Big changes are in store this year for fans of the South Florida International Auto Show. Most notably, the show will officially change its name to the Miami International Auto Show (MIAS), paying homage to the alluring destination it has called home for the last 42 years.
The show also will be sporting a whole new look, complete with new exhibits and interactive elements, when it opens on Nov. 9 for its annual 10-day run at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
“We are so excited to unveil the new features of the Miami International Auto Show, and feel the name now truly reflects the culture and history of this time-honored South Beach event,” said Mario Murgado, chair of the Miami International Auto Show.
Among the new exhibits planned for this year’s show is Eco Experience, which will educate environmentally conscious consumers with cutting-edge displays focused on renewable energy and alternative fuel vehicles. Show-goers also will be able to experience select electric cars inside on the main show floor, during a first-time-ever inside track event.
The redesigned show debuts its first ever “Topless in Miami” exhibit, presented in partnership with the Southern Automotive Media Association (SAMA). This unique showcase will allow guests to fully experience a convertible car in a picturesque Miami environment, while never leaving the showroom floor.
Recognizing the impact of social media, the 2012 show will offer the hundreds of thousands of show attendees an opportunity to connect and interact with each other in real time via Twitter. Prominent screens will be displayed at high traffic points across the show floor, encouraging visitors to engage in a conversation about their experience at the Miami Show.
In addition to the new exhibits, showgoers can expect to see returning favorites such as Memory Lane, which will feature American muscle vehicles and a special exhibit showcasing classic automobiles from Havana. In Million Dollar Alley, visitors can fantasize about their ultimate joy toy, a six-figure motorcar. Camp Jeep and an outside test drive program will put visitors behind the wheel of popular new models.
“As always at this auto show, car enthusiasts and the general public alike can see and experience hundreds of new cars up close and personal, all under one roof,” Murgado said. “It’s a once-a-year chance to get a glimpse of the newest models and to see what the future of the industry will hold.”
Each year, approximately 40 major auto manufacturers fill the hall with several hundred new cars, trucks, crossovers and SUVs, making this event one of America’s top five in attendance. The South Florida Automobile Dealers Association, which today comprises more than 190 dealerships in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties, has been the official sponsor of the South Florida International Auto Show since its inception in 1971.
For more information on this year’s event, contact show coordinator Cliff Ray at 305-981-1448 or visit the auto show’s website at www.sfliautoshow.com
