What started out back in 1996 as a smart way for automotive manufacturers to showcase new products to the movers and shakers of London’s Canary Wharf financial district, there are now Motorexpo events taking place in New York (World Financial Centre), Los Angeles (Bank of America Plaza), and starting this week, Toronto!
Yes, from Monday June 20th, through Friday the 24th, Brookfield Place in downtown Toronto will be hosting its very first Motorexpo event.
Often billed as “The biggest free-to-enter motoring event”, this revolutionary concept has been steadily growing, to the point where these events are now regulars on the world’s automotive circuit. However, for those familiar with the typical auto-show setup, these events may hold one or two surprises!
For a start, they are totally free to enter, hence the billing, and although they are held in some of the world’s top financial centers, you don’t have to be a stock broker, or own your own bank to visit one. These are also events where visitor participation is actively encouraged. In fact, it’s rare to find the doors locked on a vehicle, and the whole idea is based on allowing potential customers to climb in and experience the feel of the vehicles. There are even test drives available for those who wish to take things to the next level.
The whole concept is based on a very simple idea when you think about it. The men and women who work in the financial industry, or related downtown businesses, tend to put in long hours. Often, they are simply too busy, or perhaps even too tired at the end of the day to trundle off to an automotive show, so why not bring the vehicles to them? After all, like most of us, these people own and enjoy automobiles and they can most certainly afford to purchase them!
In fact, a few years’ back when I visited Motorexpo in London, I had the opportunity to talk with a few of the manufacturers who were showcasing vehicles there, and I was quite taken back with what I discovered. Not only do the car makers enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere which these events boast, but I actually heard from one that it sells more vehicles at that event than it does during the UK’s International Motor Show.
Speaking of relaxed atmosphere, the settings in which these take place are perhaps one of biggest draws. Brookfield Place, like many other financial districts, is in the heart of the downtown area. It boasts pleasant surroundings with numerous café-style eateries and upscale restaurants, which make for an enjoyable way to pass one’s lunch hour. The organizers understand this only too well, which is why they encourage visitors to take their time and fully enjoy the experience. After all, it’s free, so you can always return the next day if you missed an odd vehicle or two!
Obviously, these events tend to attract the upper scale of automotive manufacturers, and often one or two which perhaps enter the realm of the elite, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see regular everyday vehicles at the show. In fact, if would be fair to say that these events attract a true cornucopia of automotive iron.
As this is the first year here in Toronto, we may not see the Formula 1 Lotus car which was displayed at the recent Motorexpo London, but with names like Engineered Automotive and Tesla on the list of exhibitors, there’s sure to be something of interest for everyone. So if you’re in the downtown Toronto area over the next week, I encourage you to take a little break from your workday and go visit the show!
For more information on this and other Motorexpo events, visit: www.motorexpo.com
Yes, from Monday June 20th, through Friday the 24th, Brookfield Place in downtown Toronto will be hosting its very first Motorexpo event.
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| (Photo: Motorexpo) |
Often billed as “The biggest free-to-enter motoring event”, this revolutionary concept has been steadily growing, to the point where these events are now regulars on the world’s automotive circuit. However, for those familiar with the typical auto-show setup, these events may hold one or two surprises!
For a start, they are totally free to enter, hence the billing, and although they are held in some of the world’s top financial centers, you don’t have to be a stock broker, or own your own bank to visit one. These are also events where visitor participation is actively encouraged. In fact, it’s rare to find the doors locked on a vehicle, and the whole idea is based on allowing potential customers to climb in and experience the feel of the vehicles. There are even test drives available for those who wish to take things to the next level.
The whole concept is based on a very simple idea when you think about it. The men and women who work in the financial industry, or related downtown businesses, tend to put in long hours. Often, they are simply too busy, or perhaps even too tired at the end of the day to trundle off to an automotive show, so why not bring the vehicles to them? After all, like most of us, these people own and enjoy automobiles and they can most certainly afford to purchase them!
In fact, a few years’ back when I visited Motorexpo in London, I had the opportunity to talk with a few of the manufacturers who were showcasing vehicles there, and I was quite taken back with what I discovered. Not only do the car makers enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere which these events boast, but I actually heard from one that it sells more vehicles at that event than it does during the UK’s International Motor Show.
Speaking of relaxed atmosphere, the settings in which these take place are perhaps one of biggest draws. Brookfield Place, like many other financial districts, is in the heart of the downtown area. It boasts pleasant surroundings with numerous café-style eateries and upscale restaurants, which make for an enjoyable way to pass one’s lunch hour. The organizers understand this only too well, which is why they encourage visitors to take their time and fully enjoy the experience. After all, it’s free, so you can always return the next day if you missed an odd vehicle or two!
| |
| (Photo: Motorexpo) |
Obviously, these events tend to attract the upper scale of automotive manufacturers, and often one or two which perhaps enter the realm of the elite, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see regular everyday vehicles at the show. In fact, if would be fair to say that these events attract a true cornucopia of automotive iron.
As this is the first year here in Toronto, we may not see the Formula 1 Lotus car which was displayed at the recent Motorexpo London, but with names like Engineered Automotive and Tesla on the list of exhibitors, there’s sure to be something of interest for everyone. So if you’re in the downtown Toronto area over the next week, I encourage you to take a little break from your workday and go visit the show!
For more information on this and other Motorexpo events, visit: www.motorexpo.com