There’s no shortage of must-see vehicles at Canada’s largest auto show, the Canadian International Auto Show, which runs from February 16-25 in Toronto. Here are six of our favourite.
6. Tesla Cybertruck
After numerous delivery delays, Tesla’s much-anticipated Cybertruck is finally enroute to Canadian streets. But if you haven’t spotted one on the road yet, you’re in luck. The massive, sharply angled, not-so-pedestrian-friendly truck makes its Canadian auto show debut in Toronto. The futuristic-looking truck has an all-electric range of up to 547 kilometres and is built to tackle any terrain. With a top speed of 209 kilometres an hour, it can hit 100 kilometres per hour in only 2.9 seconds. Plus, it’s also a workhorse with a payload of 2,500 pounds and a towing capacity of up to 11,000 pounds. Made of an ultra-hard stainless steel exoskeleton, it has shatter-resistant armoured glass that has been known to crack in the past, and a tough-as-nails composite bed that’s big enough to hold 4x8 materials, in case you take it to the construction site.
A Tesla Cybertruck on display at the 2024 Canadian International AutoShow on Feb. 15. The truck has an all-electric range of up to 547 kilometres and a top speed of 209 kilometres an hour.Liisa Robbins/The Globe and Mail
Four of the ugliest cars at the Toronto auto show
5. Fisker Ocean
You’ll have to fight off the crowds to get near Fisker’s all-electric Ocean SUV. It’s a hit on the show floor thanks to its matte-blue paint, flush door handles and sleek design language. With an electric range of up to 579 kilometres and seating for five, it has a spacious and sustainably-made cabin filled with more than 110 pounds of recycled and bio-based materials. Available in three trims, the base Sport model, which starts at $45,999, has a single motor, front-wheel-drive system with 275 horsepower and a range of up to 372 kilometres. If you want more power and extra goodies, the top Extreme trim has a larger battery and dual motor all-wheel-drive powertrain, which delivers 564 horsepower and can hit 100 kilometres an hour in about 3.7 seconds. It also has a cool rotating 17.1-inch touchscreen and solar panels on the roof that use the sun’s rays to generate more electric juice – up to 2,400 kilometres of free range per year. But that top trim doesn’t come cheap – it’s nearly $80,000.
The Fisker Ocean, on display at the 2024 Canadian International AutoShow, has an electric range of up to 579 kilometres and a sustainably-made cabin filled with more than 110 pounds of recycled and bio-based materials.Liisa Robbins/The Globe and Mail
4. Rimac Nevera
Move over Lamborghini and Ferrari. There’s a new exotic supercar in town and it’s designed and engineered in an unlikely place, Croatia. The Rimac Nevera is a stunning, all-electric sports car, which is billed as the quickest car in the world. Named after the fast and powerful Mediterranean storms that race over Croatia, it’s a force to be reckoned with. Its dual electric motors deliver a whopping 1,914 horsepower and will launch this beauty from zero to 100 clicks in less than two seconds (1.81 seconds, to be exact) enroute to a top speed of 412 kilometres an hour. The sleek two-seater has a carbon fibre monocoque, 120-kilowatt-hour battery, cutting-edge software and a streamlined, sexy design that make it impossible to miss. You’ll want to get a glimpse quick – the chances of spotting a Nevera on the road in Canada are slim. Prices start north of $2-million.
The Rimac Nevera, on display at the 2024 Canadian International AutoShow, is billed as the quickest car in the world. Its dual electric motors deliver 1,914 horsepower and it can go from zero to 100 kilometres an hour in less than two seconds.Liisa Robbins/The Globe and Mail
3. 1974 Ford Bronco electric
This is no ordinary Ford Bronco – this iconic off-roading machine is green, figuratively speaking. This 1974 Bronco is a baby-blue all-electric SUV with 320 kilometres of range and more than 346 lb-ft of torque. The modifications come courtesy of Peterborough, Ont.-based Arc Motor Company, which was founded by female entrepreneur Sloane Paul. Prices to convert a classic car to an electric vehicle start at US$75,000, which includes de-icing the vehicle, or removing all components related to the internal combustion engine and drive train, and creating a 3D scan to identify how much space is available to fit the electric components, batteries and hardware inside your vehicle. It takes about three months to complete the conversion.
A 1974 Ford Bronco that has been converted to be a fully electric vehicle by Arc Motor Company sits on display at the 2024 Canadian International AutoShow.Liisa Robbins/The Globe and Mail
2. 1938 Peugeot
While this green gem looks like the Monopoly car, it’s not. It’s a 1938 Peugeot 402 Darl’mat Special Sport Roadster. Named after Emile Darl’mat who owned one of the world’s largest Peugeot dealers in Paris in the 1920s, the limited-edition high-performance sports car was offered in a roadster, a cabriolet or a coupe body. This four-cylinder roadster placed first in its class at the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1938. It had 70 horsepower and could reach a top speed of 120 kilometres per hour. Only 53 of the Sport Roadster were produced – only 30 still in exist today.
A 1938 Peugeot 402 Darl’mat Special Sport Roadster at the Canadian International AutoShow. Only 53 of the Sport Roadster were produced, and 30 still in exist today.Liisa Robbins/The Globe and Mail
1. Barbie’s 1957 Chevrolet Corvette
Whether you’re a Barbie fan or not, the must-see vehicle at the Toronto show this year is a replica of Barbie’s pink 1957 Chevrolet Corvette. The vehicle, inspired by Hollywood’s blockbuster flick Barbie, is a life-sized version of the iconic Vette styled specifically for the doll. With a curvy, retro silhouette, it’s painted Barbie’s favorite shade of pink and comes complete with a Chevy 283 V8 engine and a custom-designed interior by Action Vehicle Engineering Inc. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll be able to sit inside this stylish two-seat convertible, crank the tunes and head off to Barbieland. The car takes centre stage in the Mattel display in the corner of the North Building.
The Barbie car on display at the 2024 Canadian International AutoShow. As seen in blockbuster film, Barbie, the pink 1957 Chevrolet Corvette is a life-sized version inspired by the iconic Vette styled for the doll.Liisa Robbins/The Globe and Mail
Editor’s note: In an earlier version it was suggested that the Barbie car at the show was seen in the movie. In fact, it is inspired by the movie car. This version has been corrected.
Petrina Gentile