I was among the first group of people to put a $150 deposit on the Cybertruck so I was pretty excited to see it at the show.
My first reaction is that it is pretty cool and certainly not like anything else on the road today. In fact, the closest thing I can think of is the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier from Aliens 3 (which is actually based off an air towing tractor!)
In any case, here it is!
Can you see me in one?
This was a “Foundation” edition with 3 motors
Love the “not for sale” licence plate lol
Ok on to Auto Exotica. I heard there was a 1929 Bentley Blower at the Cobble Beach Classics Tribute to Performance exhibit and that’s what I was most anticipating to see. I believe one of these hit US$29 million on auction!
More great classics from Cobble Beach
Including this Peugeot 402 Darl’mat Special Sports Roadster
And my second most anticipated car from the Cobble Beach exhibit, a 1980 Lamborghini Countach LP400S Lowbody
I was also looking forward to the Ferrari of Ontario Classiche Certification Program display, especially the 288 GTO and F40
With an Enzo too!
Nice display of a Ferrari chassis
1971 365/4 GTB Daytona
1988 328 GTS
2024 296 Challenge
The holy trinity at Autostrada, LaFerrari, P1, and 918
Porsche Carrera GT and Diesel 108K Tractor and Batman Tumbler
The Tumbler was a lot smaller than I was expecting
Said in Kanye West, O-o-o-o-o-okay, Lamborghini Mercy…and a Versace edition even
Shown with the original Lambo, a 1964 Lamborghini 2R Tractor
The rest of Autostrada’s display included a Dodge Viper GTS, Shelby Series 1, and Weismann GT MF4
Also in the Auto Exotica section, Lotus, featuring the Eletre with 905 horsepower, a top speed of 260km/h, and a range pushing 600km
Maserati with the new Grecale
Alfa Romeo
BMW XM in a menacing flat black
As much as I love the look of exotics, I am a big fan of the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” concept (hence my love for AMG)
A great example of this is my favourite Toyota, the GR Corolla with 300HP and a 0-60 of 4.9 seconds
It was also great to catch up with Stephen. Congrats again on your two COTY awards!
If you are looking for something more overtly sporty, the GR Supra is a great option
Or for more luxury, Lexus
Another one on my “list,” the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
Notwithstanding the CT5-V performance advantage, I have to give the styling nod to the CT4-V Blackwing, which was stunning! Actually, I think it was one of the nicest cars of the show, perhaps because it reminds me of my beloved C63.
Another surprise stunner, the Corvette E-ray
vs. the Stingray Convertible
For ultimate performance, the Z06
More American muscle, the new Mustang
If you prefer electric, the Mach-e Rally edition
Another electric off-road option, the Hummer
and Rivian
But as I mentioned, I love fast sedans so my rally choice would be the WRX RS
For street, I wonder if I could daily this Elantra lol
or this Nissan
Interesting concept from Nissan
So many iconic names are going electric, such as the Charger
and Hornet
How about some Lego to put a smile on your face (just don’t step on them!)
And with that I will close Part 2.
So what did I like the best? Wow, so hard to choose. It would also be a bit unfair to compare hypercars/exotics with “regular” cars so I guess I will have to do multiple lists. How about a $500,000 cutoff? lol
$500,000+
Pagani Zonda R
Rimac Nevera
Bugatti Chiron
McLaren P1
Pagani Huayra Roadster
Below $500,000
Tesla Cybertruck
Techart Taycan
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
Bentley Continental GT Convertible “The Canadian Collection” edition
Porsche 911 Dakar
Classics
Bentley Blower
Ferrari 288 GTO
Ferrari F40
Lamborghini Murcielago
Lamborghini Countach
Thank you once again to the Canadian International AutoShow for the media pass and the opportunity to see all these great cars and to meet Richard Hammond! It is great to see that you nearly doubled in size since last year, and here’s to hoping the trend continues.
I have been attending the Canadian International AutoShow for decades including several VIP nights. This year was my first time attending Media Preview Day and it was quite the experience.
I must admit that going in I just assumed we would roam around the show just taking pics in the absence of crowds but that was only a small portion of the day. Instead, we had a jam packed schedule (starting with breakfast at 7AM!) full of Canadian, North American, and even Global debuts!
