For the world debut of its F-Type coupe, Jaguar enlisted London-based Imagination, its longtime production partner, to devise a reveal that would impress the audience of more than 500 journalists and V.I.P.s. Planning started in late summer and Raleigh Studios in Playa Vista, with its noted engineering history, was selected as the site for the November 19 event.
The live stunt for the unveiling involved having the cars travel at more than 60 miles per hour through a red laser-lit tunnel, delivering a dazzling sensory experience. Dozens of lights and speakers in the truss created the light and sound from which the car emerged. "We wanted to reveal it in a way that got the message of speed and performance across while also creating a sense of exhilaration for the audience," said Ross Wheeler, head of Imagination's automotive team.
For the debut of the 2015 Mini Cooper, the brand took a decidedly film-noir-style feel with its paneled display. The booth at the show featured dozens of black director's chairs in lieu of traditional bench seating, and a DJ spun from atop a customized Mini Cooper that had its roof removed.
Cadillac, which came into the L.A. Auto Show with several highly anticipated vehicles—including the all-new electric ELR coupe—built out its display by extending an extra horizontal "blade" across the entire width of the booth to draw attention to its Elmiraj concept coupe.
In the Toyota area, guests were able to keep their electronic gadgets close by as they chatted with colleagues or grabbed a quick bite to eat thanks to chargers that were built into the cushioned seating sections.
To appeal to the brand's youthful target market, Toyota made social media the star of the booth for its Scion brand. Each car on display received its own “interactive media counter” that provided information and “brand culture imagery” at a touch-screen monitor. Suspended video panels, meanwhile, rotated a mixture of promotional Scion material and interactive social media generated at the show by attendees.
First unveiled at the 2012 L.A. Auto Show, the Scion Paper Shapers, created with Japanese graffiti artist Shin Tanaka, are elaborate paper craft cars and at the 2013 show were offered to visitors as a fun takeaway. Those unable to attend the auto show could download the iPad exclusive Scion Paper Shapers app in the App Store.
At its booth, Acura set up several small informational tables that projected images of its cars onto smoky condensation that rose up from the tabletops. Using an iPad-like interface, guests could explore different aspects of the vehicles and even make images larger or smaller by putting a hand close to the smoky screen.
In keeping with the Beetle's cheeky sensibility, Volkswagen created an immersive experience where guests could experience the world of the Beetle from a pod-like setup— complete with interactive videos—meant to mimic sitting inside an actual Beetle.
First introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year, Subaru's setup encouraged guests to choose their own adventure, inspired by the auto brand's notion for the ultimate road trip. Once the photo was taken, they moved to touch-screen kiosks for "post production" to achieve the desired effect. The images could then be shared to social media or emailed directly to the consumer.
In addition to the interactive component, Subaru also unveiled a new Legacy concept vehicle against a sleek and modern backdrop that featured underlit wavelike horizontal slats. A video screen projected an image of a vintage Subaru as a reminder of the brand's design past.
Alongside the brand's newly refreshed Quattroporte flagship sedan, Maserati debuted "Seven Notes," a collection of music tracks produced by Howie B that emulate the seven distinct notes of the Italian carmaker's V8 engines found in the Quattroporte and new Ghibli mid-size sedan. The sounds were emitted through a series of Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers—the same kind that were used to produce the soundtrack in London.
Color-blocking was a loose theme seen throughout the L.A. Auto Show. At the Lexus booth, all vehicles were displayed in the same brilliant shade of white. While part of the flooring was a traditional setup, the driver-focused F-Sport vehicles were showcased on a sensory "runway" that had color-changing beams of light.
At the Volvo stand, which included a sleek two-story, homelike setting, the Swedish carmaker opted for an all-red display of vehicles, a visual that popped against the neutral tones of neighboring booths. Low-lying lattice-like pods that were lit from within served as seating, while iPads displayed relevant information on the new lineup of Volvo models.
Using a similar color palette, Mazda's setup saw a cherry red lineup of vehicles jazz up its otherwise humdrum display.
