Conceptually Speaking
Taking place over the course of 10 days at the Los Angeles Convention Center and boasting 850,000 square feet of eye-catching rides, aftermarket accessories and related exhibits and activities, the 2013 L.A. Auto Show will be the event’s biggest-ever edition.
“There’s really no inch of the show floor that’s not themed with some type of car candy that everyone’s going to love,” said Brendan Flynn, the L.A. Auto Show’s senior director of marketing and communications. “Even the South Hall [of the Convention Center], which was formerly reserved for ticketing and entrances, is now going to have cool cars in it.”
Expect eye-popping exhibits from some of the biggest names in the car world. Porsche has modified the structure of its exhibition hall to accommodate all of its debut vehicles, plus it’s flying in 260 media members for the event. Meanwhile, Chevrolet is promising big news at the show, and Mini will feature the global debut of its third-generation hardtop.
Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, BMW, Kia, Ford and Subaru are also guaranteeing headline-making stories, Flynn said, while Italian luxury marque Maserati returns to the show after its absence in 2012.
Luxury, performance and tech will be prominent themes of this year’s exhibits, Flynn said. “Of course, it wouldn’t be L.A. if there weren’t a lot of ‘green’ stories. You’re going to see continued announcements about electric vehicles … and then there’s going to be hydrogen [vehicle] news.”
As well as automobiles and accessories, the show includes exhibits from the likes of L.A.’s Petersen Automotive Museum, iconic trailer maker Airstream and the designers behind Xbox racing game Forza Motorsport.
The L.A. Auto Show happens at the Los Angeles Convention Center (1201 South Figueroa St.), located downtown at the junction of Interstate 10 and the 110-Harbor Freeway, next to Staples Center and the myriad eating and entertainment delights of L.A. Live.
Tickets for the show (from www.laautoshow.com or at the door) run $10 Monday through Thursday and $12 Friday through Sunday for attendees age 13 and up and $6 any day for children 6 to 12 (children 5 and under free when accompanied by an adult). New this year is the “Family Four-Pack,” which covers two adults and two kids for just $30.
The show’s star-studded Charity Preview Night returns with a new partner, CASA/LA, and a new format, with food stations and bars spread throughout the exhibition halls rather than being confined to a separate area, as in previous years. Tickets for this upscale “sneak preview” cost $225.
Parking for the show is easier this year thanks to the ParkMe app (click on “Getting Here” on the show’s website). ParkMe, which is free to download, allows visitors to reserve and pay in advance for a spot in various parking lots and garages within a mile of the Convention Center.
Parking at the Convention Center costs $12 to $20, and the facility is also well-served by public transport, including the Metro’s Pico Boulevard Station just a block away.
Flynn recommends allowing yourself at least two hours and preferably four to take in the show’s 1,000-plus vehicles (including more than 50 debuts) from around 40 marques and at least seven countries.
During the event’s weekends, Radio Disney will offer family activities in Kentia Hall ranging from face painting to balloon twisting, while the Convention Center’s food court will be enlivened this year by video content from sponsors Motor Trend. Across the street, L.A. Live offers around 20 dining options, from fine sushi to marvelous Mexican food.
—Paul Rogers, Brand Publishing Writer