As such, I will divide this review into two parts: 1) coverage per the Media Preview Day schedule 2) my “free” time roaming the show. BTW, don’t think that all the good stuff is in part 1, I assure you, there are quite a lot of exotics in part 2!
I was one of the first ones down to the lower level and on my way to the seating, I saw some commotion. Naturally I had to investigate and what did I find, this beauty!
Hmmm who is that gentleman in the beige jacket?
Risers set up
And the show is off with opening remarks from Black Book
Followed by words from the show organizer
Who then invited to the stage Mate Rimac, CEO of Rimac, and the President of Grand Touring Automobiles, celebrating its 50th year as a premier retailer of luxury automobiles
It was very interesting to hear about Mate’s history of how he went from living in a country with a poor background in cars to starting Rimac and buying Bugatti. Let me emphasize, he didn’t buy A Bugatti car, he bought the company! Rimac now has 2,500 employees and provides EV technology to key players.
Of course we were all eager to see the Rimac Nevera and here it is!
Who could the driver be?
None other than Richard Hammond!
Someone take this man’s key!
Richard joined the panel and the discussion turned to the astonishing performance of the Rimac and how it changes or warps your perception of how a car should perform. Indeed, with 4 electric motors, 1900+ HP, 0 to 100 km/h in 1.81 seconds and a top speed of 451 km/h it is quite unlike anything else.
Sadly the Rimac had to go
But I got to meet Richard! Thanks so much for stopping to take a pic with me. Too bad I didn’t get to tell you how I bought my C63 thanks to Top Gear’s review of it vs. the M3 and RS4. When Clarkson said “it is an axe murderer trying to kill you” I knew it was the right car for me lol.
Thanks also to this kind gentleman for taking the pic. Only fair that I reciprocate with a pic of you with Mate lol
Next, the Canadian Car of the Year Awards in four categories and presented in English and French
And the winner for 2024 Canadian Car of the Year, the Toyota Prius!
Accepting the award, Stephen Beatty, Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Toyota Canada Inc. I have worked with Stephen in the past and it was great to see his personal gratitude for this achievement of the Prius in his heartfelt acceptance speech. Congrats Stephen!
He didn’t have to sit down for long as Toyota also won 2024 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year with the Grand Highlander!
Meanwhile, 2024 Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year went to the Genesis Electrified GV70
With the head of Genesis Canada accepting the reward
As he did for 2024 Canadian Electric Car of the Year for the Genesis Electrified G80! So 2-2 Toyota-Genesis!
Alright on to Porsche! We were greeted by the Vision GT, a wild concept literally designed for a video game! Gran Turismo 7 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 to be precise.
My favourite Porsche of the day though was the world record setting 911 Carrera 4S that drove to the summit at 6,734 meters (22,093 feet) of a volcano while running on eFuel made from water and carbon dioxide using renewable energy.
Porsche had several more unveilings for us. Pretty big wing on this one
Always exciting to watch the wrap come off
A unique 911 GT3 RS to commemorate the opening of the 10th Porsche Experience Centre (PEC) right here in Toronto! Visitors to PEC Toronto will be able to experience vehicle dynamics, technology and emotion first-hand with expert guidance from Porsche instructors through various driving modules all year long. The PEC will feature a 2km track, vehicle exhibits, a Porsche shop, café etc. I cant wait to visit!
But wait there’s more! Two more in fact.
First…
The new Taycan! Apart from a new front- and rear-end styling with new headlights and taillights, the new Taycan Turbo S is the most powerful and quickest Porsche ever, with 938 hp and a 0 to 100 km/h of 2.4 seconds! It also recharges faster than previous generations even though it has a larger battery capacity.
Next up…the 2024 Panamera! It offers a crazy active suspension that leans like a motorcycle towards the inside of the bend and reduces the lateral forces for the occupants. It also raises or lowers the vehicle on the front and rear axles during acceleration and braking.
In addition to all the new releases, I was also happy to see the 911 Dakar
Check out those fender flares
Even bigger ones here though lol
Love the bag made from seat material
Porsche Design watch
Next on the agenda, VinFast
First
The VF3 electric city car
Next
The VF Wild, an electric pickup truck concept
On to Volvo
For the unveiling of their new …
EX90 7 passenger SUV. Believe it or not, the standard safety features on the EX90 are higher than any Volvo car before it. Apparently it gets “smarter and safer over time” as it learns from new data and receives updates.
