Jerry’s Auto Group Visits the Baltimore Auto Show

Last weekend members of the Jerry’s Auto Group staff got the chance to attend the 2012 Baltimore Auto Show at the Baltimore Convention Center, in Downtown Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore Auto Show happens every year and it is a chance for the big auto makers to rub shoulders with the competition and show off their new models.

Some of the auto makers there included : Scion, Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford,  Jaguar, Chrysler and Hyundai, and the displays were nothing short of awesome!

So what did we like (and disliked) about this year’s Baltimore Auto Show? Let’s find out! And to watch our video on the event go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rYwFhnrp9U&feature=youtu.be

Thumbs Down

Hyundai and Ford attempted to outdo one another by bringing in robotic creatures to entertain their crowds. That is fine and dandy; however the end result was the scaring of every child in the building. To be honest the Ford robot wasn’t too bad, as it mainly did a short standup comedy routine and made some wise cracks towards the audience before explaining the Ford product, however the Hyundai robot looked like a menacing robotic beast right out of a “Transformers” nightmare.

At one point the Hyundai robot started walking around the displays, appearing to be “malfunctioning”, which made it blurt out nonsensical statements while it did its menacing strut all over the building. I guess they got the hint when the robot encountered fear everywhere it went. Note to self Hyundai

Another thing that we didn’t like was that some big auto makers were missing. While the selection of cars was excellent, we were disappointed not to find any BMW or Mercedes vehicles there. Another big name car maker that was missing was Mitsubishi, which we found to be inexplicable.

Thumbs Up

At first glance Chevrolet almost made it to the Thumbs down list with their display. Unlike all the other auto makers who had intricate designs to their displays, Chevy had a plain Chevrolet sign on its side of the show, and around it had its vehicles. It wasn’t until I took a closer look that I realized that Chevrolet was letting their vehicles do the wowing.

Chevy brought the big guns to the event, featuring a heavy set cast from all models. Their selection of Corvette’s and Camaro’s specially left us breathless, featuring Corvette’s that we would trade our homes for, and Camaro’s that would make any Chevy fan blush. Chevrolet even brought the Bumblebee Camaro from Transformers to the event (Editors Note: I was half expecting the Bumblebee Camaro to morph into a robot and fight the Hyundai robot during its evil rampage.)

Chrysler had a bland set until we set eyes on the new Jeep Wranglers and the New Jeep Grand Cherokee.  

The new Wrangler’s offer a return to the old Wrangle look, while at the same time adding a better top, a much more comfortable and cargo friendly interior, and a better set of features. It looks the part of the old jeep, but it fits the part of the new age. Their Grand Cherokee’s also offered some improvements, making it a classier vehicle that seems to be looking to compete with the big high class SUV’s.

Scion's display was a big winner

The biggest winner of the Baltimore Auto Show however has to be Scion. Scions display was an innovative effort that made it stand out above the rest. Featuring their full selection, they managed to create a comfortable club atmosphere, while at the same time organize their display by elevating their tC, xB and xD models on a tall platform, so they could be easily seen by everybody. It was impossible to miss the Scion display, and they managed to pull off their display wonderfully, taking most of the 18-25 crowd (which is their target audience) and leaving them hypnotized on their product.

Verdict

While the shunning of Mitsubishi and other big automakers left us a big shaken, the Baltimore Auto Show had the right selection to make us forgive them.  

The 2012 Baltimore Auto Show had a little bit for every member of the family, featuring games for the kids, older models, food displays and most importantly, a huge car selection that everybody could love.  We can’t wait for next year, where we will definitely be there to cover this magnificent event.

Jerry’s Auto Group is located in Baltimore, MD and offers great service for our four stores (Toyota, Chevrolet, Scion and Mitsubishi) and many other vehicle make’s. For more information or to schedule an appointment, go to jerrysitsaboutyou.com.