LA Auto Show

The LA Auto Show is an annual auto show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in late November/early December. The LA Auto Showis an OICA sanctioned international exhibition and also endorsed by the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association. It is open to the public for ten days each year, filling 347,000 square feet of exhibit space.

Every year the LA Auto Show kicks off with two press days full of activity for journalists, designers and industry representatives alike. In 2008, the show had a record number of debuts with 23 world debuts and 15 North American debuts. Press days also include a breakfast sponsored by the Motor Press Guild, the “Green Car of the Year” award presented by Green Car Journal, the Design LA Conference, which includes the announcement of the winning Design Challenge entry, and the newest addition to press days, the Green Cars Ride & Drive. Automobile Designers finish out the Design LA Conference on Thursday night of press days at the Designers’ Night Reception.

The first event to kick off the show to the public is the annual charity event, Sneak Preview Night, which takes place on the Thursday night before the first public day. General and gold area tickets are available to purchase for this festive event and all proceeds are donated to Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles and One Voice.

The Los Angeles Auto Show began in 1907 with ninety-nine vehicles on display at Morley’s Skating Rink. As the auto industry grew, the auto show changed venues four times throughout the 1920’s to accommodate the growing needs of vendors. In 1926, it took place at the corner of Hill and Washington where it stayed for the next four years. During the 1929 show, an electrical circuit in one of the airplane exhibits caught fire causing the entire show to go up in flames ending in more than $1 Million in damage. With the help of the community, the show re-opened one day later at the Shrine Auditorium.

The show continued to prove successful throughout the 1930’s, but took a down turn during the Second World War and went on hiatus from 1940 through 1951. In 1952, the show re-opened at the Pan Pacific Auditorium with 152 vehicles on display, including those from international manufacturers.

Throughout the next 50 years, the show continued to grow becoming the success that it is today. In the past decade, the show has changed its name from The Greater Los Angeles Auto Show to the LA Auto Show. In 2006, the show moved its dates from early January to late November/early December, thus resulting in two shows during the year 2006, the second marking the 100 year anniversary show.

More Excelllent imaes and articles about LA Auto Show 2009:
+    LA 2009: BMW ActiveHybrids get North American debut; 7 Series model priced from $103,12
+    LA Auto Show 2009: 2011 Ford Mustang V6 on show floor with little fanfare
+    LA 2009: Volkswagen shows off “Final Edition” New Beetle models
+    LA Auto Show 2009: Porsche debuts lightweight 2011 Boxster Spyder
+    LA Auto Show 2009: MINI Coupe & Roadster Concepts are so LA
+    LA Auto Show 2009: Audi R8 Spyder is shown again, this time in red
+    LA Auto Show 2009: Honda P-NUT concept gets cracked open
+    LA Auto Show 2009: 2010 Infiniti G37 unveiled, 2011 QX coming and EV re-confirmed
+   LA Auto Show 2009: Cadillac CTS Coupe vogues, dazzles
+   LA 2009: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, mass-market potential has four doors
+   2009 LA Auto Show Preview: 2011 Ford Fiesta for America revealed, hits 40 mpg
+   2009 LA Auto Show Preview: 2011 Ford Mustang V6 makes 305 HP, gets 30 MPG
+   Porsche Boxster Spyder Revealed – World Premiere in Los Angeles
+   2009 LA Auto Show Preview: 2011 Chevy Cruze finally unveiled in U.S.-market trim
+   2009 LA Auto Show Preview: Subaru WRX STI Special Edition headed for U.S. showrooms