The 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show Zooms Into Town With 'First-Ever' Exhibits
The Area's Largest New Car 'Showroom' to Feature Tuner Car Salon with Celebrity Vehicles
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 31 -- Over 700 vehicles from more than 40 different manufacturers will be on display at this year's Philadelphia International Auto Show which parks at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from February 5 through 13. Produced by the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia (ADAGP), the show will feature its first-ever Tuner Car Salon.
"Each year we improve the Philadelphia Auto Show by making it bigger and better than the year before," said Glenn Davis, chairman of the 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show and president of Davis Pontiac Isuzu in Richboro. "Our tuner car exhibit was such a hit in 2004 that we decided to expand the display for 2005 into a 20,000-square-foot Tuner Salon. We will also unveil a record number of East Coast debut vehicles and will be displaying a record number of hybrid cars. This show truly has something for everyone."
The ADAGP will continue its traditional pledge of donating one dollar for every auto show attendee to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) through the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation.
"The Auto Show has a positive impact on the City of Philadelphia from both a philanthropic and an economic perspective. The ADAGP is thrilled to continue its support of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia through the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation at the 2005 show," said Kevin Mazzucola, Executive Director of the ADAGP and the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation.
"Also, last year's exit surveys indicated that the 2004 Auto Show represented a $25 million economic impact on the region, from people coming into the city and enjoying the wonderful amenities available to them," said Mazzucola.
The Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia has contributed over $2.5 million to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in just over a decade. The Foundation has recently renewed their support of the Hospital with a $2 million, six-year pledge to support construction and maintenance of the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Patient Welcome Center in the Richard D. Wood Pediatric Ambulatory Care Center, as well as other programs benefiting the lives and welfare of children who are patients of the Hospital.
Philly's Largest Eagles Tailgate Party
The 2005 International Auto Show will host "Philadelphia's Largest Eagles Tailgate Party" on Saturday, February 5th, opening day of the show. With more than 700 vehicles from more than 40 manufacturers as a backdrop, Eagles fans are encouraged to participate by wearing their Eagles green and enjoying the sounds of the Eagles Fight Song, "Fly Eagles Fly" every hour on the hour. Additional tailgate party activities include tailgate-style food, drinks and Eagles prizes.
East Coast Debuts
The Philadelphia International Auto Show will witness the unveiling of several new vehicles for the first time on the East Coast, including the Aston Martin DB9, Aston Martin Vanquish S, Audi A4/S4, Audi A3, Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06, Dodge Charger, Ferrari Modena F430, Ford Mustang Convertible, Ford Fusion, Infiniti M45, Honda Ridgeline, Lamborghini Murcielago, Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster, Lexus GS, Mercedes ML350, Pontiac Torrent, Saturn Sky Roadster and the Subaru B9 Tribeca.
Concept Vehicles
Concept vehicles, built by manufacturers to reflect the innovative design and styling in the exterior and interior of future vehicles, are always a Philadelphia showgoer favorite. Concepts that will be on hand include Buick Velite, Chevrolet Nomad, Chrysler Airflite, Dodge Slingshot and Ford Shelby GR1.
Tuner Salon
The Tuner Salon located inside the Philadelphia International Auto Show is THE place to see one of the hottest rages in the auto industry today. Targeted to buyers 16 to 30 years old, a typical tuner car may feature shiny rims, an upgraded exhaust, customized shift knobs and a "suped up" stereo system.
A tuner car is a new or used stock vehicle whose owner has added customized high performance parts, accessories and graphics to better reflect his or her unique personality and style. For the first time, tuner cars of national celebrities will be exhibited at this year's event such as Miami Heat basketball player Shaquille O'Neal's 2003 Cadillac Escalade and rap artist Ludacris' 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT.
Additional highlights at the show include two Mazda vehicle giveaways, concept cars, classic, luxury, exotic, new production and specialty vehicles. See how Subaru, Mazda, Chrysler/Dodge/Mopar, Scion, Honda and Pontiac perfected customized vehicles at the first-ever 20,000-square-feet Tuner Salon at the Auto Show. For more information on the Tuner Salon, visit http://www.phillytunersalon.com/.
Celebrity Tuner Vehicles
In addition to the manufacturer displays of tuner cars, the Tuner Salon will also feature a "DUB Magazine Celebrity Car Showcase" with Miami Heat Basketball player Shaquille O'Neal's 2003 Cadillac Escalade, