WANADA Bulletin #5-08 February 4, 2008 2008 WASHINGTON AUTO SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Alternative Energy Joins High Tech & High Performance For The Attention of WAS Visitors 2008 WAS Attendance Matches 2007 Record An “electric crowd” fills the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Sat. Jan 27 at ’08 WAS. Above, right: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) looks over GM’s Chevy Equinox fuel cell vehicle, which was the winner of the Green Car Journal’s “Vision Award,” at the WAS. The show attracted substantial media attention with numerous news agencies, such as the one interviewing WAS Chairman John Ourisman (below, right.) Pictured (bottom right) are pro- fessionals from Arthur Murray Dance Studios launching the popular, new WAS contest “Dancing for Toyotas.” “Dealers, salespeople and managers are reminded at a huge show like this how many thousands of people are still in love with new cars and trucks, which is a very renewing experience,” said John M. Ourisman of the recently concluded Washington Auto Show which he chaired. “We’re also gratified with the global focus of this auto show, which continues to position itself as the pub- lic policy show on the industry circuit,” he said. Commenting on show attendance, WAS Manager Bob Yoffe confirmed that the 2008 WAS may have inched ahead of 2007 that would make this year’s auto show the second best in Washington history. “Crowds were steady and orderly with far more e-ticket purchases this year than ever before,” Yoffe said, noting that this year’s closing weekend Sunday eclipsed attendance for the same day a year ago. “Last year’s closing weekend delivered an attendance beyond any we’ve ever recorded,” said Yoffe. “But visitor enthusiasm this year was truly electric, so much so you could literally feel it in the air.” With the theme “Engineered for the Future,” this year’s WAS spot- lighted “green machines” with advanced technology aimed at improving fuel economy and air quality. In fact, there were numerous vehicle power alternatives on display, ranging from state of the art plug-in technology and clean diesel to hydrogen, which Mark LaNeve of General Motors showcased on Media Day when he rolled out the Chevrolet Equinox hydrogen hybrid that real consumers here will test market for GM in and around the Capital Beltway. The latest “green” innovations were the subject of The Washington Auto Show’s first Green Car Summit where industry leaders formed a symposium panel to provocatively discuss the future in the context of global warming. Other automaker spokesmen included James Press, president of Chrysler LLC, who asserted his com- (Continued on page 2) Page 2 February 4, 2008 WANADA Bulletin #5-08 2008 WASHINGTON AUTO SHOW HIGHLIGHTS WAS Public Days (Continued from page 1) The WAS ticket line (above) is called a “snake” for obvious reasons. For 2008, it was a veritable python. (Above right), D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, a WAS advocate, is interviewed by Tom Sherwood of WWRC-TV News as he toured The Auto Show. pany’s resolve to compete vigorously in the global mar- ket when he touted the 2010 Ram-hybrid pickup that is slated to achieve the same mpg as Chrysler’s mid size vehicles. Attendance is something that grows on “show buzz,” according to WAS promotions director Barbara Pomerance, who said that vehicle prize contests this year included numerous high end awards and a non-stop celebrities schedule. “Through growing and new part- nerships with an expanded array of industry sponsors we were able to leverage show buzz to all corners of the market and beyond,” said Pomerance “and that results in An Auto Career Fair for DC high school stu- a lot of consumer excitement about new cars.” dents was held at the WAS for the second year. Spon- sored by Toyota, the fair featured booths representing This year’s Congressional Gala and Preview, auto career and training opportunities around the Capi- Jan. 22, turned out key lawmakers, diplomats and other tal Beltway. WANADA Chairman Tamara Darvish ex- notables who interfaced with automakers and dealer ex- plained to nearly 1,000 students that “careers in the car ecutive representatives. But the evening also went to the business are available and rewarding.” benefit of 12 Washington Area charitable organizations, the spirit of which was carried through on Thursday, Jan. 25th, by the 2nd Annual WAS Career Fair for DC public school students. This year there were about 1000 youngsters in attendance at the Auto Show to hear about career opportunities in the automobile business. WANADA chairman of the board Tamara Darvish or- ganized and emceed the event, which included the NADA Careers in Auto and Truck Dealerships video, a panel of distinguished car business professionals, and a diverse array of automaker and educator career path dis- A Full Seminar Program. This year’s WAS plays. featured a full schedule of dealer operation seminars, “An auto show has a lot of moving parts that including an F&I Professional Certification Program; focus the media and consumers on the automobile busi- the Annual Tag & Title Seminar for DC, MD, and VA; ness, and in Washington, that’s a big focus which in- and three “Coaching Dealerships to Profitability” work- shops conducted by NADA Management Education creasingly has included public policymakers from here Department trainers. The seminars were well attended and around the world,” said WAS Chairman Ourisman. and typically were capped off by attendees touring The “We’re at an exciting place with this auto show and it’s Auto Show. great watching it happen.” WANADA Bulletin #5-08 February 4, 2008 Page 3 2008 WASHINGTON AUTO SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Engineered for the Future “Green Machines” Take the Center Stage, But Style & Performance Still Rule “Engineered for the Future” was an apt theme for The 2008 WAS, with its central focus on hybrids & alter- native fuel vehicles and advanced technologies. Sue Cischke of Ford Motor Company (above left) an- nounced that Ford is making flex-fuel versions of three of its 2009 model vehicles – the E-Series Van, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark Rosenker and Jo Cooper of Toyota’s Washington office with the Prius plug-In HV (above, right). But major crowd pleasers included the latest in style and performance, like the dramatic new Nissan GT-R (below, left) and the show- stopping Saab Aero X concept car (below right). Exotic Cars Past, Present & Tomorrow: Also on display (pictured below, from the left) were exotic innovations like the electric-powered Bug-E Single Seat EV, the EV Sol Electric Fiero that is solar assisted, and “golden oldies” like this classic 1956 Corvette. Page 4 February 4, 2008 WANADA Bulletin #5-08 2008 WASHINGTON AUTO SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Special Added Attractions There is no question that the “cars are the stars” at any auto show. But the special added attractions at this year’s WAS were extraordinary. Below are some of the imaginative exhibits, on-site broadcasts and celebrity fea- tures from the show. (Clockwise from upper left) The Nissan Soundstage pro- vided nonstop musical tours. Motor Week’s John Davis (above) was one of many guest appearances. Live radio broad- casts included DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, political com- mentator Mark Plotkin, and DC sports icons like former Red- skin John Riggins. Hands-on displays like the red racer proved popular. And Camp Jeep, with its interactive, off- road driving course once again was one of the most spectacu- lar and popular displays. Major WAS sponsor AutoTrader.com contributed $5,000 to Youth Life Foundation, a favorite of recent NFL Hall of Fame induc- tee Darrell Green, who com- peted in AutoTrader’s “Match- It Game” contest. Truth be told, though, it was hot dis- plays like the high perform- ance Corvette sports car and mighty Hummer “in the air” that most en- thralled show visitors. WANADA Bulletin #5-08 February 4, 2008 Page 5 2008 WASHINGTON AUTO SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Celebrities For One and All Washington’s star athletes are loyal WAS sup- porters. Above (from left), Redskins Jason Campbell, Mike Sellers and Antwaan Randle-El (above, right), who also spoke at the DCPS Career Fair (see page 2, above). Right (clockwise), a trio of Wizard basketball stars: Brendan Haywood, Caron Butler, Andray Blatche and the incomparable Wizard’s Dance Team. Pictured, below (right corner), Monique Coleman of High School Musical fame. Below (left corner), Cameron Matheson of All My Children, and (pictured above Cameron), WWE superstar Ric Flair with former Harlem Globetrotter great Curly Neal. Page 6 February 4, 2008 WANADA Bulletin #5-08 2008 WASHINGTON AUTO SHOW HIGHLIGHTS “Cars Are the Stars” in WAS Contests The best lineup of new vehicle prize contests in WAS history happened at this year’s show. The contests were innovative and fresh, piquing the public’s automotive interest. The vehicle awards, many of which were high-end and popular, generated huge show excitement. Some winners’ names were se- lected at random, while other contestants won with gamesmanship skill. (Editor’s note: some contest winners who needed following up will be confirmed and reported in subsequent WANADA Bulletins). This picture collage records the contest sponsors and prize awards, no less than the excitement captured in the photographic moment. Clockwise from top, left, AutoTrader.com’s Match-It game for 25,000 toward the price of a new car; the DC Lottery Second Chance PowerBall drawing for a Corvette; the Hyundai Price is Right contest for a new Sonata; Automotive Rhythms & Radio One Wheels or No Wheels con- test for a vehicle make- over; and the Guess the Car Sweepstakes, spon- sored by Chevrolet for a trip to the Grammy’s Awards in Hollywood; WAS Preview Night chari- ties raffle of a Shelby Mus- tang, donated by Washing- ton Area Ford Dealers.