Big. Small. Luxurious. Fast. Every type of car you can think of is under one very big roof at the New York International Auto Show, a tradition that began in 1900.
The show returns to the Javits Center in Manhattan on Friday, March 29. It was the first auto show held in North America when it launched in November of 1900 at the original Madison Square Garden.
What You Need To Know
- The New York International Auto Show returns to the Javits Center on Friday, March 29. The show runs through April 7
- It was the first auto show held in North America when it launched in November of 1900 at the original Madison Square Garden
- At that time, there were just 8,000 cars in the United States. There are now more than 290 million, including SUVs, vans and trucks
"Every year there's new models, so new designs, new features, new technology that's in cars," show president Mark Schienberg said. "So every year somebody comes and they're really taking a look at a whole bunch of new things that the automobile has to offer."
There are plenty of world and North American premieres of new vehicles, like the Infiniti QX80 SUV, which made a big splash in its worldwide debut at The Edge observation deck in Hudson Yards.
Auto Show spokesperson Lisa Barrow showed NY1 some of the bells and whistles inside the luxurious vehicle, including a speaker inside the driver's headrest, and some cool tech to make sure everyone is comfortable with the temperature.
"So you've got, let's say, kids in the back, and you can monitor the temperature back there, and if you notice that it's getting a little hot, you have the ability up here to lower the temperature, say in the back, the seats, whatever, so the kids stay happy and they don't bother you," said Barrow of the scenario experienced on many a road trip.
There are a number of opportunities to take a ride in one of the vehicles on site. Two are outdoor adventure courses for Jeep, with their rugged vehicles, and Ford, showing off its Bronco.
Inside, there is a chance to test drive some electric vehicles. There are more of those on display at the show this year. Included is the electric version of the old Volkswagon bus called the ID Buzz. The show is a chance for prospective vehicle buyers to really see a bunch of possible purchases in one place.
"Our data at the end shows that people add a brand or subtract a brand because of their experience that they are having here. So it really helps them fine-tune as they are getting closer to what we call that funnel, when they are really ready to buy the vehicle, because they come to the show," Schienberg said.
Schienberg says the auto industry is bouncing back after COVID losses. Visitors can see what the engineers and designers came up with at the Javits Center through April 7.