Many Americans associate November with Thanksgiving turkey and football, but if you love cars, you know that November is also a great time for auto shows. There are five huge auto shows from the East Coast to the West Coast, so there is probably one near you.
The month starts with the Central California Auto Show at the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center in northern California on the weekend of November 2. Adults only have to pay $7 to get in, and college students with the right ID can get in for the price of one. Isuzu will be there with the 2008 version of its popular SUV, the Ascender 5-Passenger, as well as its line of high-performance pickup trucks, which includes the i-290 and the i-370. Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Lexus, to name just a few, are among the other well-known car companies that are expected to be there.
If you don't want to miss the Tampa Bay International Auto Show, which starts on November 8 in sunny Tampa, Florida, you should travel across the country the next weekend. If you're lucky, you might see the VX-O2, which is Isuzu's own concept car. This beautiful open-air crossover vehicle has leather-trimmed Recaro Sport seats, a GPS navigation system, an infrared data port, a Clarion AutoPC system with real-world command, control, and communication capabilities, text-to-speech e-mail, an address book, voice memos, and vehicle diagnostics. Wow.
If you can't go to Florida, you might like Texas better. At the same time, the International Auto and Truck Show is held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. This is the 39th year of the auto show, and Isuzu, Porsche, Jaguar, and Lotus are all there.
On the south side of Bridge Hall, there will be a special area to honour Chevrolet's history. There will be 350 new cars from 2008 on display.
Also in the middle of the month is the South Florida International Auto Show. From November 9 to 18, in Miami, there will be a lot of cars at the Miami Beach Convention Center that will interest any car lover. This show, which is known for "Million Dollar Alley," has a whole segment about cars that only the rich can afford:
Maserati, Aston-Martin, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Lamborghini.
Then it's time to head west to the Arizona International Auto Show, which is the last auto show of the month. The show in Phoenix starts on November 22 at 9 a.m. and goes through November 25. It is planned for Thanksgiving weekend. On the 25th, which is Family Day, kids under 12 get in for free if they are with a paid adult.
What better time than the end of 2007 to find out what's new for 2008? Auto shows are a great way to spend time with friends and family, whether you want to buy a new car, are interested in the concept cars of the future, or are interested in the history of the auto industry, starting with Henry Ford's Model T. As the holidays get closer and our lives get busier, auto shows can be a fun way to spend the day. Everyone can find something they like.
