The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in the Seaport District became a 434,00-square-foot heated garage for the more than 1,000 vehicles on display from Thursday to Monday at the New England International Auto Show. Billed as the largest auto show in New England and produced by the Needham-based Paragon Group Inc., the event displayed newest-model-year imported and domestic vehicles, ranging from cars and sports utilities to crossovers and hybrids.
Here's how six companies made use of their space and employed different ideas—using everything from games to five-minute rides—to engage visitors on the trade show floor.
Photo: BizBash
Jeep at the New England International Auto Show
Jeep’s test track offered free rides on its 2012 vehicles: the Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Liberty, Compass, and Patriot. The 100-by-300-foot area included obstacles to highlight the vehicles’ ground clearance, maneuverability, stability, traction, and articulation.
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Jeep at the New England International Auto Show
Jeep’s test track included a 16-foot "mountain" at a 30-degree angle on both sides. The track accommodated six vehicles at a time.
Photo: Courtesy of Paragon Group Inc.
Jeep at the New England International Auto Show
Driven by professional drivers, the vehicles cleared stability wedges at 30-degree angles, giving passengers a sideways view. Each ride lasted five or six minutes.
Photo: BizBash
Toy Motorsports at the New England International Auto Show
Toy Motorsports, a Marlborough-based detailing, electronics, and car customization company, had the New Zealand-made VisionRacer at the show. Sold at Toy Motorsports for around $1,500, VisionRacer is a personalized driving simulator that works with an existing PS2 or other gaming platform. Adults and kids tested their driving skills before perusing Toy Motorsports’ offerings.
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Toy Motorsports at the New England International Auto Show
Also on display at Toy Motorsports’ station was a fully installed subwoofer speaker sound system made with the very fragile stone champagne onyx. Reportedly the first and only of its kind, the speaker system is also wired to a fiber optic system that provides the illusion of a star-filled night sky on the vehicle’s ceiling.
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Lexus at the New England International Auto Show
Before entering into the display from Lexus, visitors popped into the Immersion Gallery. A large rectangle structure finished to look like black marble, the gallery situated visitors in front of a flat-screen TV showing video clips about the car maker’s 2012 line. The gallery had minimal lighting, with a splash of starry, inlaid white-lights overhead, providing respite from the bustling trade show floor.
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Lexus at the New England International Auto Show
Lexus also included an “Amazing Finishes” display, in which visitors could see the results of multiple mix-and-matches of colors and finishes.
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Scion at the New England International Auto Show
Starting from the ground up, Scion built a two-story integrated metal car rack within the convention space. The rack was lit to encourage visitors to take seats in the 2012 XD vehicle, positioned on the bottom rack.
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Scion at the New England International Auto Show
Behind the Scion XD, an interactive touch screen touted Scion drivers’ individuality in art, film, music, and racing. Visitors could read about the company’s participation in creative events and customize a Scion of their own.
Photo: BizBash
Scion at the New England International Auto Show
To highlight Scion’s creative interests, the manufacturer created an art-inspired, top-lit display case of add-on accessories for visitors to view as they exited the car rack.
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Audi at the New England International Auto Show
Audi provided four mini kiosk stations, each equipped with a touch screen loaded with specs and visuals about its 2012 collection.
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Audi at the New England International Auto Show
Using the kiosks, guests could build their own Audi and instantly see the results, with step-by-step instructions on how to customize the vehicle. Instead of a drop-down menu, options on the touch screen were organized via an Audi wheel.
Photo: BizBash
Amica at the New England International Auto Show
Aauto, home, and life insurance company Amica, piqued the interest of passersby with the Amica Pitch Zone. Visitors stepped up to a baseball mound and tried to throw softballs over home plate—in this case, a net flanked by a poster of Jon Lester and a picture of Fenway’s sidelines.
Photo: BizBash
Amica at the New England International Auto Show
Winners of Amica’s Pitch Zone won different auto items, such as a car brush, ice scraper, or air freshener, depending on their performance level: strike out or three strikes, full count or two strikes, and hitter’s count or one strike.
Photo: BizBash