In addition to the EX90, Volvo was showcasing several of its Recharge models as the brand makes moves to reach its goal to have its entire vehicle roster fully electric by 2030.
One would think that bringing Rimac and Richard Hammond to the show would be enough of an accomplishment for Grand Touring but no. They wanted to celebrate 50 years by bringing FIRE to the event with three cars and four brands that have never been seen at a Canadian auto show!
First up, The Little Car Company, a UK based manufacturer of scale versions of iconic cars
My favourite was the Bentley Blower Jnr. Astonishingly, there is a full-size Bentley Blower at the show for comparison purposes (as you will see in Part 2 of my review)
Ferrari TestaRossa J
Bugatti Baby II, a 75% scale, fully electric reincarnation of the iconic Bugatti Type 35, developed using a full 3D scan of an original 1924 French Grand Prix car! How cool is that!
Now three brands we have never seen here before
The Zagato…
Porsche 356 Coupe, inspired by lost drawings of an elegant coupe based on the 356 Carrera. Only nine of these vehicles were produced.
The Pininfarina …
Battista, an electric Italian hypercar with a top speed over 350 km/h and 0-100kph in 1.86 seconds
The two side by side
Finally, the Himalaya…
Mariner, a modern-era Land Rover Defender
In addition to these introductions, Grand Touring also brought several cars from their lineup. Another look at the Rimac
The last Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport ever made (It is marked as such inside the doorsill)
Lamborghini Revuelto, which pairs a 6.5L naturally aspirated V12 with a power-boosting electric motor to produce 1,001 horsepower.
The new Countach!
Stunning Bentley Continental GT Convertible “The Canadian Collection” edition, designed by Bentley’s Mulliner department exclusive to the Canadian market
Rolls Royce Spectre the brand’s first fully electric model. Funny, I was wearing my James Bond Danner Spectre boots, perhaps a sign?
Aston Martin DB12 Volante
Next, we visit INFINITI for two unveilings
My sister’s first car was a G20 back in the day and the brand has evolved quite a lot since then. It was interesting to hear the perspective of Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President of Global Design for Nissan Motor Ltd., on how INIFINITI differentiates through design elements. He went through the intricate design details on the two show cars…things you might not even notice but impressive when you discover them.
Vision concept Vision Qe, a preview of INFINITI’s direction for its first all-electric model. A neat feature is the “full-width digital piano key” lighting.
The QX Monograph concept truck
At this point I needed a bit of a break so I didn’t attend the Genesis, Kia, and Mattel/Hot Wheels unveilings. I did snap a pic of the Barbie car though lol.
Last but most certainly not least of the scheduled events, Richard Hammond in Conversation at Pfaff! Check out Pfaff’s incredible lineup
Richard shares his thoughts on Pagani, starting with the Huayra Roadster
You will see why in a moment he is looking so closely at the interior
Next the Zonda R
Before moving to the other side
And being joined by Pfafff Motorsports driver James Hinchcliffe, Pfafff Motorsports GM Steve Bortolotti and Pfaff CEO Chris Pfaf for a discussion on motorsports and the auto industry
After the discussion I had a chance to take a closer look at Pfaff’s amazing lineup, starting with the Zonda R
Huayra Roadster in a fantastic purple carbon fiber
I have to admit I haven’t always been a fan of Pagani interiors but this black and gold spec is one of the nicest interiors I have ever seen. Just stunning!
Or if you prefer something “more subtle” how about a black carbon fiber Huayra Coupe
McLaren-Mercedes SLR HDK — one of only 12 in the world
Pfaff McLaren 720S GT3 EVO
I am a huge fan of tuner cars and in the world of Porsche, Techart is legendary. Typically they are associated with 911s though so it was quite special to see a Techart Taycan
That covers the scheduled media events. It was certainly a great way to experience the Autoshow. I will add some closing thoughts and a recap of highlights in Part 2. Stay tuned.
Torontonians are lucky enough to have TWO boat shows this year! First, the new Boat Show at the International Centre, featuring about 150 exhibitors. And just a short week later, the Toronto International Boat Show, now in its 66th year, featuring about 500 exhibitors. I will be happily covering both shows!
