This year’s Canadian International AutoShow was definitely one of their better shows with a huge array of the types of ultra exotics and performance cars that I like to see.
I have organized this review into the two broad categories of “exotic” and “performance” and focus on the cars that caught my eye. With over 1000 vehicles on display, I can’t cover them all! And thanks to ceriksson for being my co-photographer.
Exotic Cars
Alright let’s get started with my absolute favourite car of the show, the Singer Classic Turbo!
I think it looks best from the rear three-quarter view
As that shows off its whale tail and glorious 510HP 3.8L twin turbocharged flat six
This view also highlights the incredible deep dish wheels! I love them!
Yup, I would take this over all the other exotics we will be seeing shortly.
Though I know some prefer the Classic with its more streamlined lines
and its iconic hood mounted filler
Beautiful engine
Now if that wasn’t enough, Pfaff brought all three McLaren “1” cars, the F1, P1, and W1! And not just any F1 but Chassis number 001, the first customer car ever delivered! As you probably know, the F1 set the record for the fastest production car in the world at 240 mph (391 km/h) back in 1998, a record that stood for a decade. Although that speed has been surpassed, it is still the fastest naturally aspirated production car.
To quote The Weekend, “P1 cleaner than your church shoes ah” lol.
The new W1 makes the P1 look tame in comparison. It is powered by McLaren’s all-new MHP-8 V8 combustion engine with integrated E-module to produce 1,258 HP. Performance specs are 0-100km/hr in 2.7 seconds, 0-200km/h (124mph) in just 5.8 seconds and 0-300km/h (186mph) in under 12.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 217 MPH. Crazy to think the F1 is 20MPH faster!
Formula 1-inspired ground-effect aerodynamics, advanced active aero and Race Mode generate up to 1,000kg of downforce
Mercedes McLaren SLR 722
Last but certainly not least at the Pfaff booth, the new Pagani Utopia! The design goal of the latest Pagani was to create a classic, pure experience. No hybrid power here, it uses a V12 with pure 7-speed manual! Perhaps the most impressive aspect is that it achieves incredible aerodynamic efficiency without spoilers. Instead the function of these appendices is incorporated into its overall shape, achieving greater downforce and reduced drag solely by means of its design.
Ok on to Grand Touring’s booth with their show stopping Bugatti Mistral that set the top-speed world record for an open-top car at 282.05 MPH or 453.91 km/h!
I remember seeing the prototype for the Aston Martin Valhalla at a previous show so it was pretty wild to see the first Canadian customer car. And fitting too as the Valhalla is full of firsts: Aston Martin’s first series production mid-engined supercar, first PHEV, first to use the 4.0-litre twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8 engine and the brand’s all-new 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) with e-Motor and electronic rear differential (E-diff). Its combined 1,064 HP allows it to do 0–100 km/h in 2.5 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 350 km/h.
Another Canadian intro, the Koenigsegg Jesko!
First time I see the Lamborghini Temerario with a twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain capable of over 340 km/h (210+ mph) and 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 2.7 seconds.
The Bentley Flying Spur Black Edition may be more my speed
An equally good option of luxury combined with speed, the new Maybach SL Roadster
Autostrada brought seven incredible cars
One of my favourites of which was the Lamborghini Diablo GTR, one of just 40 made! This track-focused version of the Diablo (Lambo’s first car to exceed 200MPH) is stripped of luxury features, equipped with a single racing seat, full roll cage, massive rear wing, stiffened suspension, racing brakes, lightweight magnesium wheels, and a 6.0-litre V12 tuned to 582 HP.
Another favourite, the Porsche 911 GT3 R Rennsport. Drivers can enjoy its 4.2-litre boxer engine that revs to 9,400 rpm from their single-seat cockpit and watch competitors in their camera-based mirrors!
Nice Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670–4 SuperVeloce! Powered by a 6.5-liter V12 producing 661 horsepower and 487 ft-lbs of torque, it can accelerate from 0–100 km/h in around 3 seconds, with a top speed of up to 342 km/h. Only 268 made (out of the originally planned 350).
And another Mercedes McLaren 722! What were the chances of there being two at the show!
OBLIVION had the coolest display of the show! The 80’s/90’s themed exhibit had not only cars from the era, but also music and paraphernalia to really set the mood.
I was thrilled to see a Ford RS200S in person for the first time (while listening to the Beastie Boys lol). Built for Group B rally racing (my favourite…along with DTM) it has a 1.8L Cosworth BDT turbo engine producing 350 hp (competition Evos reach 700 hp) and weighing just 2,600 lbs it can hit 142 mph. This particular show car is a Model S version, one of 20 and once held the Guinness World Record for fastest-accelerating production car! BTW, the first pic is my favourite of the show (great job on that one to my co-photographer ceriksson!)
Legendary Audi Quattro
Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, a 100% stock example imported from Japan, and one of only 2,500 ever made. The Pajero Evo was developed for Paris-Dakar dominance, and features a 3.5L V6 with 275 hp, factory Recaro seats, widebody kit, double-wishbone suspension, and Torsen limited-slip differentials.
What says the 80’s more than Magnum P.I.’s Ferrari 308 GTSi
Ford Taurus SHO
My favourite of the Barrett-Jackson display, Buick Grand National
At Cobble Beach Classics booth, the BMW Z8 that caused quite the controversy when Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond drove one instead of the usual Aston Martin
1961 Mako Shark 1 Corvette
1971 Plymouth Cuda
Gentry Lane was showing three Lotus, my favourite of which was the Esprit
vs. the current Emira
Ferrari also brought three cars, including the Purosangue, the first ever four-door, four-seater car in Ferrari’s history. Oh and it will do 193 MPH with you and your three friends on board.
