AJC AUTOSHOW

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2009 AJC INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

What a difference a year makes.

When the 27th Annual AJC International Auto Show opened on Saturday, March 14th, it marked the one year anniversary of the tornado strike in Downtown Atlanta.  This catastrophe caused millions of dollars in damage to the area, including the Georgia World Congress Center, home of the Auto Show.

“Building B of the Congress Center was badly damaged by that massive tornado,” remarked Randy Morris, Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Automobile Dealers Association (MAADA).  “It’s hard to believe that just one year ago our show floor was a disaster area, especially when you see the phenomenal presentation of new vehicles from 33 different manufacturers that are now on display.”

Atlanta area press were the first to see the show’s great lineup of vehicles during Media Day on March 13th.  Press conferences were held in the Kia, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan, Infiniti, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge exhibits.  The Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association (GAAMA) held their first annual meeting following these press conferences. 

“The Night of Cars & Stars” preview party followed Media Day and was once again a major success, with all proceeds benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the When Everyone Survives Foundation. Special guest Earl Lucas of the Ford Motor Company joined Randy Morris and MAADA President Shayne Wilson on stage at the kickoff ceremony.   Lucas is the Design Chief of the 2010 Ford Taurus, which was featured at the show.

There were heavy rains during the show’s opening weekend, but this did not deter the public from showing up in large numbers.   This was no surprise, though, since there was no better indoor attraction to be found anywhere in the city.  

The show featured over 500 new vehicles, including a large selection of 2010 pre-production models.   There were also three concepts on display:  Ford Explorer America, Kia Soulster and the Lincoln C Concept.

As usual, show goers had the opportunity to see many great special attractions at the show, including the always popular character appearances.  The first to appear was Marvel’s Iron Man, who could be seen at the show’s entrance on the opening weekend.  This same area was manned by SpongeBob Squarepants during the second weekend.  Both attracted a large group of admirers, all with cameras in hand to capture the moment.

A selection of 27 vehicles from the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum was, unquestionably, one of the greatest attractions ever seen at the show.   Weiner’s museum in Madison, Georgia is the home of the largest microcar collection in the world.

Nationwide Insurance, the show’s official insurance sponsor, attracted a large gathering in their “Show Car Pit Stop.”  This area featured the official Show Car of the NASCAR Nationwide Series.  Attendees could also play games and win prizes and test their driving skills on a racing simulator.

The show is again appreciative of the Ford Motor Company’s efforts in bringing in Atlanta Falcon players for appearances.  Attendees enjoyed meeting both Quarterback D.J. Shockley and Wide Receiver Michael Jenkins on March 21.

The Auto Show will be moving to Building C of the Georgia World Congress Center next year.