Calgary Auto Show 2012: Part 1

On Friday I took the day off work to head up to Calgary with my Dad to check out the 2012 International Auto Show.  I'd been interested in going since last summer, and thought it would be a cool experience to drive up in my XJ8 and see some of the newest Jaguar models on display.  Of course, it was also an opportunity to bond with my Dad over world class supercars and encourage him to buy me one for my upcoming birthday. I have a strong suspicion that it didn't work, but that could just be part of the surprise.

We drove up that morning and had lunch at Denny's when we got into town.  A meat-lover's omelet and beer is clearly the perfect fuel for an afternoon of walking a trade show, and I'm proud that my Dad and I both share an affinity for all-day breakfasts. I knew it would be a good day once we pulled up to the gate of the BMO Centre where the Auto Show was, and the parking attendant quipped, "You drove this car here just for me, right?"  Just one of the many reasons I love my Jaguar (pictured below). 

Inside, my Dad suggested that we go to the Jaguar section first.  It turned out to be a really good idea as I ended up shooting so many pictures on our way there - and of all the Jaguar's on display - that my camera's battery died shortly after. You can't really blame a guy for being a bit trigger happy with that much eye candy in one room. Thankfully I had my iPod Touch to shoot pictures of all of the remaining cars. 

We were looking at a Jaguar XK and I was telling my Dad about how they'd changed the gear selector to a dial that rises out of the centre console when the car is turned on. One of the Jaguar associates overheard me and approached us. "It sounds like you know a lot about these cars" he said. I admitted that I owned an old Jag and that I had paid a lot of attention to the redesign of the brand.  This was where his tone changed, as suddenly I wasn't just a fan, but a potential customer.  

He told me all about how I could get a discount because of the car show and an added loyalty discount of $18,000 because I already owned a Jaguar.  This was perfect, because it meant that I'd only need to come up with another $100,000 to buy a new XJ. I'm most certainly on the fringe of the Jaguar clientele, but it was flattering to be treated like a member of the club anyway.  Then again, he probably knew right off the bat that I was a man of importance because of the shorts and sneakers I was wearing. 

So, while buying a new Jaguar XJ was never in the cards, it wasn't a total loss as I was incredibly happy and surprised that I did get the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of one.  My brief discussion with the associate also landed me a beautiful (and clearly expensive) card stock booklet about the new XJ and the personalized options available for ordering one.  I figure if I hold on to it for 20 years it could really come in handy when I'm ready to buy a used 2012 Jaguar.  And on an interesting side note, they still do the burl walnut veneer finish that's in my existing car - thank you XJ booklet for that.

All and all it was a really enjoyable day.  We spent about 4 hours wandering around checking out all of the different displays and sharing car stories.  While the supercars were all roped off, it was nice that you could get up close and even sit in a lot of the cars to get a feel for them.  My Dad seems to be on the fence about springing for a Cadillac, but I think with a bit more time I can get him to go for something far less practical - like a Maserati.  It'll take a lot of work, but there's always next year.

Come back for Part 2 tomorrow where I'll be posting more pictures from the Auto Show, including some of the nicest cars we saw from Bentley, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and Ferrari.  Also, check out my other blog, Jeeves and the Jaguar for more original photo sets of my favorite vehicles at the 2012 show.