Part 1: Boat Show at the International Centre
I saw on social media that there would be a Donzi Classic 22 at the show and I was really looking forward to seeing it in person (BTW, really nice touch by the organizers to not only list exhibitors but also preview specific models that would be at the show). Sure enough, this beauty greeted us right at the entrance to the show!
It is stunning from all angles, whether it be front
side
back
Unfortunately, my camera doesn’t do justice to the spectacular paint job
Yup, I could get used to that interior
As much as I liked it, the Donzi ended being my second favourite of the day
Second to the Halton Police Boston Whaler that is. Which is not surprising as I love all things “tactical” lol.
Interesting to see it was powered by Suzuki motors.
Some gear on display. I liked the SAR wetsuit and goggles.
I am sure this could outrun the police boat lol. With 200HP, it races at speeds ranging from 110-130MPH.
I really liked the vintage look of this Rossiter 17CD. It reminded me of something you might see in a James Bond movie.
Ironically, Frauscher boats have been in James Bond movies but I think this one is better suited to Darth Vader
Cute little Boston Whaler 13 Sport. I am sure it has the same “unsinkable” reputation as its bigger brothers.
Great way to transport your ATV
Beneteau
Scout
There were LOTS of inflatables at the show. This Highfield was my favourite and it reminded me of the Zodiac Milpro line, my absolute favourite boats (did I mention that I love “tactical” lol).
Another along the same lines
Or if you prefer a friendlier pink
Inflatables in all sizes
I was happy to see Rockford Fosgate at the motorcycle show last week and now have the opportunity to check out their marine line.
I managed to find knives at the motorcycle show…and again at the boat show! Funny we were just discussing such “zombie” knives on the forums.
More interesting displays…neon signs
Cigars
Makes sense that you would find fish & chips at a boat show lol
Though I opted for Zet’s down the street
All-in-all I am happy to have attended. I do about 20 shows per year so I don’t need to see a million things at each show, I can be happy with just one standout. Here there were a few, such as the Halton Police Boston Whaler, Donzi 22 Classic, and Rossiter 17CD. It was also great to discover Frauscher. Since the show, I have learned that they have a collaboration electric boat with Porsche…and they have indeed been featured in Bond movies, as I mentioned lol.
Stay tuned for part 2 next week!
Part 2: Toronto International Boat Show
Just as the police had my favourite boat at last week’s show, so too did they at this show, with an actual Zodiac Milpro Hurricane! (did I mention Zodiac Milpro is my favourite lol)
And in a cool display of new vs. old, they also had an old Cliffe Craft to mark the 75th anniversary of the Marine Unit
Cool gear on display
No Milpros at the actual Zodiac booth though.
Very cool that I got to meet the CEO of the civilian division
Zodiac at Honda
In keeping with the tactical theme, another show favourite, the Stanley Patrol in S.A.R. configuration!
This thing is built like a tank
Check out these bumpers
Powered by twin 200s
No wonder Chautauqua County chose it as a S.A.R.
Yup you definitely feel invincible here lol
More amazing welded aluminum boats from Stanley, such as these landing boats
I love the way the windscreen is protected on the Tiller 17DC
I love the industrial/commercial look but of course Stanley does offer more civilian versions
There were lots of serious utilitarian boats at the show, such as another one of my show favourites, the Hewescraft Alaskan
Plenty of storage and functionality for your fishing needs
I swear I felt like I could hunt Jaws while sitting at the helm of this boat
More great boats from Hewescraft
Equally robust but a tad more luxurious, the Kingfisher 3025 Destination
A beautiful boat for sure but I prefer the rawness of the Alaskan
I didn’t get a chance to board the Ranger Tug as it was quite busy
Perhaps more refined, but still reputed to be unsinkable, Boston Whaler
The 230 Outrage was my favourite
The 280 Dauntless was pretty stunning too
LOTS of fishing boats from Alumacraft
I liked the simple V-Series
Although the Competitor Shadow Series was pretty sweet! Love the V-Max nod to one of my favourite motorcycles
Vs. this Crestliner with 400HP
Smoker Craft
Again, I liked their most basic boat. This classic design is only produced in limited numbers now.
Starcraft duck hunting boat
Lund
Four Winns
Moving on to performance boats, the Nor-Tech 400 Supersport is stunning and can be yours for US$1.2 million
I have always been a huge fan of Brabus tuned Mercedes so I was quite happy to see something form their marine line, the Shadow 300.
