Vision of the Future Leads San Jose Auto Show to Record Attendance

12 January 2000

Vision of the Future Leads San Jose Auto Show to Record Attendance

    SAN JOSE, Calif.--Jan. 11, 2000--Responding to an unprecedented display of seven factory concept vehicles, residents of the Silicon Valley visited the planet's first 21st Century exhibition of automotive transportation at the San Jose International Auto Show 2000 Jan. 5-9 and established a new event attendance standard of 208,912.
    In surpassing the 200,000 turnstile count, the San Jose Show increased attendance by 19.4% over last year's mark of 174,822 when Jaguar debuted the 2000 S-Type. The crowds represented an even more staggering 42% increase over 1998 when the new Volkswagen Beetle made its North American debut.
    The sixth annual Show at the San Jose Convention Center in the heart of the world's high technology industry displayed over 350 available new cars, light trucks, sport utility vehicles and minivans but it was a glimpse of the industry's future that proved the most captivating.
    "Since the conclusion of last year's show, our goal was to respond to the public's demand for concept cars," said Show Chairman Mark Normandin, General Manager of Normandin Chrysler Plymouth Jeep. "The customers, especially those who reside in this market, are driven by innovation and visions of the future. Their message was clear: provide more concept vehicles.
    "While the Detroit and Los Angeles Shows are just opening," Normandin added, "we took our role of being this century's FIRST new car show very seriously."
    Headlined by the display of Ford's 2001 Thunderbird, the San Jose Show offered presentations of the Chevrolet Nomad, DaimlerChrysler PT Cruiser, Buick XP2000, Ford P2000, Toyota E-Com and Kia KMS4.
    The metallic gold Kia concept provided a striking contrast to the "Car of the 20th Century," as voted by an international panel of journalists, a 1910 Ford Model T which was exhibited at the main entrance.
    Additionally the San Jose Show addressed the future of automotive transportation from another angle with the Kids Kar Show, an interactive display of motorized and pedal-powered vehicles for children nine and under. The Kids Kar Show served over 10,000 drivers during the five-day show.
    Produced by Auto Dealer Shows Inc. of Playa Del Rey, Calif., the San Jose International Auto Show 2001 is scheduled for Jan. 10-14, 2001, at the downtown convention center in San Jose.