296 Speciale full of technology including a cool “extra boost” function available in the ‘Qualify’ eManettino setting that delivers a power boost when exiting corners to help reduce lap times.
12Cilindri, the latest iteration of Ferrari’s front-mounted V12 two-seater Grand Tourer.
More Italian beauties from Maserati including the stunning GT2 Stradale, which as the name suggests is the road legal version of the GT2 racecar and it will do 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds.
Normally I would place Corvette in the “performance car” category but with its price, performance (1250HP, 0-60 in under 2 seconds, and 8.675 second quarter mile!), and Nürburgring record, the ZR1X certainly qualifies as an exotic! I believe the car on display is the actual ‘Ring record setter.
The same can be said of the Ford Mustang GTD, the first American production car to complete a sub-seven-minute lap on the Nürburgring.
The Mustang Dark Horse SC is about as close to a GTD as you can get. Its Track Pack carbon-fiber wing helps generate 620 pounds of rear downforce at 180 mph.
Performance Cars
I bet you didn’t expect the performance cars segment to start with a truck yet here we are!
The 2027 Dodge Ram 1500 SRT TRX is the fastest and most powerful production gas pickup truck in the world! The TRX features a supercharged 6.2-litre HEMI V-8, now delivering 777 horsepower and 680 lb.-ft. of torque and its performance numbers are impressive: 0-60MPH in 3.5, 0-100MPH in 10.0, and ¼ mile in 12.2.
On the downside, I don’t like the way the engine is covered and the fact that it is speed limited to 118 MPH (though in fairness, that is still best in class for the truck segment).
Interior
You sit pretty high
Yup, I would take one
And the most powerful gas engine SUV ever also from Dodge, the Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak. It will do 0-60 in 3.4 seconds!
And now for my biggest surprise of the show, the Nissan Armada Nismo! It was STUNNING in real life. In addition to all the usual Nismo go-fast upgrades, the Armada offers legit offroad capabilities with its first-ever PRO-4X grade, featuring all-terrain tires, an off-road-specific front bumper with an increased approach angle, underbody skid plates, an electronic locking differential and Adaptive Electronic Air Suspension.
Sorry but I much preferred the Armada Nismo to the Z Nismo
Another one of my favourite high performance SUVs, the Escalade-V
Cadillac also makes some of my favourite performance sedans, including the CT5-V Blackwing. I love how the sound system was playing Drake when I sat inside lol.
And CT4-V Blackwing
Cadillac F1 ® Team Replica Car wearing the Cadillac Formula 1® Team Barcelona Shakedown livery
Of course you cannot mention performance sedans without including BMW. Many of their M-models have gone PHEV but I prefer ICE so the M2 CS is my current favourite Bimmer. 523HP, 0-100 KPH in 3.8, and top speed of 302 KPH for this bad boy.
I just love the styling of the front end.
The fender flares are cool too
And the lightweight CFRP boot lid with integrated ducktail is awesome!
Another of my favourite performance sedans, Audi RS3
Audi Revolute F1 (R26) racecar
Toyota has an incredible lineup this year, winning 8 AutoTrader awards! I was most interested in their TRD and GR models and fortunately they were all on display at the show!
Tacoma TRD
The Corolla GR, my favourite Toyota, with 300HP 3-cylinder turbo engine and GR-FOUR front-to-rear adjustable all-wheel drive system.
Supra GR in a menacing matte black
I especially like the look of the bulging fender flares
The third car from the GR series, the GR86
Versus the shared platform Subaru BRZts Kaminari Edition
Someone in my neighborhood has a Hyundai Elantra N and I am not sure whether his exhaust is stock but it sounds pretty good so this car has grown on me a bit, especially in this TCR track ready configuration.
Turning now to offroad performance, last year I said the Jeep Willys was one of the nicest at the show. I am not sure I would say the same about the toxic green version lol
Another highly capable offroader, the Dilawri INEOS Grenadier. They brought both the station wagon
high on ceriksson’s list
and quartermaster
If that is still not enough, you could go full milspec lol
The CAF also had a Hercules engine on display!
As well as some Navy target drones (I think ceriksson has shot down a few of these lol)
The OPP also had several vehicles on display
lemme out!
Nice cart
ceriksson liked the bike
And now for some of the more unusual displays! Cool crash demo from Volvo
T-Rex 3-wheeler
Versus the 3-wheelers in the Micro Car display
This year’s LEGO car
Safety first
My favourite at the pop-up LEGO store
This year’s Hotwheels car, a Mercedes
With accompanying Mercedes Hotwheels on display
CLK-GTR was my favourite
Of course the show special model sold out fast
Ghostbusters car
Custom bikes from Kreater
Cool display of strikeglass
Quick shot of the main hall in the North building. The show spans 650,000 square feet across both the North and South buildings and has about 350,000 visitors per year.
So to recap my favourites (that I would buy):
- Supercar: Singer Classic Turbo
- Performance Truck: Dodge Ram 1500 SRT TRX
- Performance Sedan: Cadillac CT5V Blackwing
- Performance Coupe: BMW M2CS
- Hot hatch: Toyota Corolla GR
- Classic: Ford RS200S
RL
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