Perhaps Brabus could mix their automotive tuning and marine capabilities to do a tuner version of this vintage Amphicar lol
OMG the sales rep said Rossitor looks like something you would see in a James Bond movie….EXACTLY what I said in my review of last week’s show!
I really liked the 14
The bigger ones are also very nice.
I don’t know too much about pontoon boats although there were tons of them at the show, most notably this Avro with Flight Deck complete with slide
Super nice people at Armada. Thanks for the educational discussion.
They even offer a pedal boat!
There were lots of inflatables too. Last week I saw a black/greyed out Highfield, this time in SAR orange
Lots of sailboats too although I didn’t take many pics except for this beautiful Beneteau Oceanis
And now to power your beasts, Mercury Marine racing engines
8.2L
Really cool interactive display to showcase their electric steering
Volvo Penta
As I mentioned, I was surprised Halton Police went with Suzuki for their boat…now I was surprised again at the expansiveness of Suzuki’s marine line.
Yamaha
Honda with Vtec!
In terms of gear, I am always excited to check out the latest from Steiner (I have several).
This time, the hinged Commander
And if you want to buy one, make sure to hit up Ryan at Radioworld
Icom radios
Marine Audio from JL and Rockford Fosgate
I didn’t see any knives at this show although I did find a SOG logo
Oh yeah, and a helicopter!
Last year Boston Whaler was the star of the show for me. This year, I liked Stanley and Hewescraft boats the best. It could be because I am discovering new things or perhaps because my tastes are changing. Now if I could just round that out with a Zodiac Milpro and Donzi 22 Classic…
Let me start by saying that I am a “heatseeker.” I have done many hot sauce challenges and can tolerate millions of Scovile Heat Units. As such, I am often disappointed by restaurants claiming to offer the “hottest” of something. Indeed, most don’t have the ingredients to make something hot enough for me. I might add a Wall of Shame listing such disappointments to this review but for now, I will concentrate on those that offer “legit” heat!
Wingmaster
Home to my second “wing incident” Wingmaster in Brantford makes the hottest food I have ever had! The first time I tried their Blackenstein, it was listed at 6 million SHU! They discontinued this sauce for a while but brought it back with a vengeance with a claimed 10 MILLION SHU! I believe it. The wings cost $6 EACH but I defy anyone to eat more than one!
Blackenstein is not their only super hot offering. For example, The Hulk is dill flavoured with a legit over 1 million SHU of Ghost pepper heat in a beautiful toxic green!
Covid protocols were in place during my last visit so I had to get the wings takeout. The Hulk lost its beautiful green colour during the long drive home but neither sauce lost its heat!
closeup of Blackenstein
closeup of The Hulk
I cant imagine anyone topping Wingmaster’s heat levels.
C.W. Coop
While the Port Perry location where I had my (in)famous “wing incident” closed down, I have since learned that there are other locations still in operation. Their CooCoo waiver sauce is the only thing I have ever had that comes close to Wingmaster so I would definitely like to revisit them. Next time I will be sure to take pics as well (of the wings and aftermath, if there is any).
Duff’s Famous Wings
Duff’s and Anchor Bar, both hailing out of Buffalo, claim to be the originators of Buffalo Wings. Either way, I prefer Duff’s for both heat and flavour.
They no longer sound the alarm for Armageddon or ring the death toll bell for Death, their second hottest sauce, but these two sauces maintain their 850,000 and 500,000 SHU ratings respectively.
I typically order 2 pounds, one of each of Armageddon and SuperHot (150,000 SHU)
Closeups of Armageddon
And SuperHot
The Wing Factory
I was super impressed when I tried TWF’s Apocalypse sauce. They don’t list the ingredients of provide an SHU rating but I can say that it is easily on the level of Duff’s Death and maybe even Armageddon and Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Reaper (sadly no longer available in Canada). Good company for sure!
Dave’s Hot Chicken
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical given that this is a chain and Drake’s involvement in bringing them to Canada but let me assure you, their Reaper sauce is not watered down! It is HOT! They definitely kept the essence of my favourite heat source, Carolina Reaper. I love how their disclaimer says it can cause “emotional distress, or even death.” Lol
I have ordered two sliders but have found that, given the heat level, one is enough lol.
barBurrito
Another option that makes legitimate use of the Carolina Reaper, the limited edition Norther Reaper, available with your choice of protein.
