I was at the Auto Show Thursday, helping a friend look for a new car.
Wow, is it tough - a lot of really interesting options.
Everything from the Volkswagen Passat CC to the Jaguar XF was on the radar screen, as was the Hyundai Genesis. The fact that a genuine shopper with real money could credibly look at a Jag and a Hyundai tells you how far the Korean company has come.
One interesting thing - I can't recall an Auto Show visit where more people came up to me to say hello, and say how much they enjoy Wheels, in print and on-line (and who also watch Motoring on TSN!)
Very gratifying, that despite the woes the industry is currently going through, there is still such huge interest in cars. The love affair with the automobile is far from over.
Was brought back to earth with a crash when I tried to go from the North Building to the Rogers Centre. Who knew that with a press pass, you had to carry other photo ID with you? I had left my wallet locked safely (out of sight) in my car, rather than have to lug it around (and probably lose it - don't ask...).
But the two young men 'personing' the turnstile might have been the ony two young men at the Show who have never read Wheels or watched Motoring - they weren't going to let me in!
"Just doing our jobs," they said.
Fair enough, but a wee bit of a blow to the ego.
I went back to the North building (fortunately, the security guard there was pre-occupied so I snuck past; otherwise, I might have had to stay in the tunnel forever. Anyone out there old enough to remember the Kingston Trio's song aboput Charlie and the MTA transit system in Boston? That'd have been me...).
I picked up a copy of Wheels' Auto Show supplement at The Star booth which had a photo of me in it, and took it back to the Rogers Centre, and was allowed to continue my Tour.
Sic Transit Gloria, and by Transit I don't mean the TTC.
Or the MTA.
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