassis covered with a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body that's as strong as steel but with half the weight. It's displayed alongside an equally stunning 1958 300SL that cost $10,500 (Cdn) when new, and is now valued at more than US$450,000.

Acura Advanced Sedan Concept - It isn't a pretty car - one U.S. auto magazine compared its nose to a sci-fi movie alien - but this huge concept vehicle certainly commands attention. Designed at the company's new studio in California, the car sits on 22- and 23-inch custom billet wheels and features a panoramic tinted glass roof. The polished aluminum grille contains a cut-crystal Acura emblem, and the headlights also double as air intakes, although the huge hood only "hints" at the massive size of a potential engine under it. In back, jeweled taillights adorn the outside edges of the bumper, and a third brake light rests in the centre of the trunk. Take special note of the door handles, which spell out the brand's name.

2008 Chevrolet Malibu. Click image to enlarge; Photo Gallery: 2008 Chevrolet Malibu

Chevrolet Malibu - What's this: a mid-priced family car on my top-ten list? It is, and with just cause: the Malibu has gone from grocery-getter to stunning sedan. I wasn't sold on the Malibu's new "corporate face" split grille in photos, but in person it's very striking, and the smooth profile draws the eye from headlights to tail. It'll come with a four-cylinder or V6, and don't be surprised if a hybrid version is offered sometime down the road. In keeping with GM's new focus on quality interiors, the Malibu sports a superb one, including the nameplate's first two-tone version. While you're there, also check out the all-new Cadillac CTS, which really improves on this marque's entry-level offering; the Camaro Convertible is holding court in Chicago, but Toronto once again hosts the coupe, which will be built in nearby Oshawa. Throw in the new trucks, and it looks like GM has finally shaken off its lethargy and is building excitement again.

Lexus LF-C (top) and Mitsubishi EVO X concept. Click image to enlarge; Photo Galleries Lexus LF-C and Mitsubishi EVO X concept

Lexus LF-C - Dazzling in its simple but superbly-drawn lines, the LF-C may have been on the show circuit for a couple of years, but it's a must-see. The four-seater convertible coupe features wheels pushed out to the corners, projector-beam headlamps, triangular air inlets that mimic the brand's stylized logo, and body lines that cut the silver car into light-reflecting angles that are simultaneously sharp and swoopy. Also check out the company's new hybrid offerings, including a cutaway 600h L, which shows how the luxury sedan's gasoline-electric system operates.

Mitsubishi Evolution Concept X - Canada has been denied the white-hot "Evo" for years, mostly due to a front-end design that wouldn't pass our strict bumper regulations. That changes with the all-new 2008 Lancer, the model upon which the Evolution is based, and the Concept X points the way toward the high-performance version we can expect to get late next fall. The wide front end hints at twin turbochargers, the muscular flanks accommodate all-wheel drive, and the winged back end may be all the competition ever gets to see. You can also follow the Evo's evolution at www.rpm.ca.

Nissan Rogue. Click image to enlarge; Photo Gallery: Nissan Rogue

Nissan Rogue - Unveiled earlier this year in Detroit, the 2008 Rogue is Nissan's new compact SUV, scheduled to go on sale this fall at a starting price of around $25,000. Looking somewhat like a mini-Murano, the Rogue replaces the X-Trail, and features a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine. Like the X-Trail, it's made to be used, and can be optioned with roof rails, a pop-up cargo organizer, and a washable cargo tray. While you're in Nissan's booth, also take the time to check out the stunning new Altima Coupe, which will also go into production as a 2008 model, and the funky Urge concept sports car, a combination of car and motorcycle, with integrated Xbox 360 games controlled through the vehicle's wheel and pedals.

Subaru Legacy Wagon - The Legacy Wagon undergoes only minor styling changes for 2008, including enhanced lamps, grille, bumper and fenders, but the big news is its exclusivity: it's being dropped south of the border, and will only be available in Canada.

Subaru Legacy Wagon. Click image to enlarge; Photo Gallery: Subaru Legacy Wagon

It's all too frequent that we lose popular models because of U.S. decisions - such as the unfathomable deletion of the Ford Focus wagon and hatchback, for example, which were always the nameplate's bestsellers up here - and so it's nice to see that some companies are paying attention to us. Subaru's stand also includes the new Outback, which receives a larger grille and new wheels to further differentiate it from the Legacy.

Dodge Sprinter - DaimlerChrysler supersizes its popular work vehicle; it's now available in three lengths, with three roof heights, and with a gasoline or diesel engine. New styling makes it look just a little bit less than a brick on wheels, but expect the same ease of driving and relative comfort of the old model, which I found a very efficient and fun driver on an 1,800 km trip a couple of years ago. Why spend your time at an auto show looking at a big truck you'll probably never drive? Because it's way-cool, that's why.

1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk, 1947 M5 pickup and 1936 Avanti. Click image to enlarge; Photo Gallery: Studebaker, in the History Room

Classics Concourse - I'm lumping it all together into a single "must-see", but the Classics Concourse, on the South Building's 700 Level, is actually three separate attractions: the Cruise Nationals, Pony Fever and the History Room.

Now in its third year, the Cruise Nationals consists of ten local vehicles selected last summer from cars at twelve Toronto-area cruise nights; the owners compete for a $5,000 top prize as selected by judges and online public voting. The adjacent Pony Fever features vehicles from Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler and American Motors, including a 1970 Dodge Challenger, 1968 AMX and 1967 Mustang GT.

The History Room (in room 718) focuses on a theme each year, and for 2007 it's Studebaker; if it were still around, it would be the world's oldest car company, since it was formed in 1852 as a wagon builder. Members of several Ontario chapters of the Studebaker Drivers Club have their vehicles on display, including a 1947 M5 pickup, 1956 Golden Hawk and 1963 Avanti. In the middle of the room is a collection of five cars from the Studebaker National Museum in Indiana, including the oldest surviving gasoline-powered version (a 1904 Model C5) and the oldest surviving electric (a 1911 model, even though Studebaker built electric cars before they switched to gasoline). There's also a strong Canadian connection: while the company's U.S. operations in South Bend, Indiana closed in 1964, its Hamilton, Ontario plant continued to operate for two more years, finally ending with its very last car, a 1966 Cruiser that's also on display.