The first time it was offered I chose to have it with ground beef.
It was brought back a year or two later, but this time only available in a small size. I had a few of them with crispy chicken and all were scorching hot!
Sadly, their latest run is over. I hope they bring it back soon!
T.J.’s Curry in a Hurry
Phaal curry actually originated in the UK. With the closing of Bristol Bombay in downtown Toronto (thanks to Covid), T.J’s in Barrie is the only place in Canada (that I know of) to offer it.
The curry is claimed to be 1 Million SHU. It was indeed the hottest Indian food I have ever had although in terms of absolute heat it is not on the same level as some of the others I have mentioned.
Bombay Bhel
Slightly less ambitious than T.J’s claim of being the hottest in the world, Bombay Bhel claimed to have Canada’s Hottest Curry. I say “claimed” because I believe they took it off the menu when they moved to a new location.
The curry, which did not contain any meat or vegetables, was said to be made from 19 different spices ranging from 450,000 to 1,100,000 SHU.
It was definitely hot but I would say T.J.s is hotter. Given that it didn’t contain meat, I ordered a chicken Vindaloo at their second highest spice level as well.
Closeup of Canada’s Hottest Curry
And the chicken Vindaloo
I should mention that their garlic Naan was the best I have ever had.
Midori
Midori’s Ghost Spice Halloween special is simultaneously the hottest and best tasting Ramen I have ever had! And this despite the fact that it doesn’t actually contain Ghost peppers.
I hope they bring it back next Halloween. Actually, I hope they keep it on the menu permanently.
Kenzo
Easily matching, if not surpassing Midori’s spice level, but not quite matching the flavour, Kenzo’s Spicy Charsu with Level 3 spice lives up to its reputation for heat. It is now my “go to” Ramen.
KAMEN RAMEN
The first time I did the Volcano Challenge at Kamen Ramen they made me sign a waiver and It wasn’t that hot. In fairness, they made some modifications for me so maybe that was a factor. Also, it wasn’t at their main location.
I have since tried it again at their main location. Ironically, no waiver this time yet it was MUCH hotter!
it even managed to elicit some tears
but I finished it
and ended up on their Hall of Flame
btw, I washed it down with a strawberry maccaroon which was very good!
Afro’s Pizza
Afro’s pizza was the hottest pizza I have ever had. Let me clarify that though. The Davis Jr. is pretty spicy itself but it was the side addition of Mango Reaper that set this pie apart.
Normally I don’t like sweet with my heat so I was a bit concerned about the “hot honey” and mixing Reaper with mango. However, the heat was sufficient to wipe out any sweet flavour profile. This Reaper mango sauce is legit!
Past contenders
As I mentioned, Buffalo Wild Wing has pulled out of the Canadian market. They used to have a Blazin Ghost, which was later upgraded to Blazin Reaper that put out some serious heat. Unlike others, their heat really built up in the sense that the first wing wasn’t so bad but by the time you got to the third or fourth you were really suffering. In fact, the pic of me at the top of this review was taken after eating Blazin Reaper.
Sadly I don’t remember the name of the old place on Augusta Avenue in Chinatown that used to offer Scorpion pepper sauce wings. They were scorching hot and I don’t know of any other place that uses Scorpion peppers.
Wall of Shame
I have to think about how to cover this. There are A LOT of places I have tried that don’t match their claims of being the “hottest”, even those that offer challenges and require you to sign a waiver (I have won several hats and tshirts lol).
What better way to start off 2024 than with the North American International Motorcycle Supershow!
Let’s start off with my show favourites…how about a five wheeler! In addition to the quad real wheels, I love the overall lines on this one.
I have always been into car/home audio and this bike fused two legendary brands, Rockford Fosgate and Focal! I used to have Rockford Fosgate gear back in their “if your mirrors aint shaken, you got taken” days and recently heard the $350,000 Focal Grand Utopia speakers at Toronto Audiofest 2023.
Overall I think this booth was the best display of the show. I loved all their bikes.
the wheels on this one were just stunning…as was the paintjob
nice touch on the green screen
amazing paintjob on their custom Springer
go-kart made from parts off a 1967 Porsche 911!
