The Canadian International Auto Show is not just the largest auto show in the country — it’s also the largest consumer show in Canada, full stop.
That’s great news for car enthusiasts of all stripes. There are endless treasures to be found among the two massive exhibit halls and four additional floors of displays that fill the entirety of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) every January.
But the flip side is if you have very specific goals – like seeing everything on the show floor that’s related to motorsport, for example – then a focused approach is called for.
To that end, here’s a road map through the North and South buildings that takes you past everything to do with racing that can be found at the 2020 Canadian International Auto Show.
(This information is current as of publication time and is subject to change.)
MTCC 100 Level
To start with the largest collection of race cars on the show floor, head to the special exhibits room on the 100 level, next door to Auto Exotica. Four classic McLarens are on display commemorating McLaren Racing’s 2020 induction into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame as an international candidate.
Why does McLaren Racing belong in a Canadian racing hall of fame? While the marque is well-known for its 12 Formula 1 world championships, three Indianapolis 500 wins, and victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, there’s a lesser-known Canadian connection: between 1967 and 1971, it was victorious in five consecutive Can-Am Challenge Cup series championships, two of them achieved by Bruce McLaren himself.
The four cars on display are a 1969 McLaren M6/B Can-Am car raced by Mario Andretti; the 1974 McLaren M23 Formula 1 car driven by Emerson Fittipaldi; a 2020 720S McLaren GT3 owned by Karl Thomson, resident of Richmond Hill, Ont., and team principal of sports car team Compass Racing; and the 1972 McLaren M16 that Mark Donohue drove to victory in the Indianapolis 500 that year, a first win for him, for McLaren, and for legendary team owner Roger Penske.
McLaren Racing’s induction ceremony will take place at an invitation-only gala ahead of the auto show. But if you’re disappointed to hear you can’t attend that, then you might care to learn this: the main 2020 Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in the MTCC’s John Bassett Theatre on Saturday, February 15, from 6:00 to 10:00 PM.
Seven Canadians will be inducted, including active sports car racer Bruno Spengler and career racers Gary Magwood, Allan Berg and Robin Buck, among others. Ten legends of Canadian motorsport media will be celebrated as well. Tickets are $95 each at autoshow.ca and also gain you same-day admission to the auto show.
Before you leave the 100 level, stop by the joint booth for the Canadian Touring Car Championship and Shannonville Motorsport Park. The long-time organizers of CTCC, John and Dominique Bondar, have partnered with Toronto businessman and grassroots racer Steve Gidman to purchase the 40-plus-year-old track located next to the 401 east of Belleville. They’re already working on facility upgrades that will make Shannonville a better place for regional and national racing of all kinds, plus track days and corporate events. They’ll be at the booth themselves on most days to chat about their plans.
MTCC 700 Level
The rest of the quality motorsport content is on the 800 level, the bottom floor of the South Building and the exact opposite end of the convention centre from the McLaren display. But while you’re in transit, if you have your kids in tow – or if you’re a big kid at heart yourself – you can stop to pose with a life-size Lightning McQueen and other Disney Pixar movie vehicles at a feature called Onward (and a Bit Backwards): The Pixar Vehicle Experience, found on the 700 level in Castrol Alley.
MTCC 800 Level
There are a few gems to seek out in the show’s busiest exhibit hall.
First, head to the Toyota stand where you can see the TS050 for yourself, the prototype with which Toyota claimed its first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019. The car, which will be among the last to compete in the LMP1 category that’s soon to be phased out, weighs just 878 kg and is powered by a twin-turbocharged 2.4-litre 90-degree V6 gasoline engine and an eight-megajoule hybrid system for a combined output of close to 1,000 hp.
Next, seek out the Porsche booth. While not intended for organized competition, the new Porsche 935 is an homage to the 935/78 dubbed “Moby Dick” and a hat tip to 70 years of Porsche sports cars. Unveiled at the most recent Rennsport Reunion, it takes design cues from all over the Porsche catalogue such as rear wing endplates from the 919 Hybrid LMP1, side mirrors from the Le Mans-winning 911 RSR, and titanium tailpipes based on the Porsche 908 from 1968. Built around a 3.8-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo engine that’s similar to the road-legal 911 GT2 RS, production is limited to 77 units.
And finally, if you just can’t get enough McLaren content, there’s one more interesting car worth seeing at the brand’s display of its modern vehicles on the 800 level. Bruce McLaren won the Can-Am championship by winning 11 races with the M8B in 1969. To commemorate this, a Canada-only special edition McLaren Senna Can-Am is on display with a louvered front fender design, four-pipe exhaust, and a 25-hp power upgrade — topped off with a decal of a Canadian flag.
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