Ray Ho – 11/18/2023

If I said the LA Auto Show was getting bigger and bigger every year, I would be lying to you. In fact, there has been a steady decline in car company attendance at the LA Auto Show over the years. So who is attending this year? Or maybe I should tell you who is not showing up: no Alfa Romeo, no Audi, no Aston Martin, no BMW, no Fiat, no Jaguar, no Land Rover, no Mercedes-Benz, no Mini, no Volvo, etc. In fact, the lone European car manufacturer attending this year is VW. That is right, even one of the staple marques, Porsche, is no longer at the LA Auto Show. It is replaced by Kevin Hart’s collection. Kevin Hart has an impressive array of cars, but there is no substitute for… NVM.

We kind of see this coming; the auto show landscape has been changing. Ever since COVID, just like remote work, it seems car manufacturers are no longer compelled to present physical cars to the general public. They get most of their publicity online and through social media. What can’t you get remotely nowadays? Spoiler alert! Do you know you can order a Hyundai throough Amazon next year? It is a shame that the LA Auto Show has been shrinking. It is so wonderful to physically checkout many cars in one location, all without the sales pressure. Don’t like cars from a particular manufacturer? Just walk a few steps to another brand. Isn’t it fun to sit inside a 394 HP Porsche Boxster convertible and imagine yourself driving down PCH, even though you are only in the market for a minivan? Well, you can forget that! No Porsche this year!

However, even with limited cars, the auto show is still one of those family-friendly events to spend a half-day at. You can now get rides in EVs running inside the convention center. There are the usual exhibits from Galpin’s Auto Group and the aftermarket place in Kentia Hall, where it features many low-rider vehicles this year. There are a slew of car-related vendors as well. For some of you who are not ready to buy a real car yet, there are literally thousands of toy car models to choose from. Finally, some Porsches.

Let’s help bring back the LA Auto Show to its former glory by supporting it this year. Besides, since you can do all your Black Friday shopping with your phone while binge-watching Netflix, going out physically to roam around the convention center is a great way to burn off some calories from your holiday feast. Correct, the show runs through the Thanksgiving weekend. Disclaimer: This article is not generated by AI; otherwise, it would be way more entertaining.