Not as many custom Hayabusas as past shows but this one is certainly a unique take
vs. the original
the Livewire looks awesome in its naked form
vs. with its clothes on
lots of blacked out Harley baggers
and CVOs
Lots of Fat Boys, custom, stock, new and pre-owned
and just as muscular, the V-Max
A few more customs before I get to sportbikes
Ok on to sportbikes…let’s start with the Italians, Ducati!
Aprilia
Not as many Japanese superbikes as past shows
Vintage sportbikes
More vintage
Adventure bikes seemed to be quite popular
Interesting to see bicycles from Ducati
and Harley
Leave it to me to find knives at a motorcycle show lol…customs from Ash Gears
Lots of clothing and accessories
So all I need now is a custom bike with Rockford Fosgate/Focal stereo and an Ash Gear custom knife strapped to my side….
Some of the best things about visiting my hometown of Montreal are the incredible meals and of course re-connecting with friends and family! I had the chance to do both of those with lunch at Monarque, one of the top restos in the city, with my high-school friend, Michael Vathilakis, whom I haven’t seen in 34 years! Michael is now a top lawyer, and no, I am not in any trouble lol!
I started with the escargot over bone marrow
while Michael had the salmon tartare
for a main dish, i had the blood pudding
while Michael had the seared tuna
selection of chocolates and sweets for dessert
for drinks i had their Pistachio cocktail
and Blanton’s
yup, we were pretty happy with our meal! And it was so great to catch-up with Michael and share stories of old and new. All in all a great experience!
I decided to eat at two Michelin Bib Gourmand rated restaurants on my birthday, because why not?
First up, White Lily Diner for lunch. I had the Standard breakfast with two eggs sunny-side up, bacon, and what they call a “hashbrown” but what I would consider Rosti. In either case, it was great!
Their feature donuts of the day were Bourbon Peach and a Strawberry mix of some sort (forgot the specifics). Being a bourbon lover, it was an easy choice for me.
Now on to dinner at R&D. The acronym stands for Rebel and Dragon, the winner and one of the judges of season one of the reality show Masterchef.
The restaurant is known for its “Best Duck in the City”, a $120 dish that requires 24 hour notice. It’s a variation of Peking Duck, smoked and served with Bao buns.
But first, let’s look at some of the wild décor.
And now for the duck!
And yes, it was amazing!!
I don’t normally eat brussel sprouts but they looked so good in Yelp reviews that I had to order them and boy was I glad that I did! They were incredible!
For dessert I went with the ube pana cotta
Second wish of the day
inside
my companion had the kalamansi tart, which was very lemony
recap of our meal
after our meal, we got to meet Rebel…the very humble chef
and check out the pastry shop sharing the space with the resto
love the cake shaped like hot pot lol
Two great meals in one day from restaurants that live up to their Michelin Bib Gourmand ratings!
The Technics SL-1200 turntable is one of my favourite audio components of all time. When I heard Bay Bloor Radio was hosting a Technics Event showcasing their Reference Class SL-1000R as well as the rest of the lineup, I jumped on chance to attend.
First up, the SL-1000R.
This $27,000 beauty weighs 40KG and features a heavy duty Coreless Direct Drive Motor
The control unit is separated from the main unit to suppress the effects of unwanted noise on the main unit
The Stereo Power Amplifier SE-R1 Features cool technologies such as jitter elimination, an adaptive optimization algorithm for speaker impedance, and it transmits the volume control information, together with the audio signal, directly to the power amplifier in digital form
The Network Audio Control Player SU-R1 also has jitter control and digital noise isolation
And now for the listening session. Hearing It Takes Two by Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock on a Technics turntable brought back so many memories from my clubbing days. That’s why I love audio, such an emotional experience.
No DJ spinning with this rig though. The platter weighs 8KG with its tungsten weights and 10mm thick brass weight on the outer periphery and is driven by quite the torque.
Thanks so much to the reps for the Technics swag.
Next from Technics Premium Class, the SL-1500C, featuring a cartridge Auto Lifter system.
