The recent Toronto CIAS expo, held from February 14th to the 24th, saw a range of new cars and concepts appear, and signal some exciting developments for the near future.
Notable cars at the show included new Dodge Vipers, a BMW M6 Gran Coupe, a Jaguar F-Type, and LF-lC and LF-CC coupe and hybrid concepts from Lexus. Potentially representing models that we could see by the end of 2013, some of the major highlights from CIAS included trends for V6 and new V8 engines, as well as ongoing commitments to fuel efficiency and hybrid engines.
In terms of the best cars seen at the show, these included the 2013 BMW 328i Touring – shaking up the idea that a wagon needs to be a cumbersome and unattractive addition to the BMW range, the Touring edition of the 328i demonstrated BMW’s commitment to improving their standings in the SUV market. Attendees at CIAS also had the chance to see the new Acura NSX Concept, which included a new cockpit, a V6 engine, and electric motor features – there’s a possibility that this supercar could arrive in 2014.
There were also chances to see some classic hot rods and custom vehicles at the show, which included nods to Canadian building. Of the major new lines that were being previewed at the show, however, the Jaguar F-Type won a lot of attention; a two seater convertible, the F Type has a V8 engine, and aligns with the Jaguar XFR-S in terms of providing examples of a sports sedan with a 5.0 litre turbocharged engine that could rival BMW’s M line.
Other notable cars at the CIAS expo included a 2013 MINI John Cooper Works GP – designed to be the fastest ever MINI, the JCW was recently tested at the Nurburgring in Germany, and will be tooled to compete in motorsports by BMW. The car features a 1.6 litre twin scroll turbocharged engine, an aerodynamic frame, Brembo brakes, and sport suspension. The MINI was part of a strong show for BMW, then, who also previewed ideas for new coupes and M TwinPower Turbo V8 engines.
In terms of the Lexus concepts at the show, the Lexus LF-CC shares some features with the recently announced Lexus IS series; it features a 2.5 litre inline 4 engine with an electric motor, and could be released sometime in the next year or so. By comparison, the Lexus LF-LC is a more compact hybrid, and includes a distinctive red paint job, and a shell made from lightweight carbon fibre.
The new Lexus concepts also included evidence of Lexus’s advanced interiors, which included impressive 12 inch touch screens for the premium brand. The concept will represent a 2 + 2 coupe innovation for Lexus, and was developed in California – the focus for the new vehicle will be on driver performance, and will develop work from the CT and the GS for the hybrid on a hybrid engine a sleeker silhouette, and a race optimized front seats.
Guest posts written by Sarah James.