Powered by a Technics Grand Class Network Audio Amplifier
Moving on to the static displays. My dream rig, the SL-1210G
SL-1210GR
SL-1500CK
Ahhh my beloved SL-1200MK7
You know business is about to pick up when that blue light comes on
Nice little mini-system SA-600
Despite looking at $100,000+ turntables at Audiofest 2023 a few weeks ago, I can safely say I would be totally satisfied with a Technics. While they bring up lots of memories and nostalgia for me personally, they have certainly kept up with the times with great new technology.
All done with the Technics exhibits, I took time to browse around the store. I was pleased to see KEF Blades set up for listening as I did not get the chance to hear them at Audiofest. Being a KEF owner myself, I have always liked their sound.
More KEF speakers, including the legendary LS50
Lots of McIntosh on display at the store as well
I want that clock!
And lots of JBL as well
Nice little Marantz system with Dali speakers!
Yamaha
Bryston
Not sure what this is but cool display
Thank you once again to Bay Bloor Radio for hosting The Technics Event and for your great hospitality! It has been a while since my last visit but I will make sure to stop by more often in the future.
It was great to see Cloud Defensive represented at TACCOM 2023. As I wrote in my show review, I was blown away, so much so that I ordered one right away. Thanks to the Canadian distributor for managing to secure one of the limited edition ‘Merica models in Stars and Stripes camo!
What’s in the box
It is definitely a beauty!
And a beast! With 80,000 Candela and 1,100 Lumens! I opted for the High Candela option over the High Lumen for the insane throw (and the ‘Merica model only comes in HC anyway)
I like the way you can adjust the height/depth of the firing button by adding rings.
Should make for a great EDC
Now a couple of quick tests. First, indoors in pitch black at a distance of 25’
Next outdoor…the top of the building looks pitch black from about a third of a block away
The Cloud lights it up
Same story from half a block away
And even further although my camera does not show it well
A couple more…hard to see with my phone camera but the light was hitting the rooftop of the tallest building in the background…gotta be 300M!
I’ll do more tests when there aren’t so many people around lol.
Part 1 of my review covered all the systems that I listened to/auditioned. Here I will cover the ones that I did not get to audition. Some of them are real works of art.
Like Accuphase, for example. I love their classic look. Shown here with PS Audio P20 power conditioner
Goldmund
Again, I love the look… of the Goldmund components, their Tethys speakers and even the stand. Really wish I heard this system.
Allnic Audio with monster speakers (custom made by Corby’s Audio)
Remember, I am 6’ tall
NAD with Dali Epikore 11 speakers
Classe with gorgeous Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Signature speakers
I liked the B&W displays showing the speaker internals
Audio Research with Rethm speakers
I actually own KEF speakers. Their Uni-Q coincident driver is great. I would have loved to hear the Blade
Marantz
Fleetwood Sound Company Deville speakers made from sustainably harvested, solid Pennsylvania ash hardwood that has been “torrefied” meaning “thermally treated for tone and stability.”
Powered by Accuphase
PSB speakers
PSB Alpha IQ BluOS powered streaming speakers
Innuous with their Pulse network music players
They were also exhibiting Pathos amps
Audionote
The Synergistic Research Powercell showed up in a few displays
Naim
Rotel
SPL
Great selection of amps
Transrotor turntable!
Paradigm. One of the few set-ups with a subwoofer
CH Precision
Lots on display from Saturn Audio including: Alta Audio, Allnic Audio, Kuzma, Saturn Audio, Sbooster, and Lumin
Wynn Audio showcasing Karan Acoustics
Altitudo Audio showing a variety of brands (there are 19 in the exhibitor list)
In closing, once again Audiofest was an amazing experience! I learned a ton about hi-fi from speaking to the reps and of course being able to experience audio from $100 to over $1 million is an incredible learning experience. Apart from enjoyment of the listening experience, it really shows you what is out there and what you can expect as you go up in price range.
To recap my show favourites:
Speakers
1. Acora Acoustics VRC
2. Monitor Audio Hyphn
3. Acapella Audio Arts 780 Hyperspherical Horn Atlas
4. Magnepan 3.7i
5. Denon PerL Pro
Electronics…the NAIM Statement and pretty much everything by:
1. Audio Research
2. Nagra
3. Accuphase
4. Goldmund
5. Allnic Audio
Thank you once again to Audiofest for the media pass and to Bay-Bloor Radio for getting my McIntosh hat and shirt in time for the show.
This was my first hi-fi show and it definitely wont be my last.
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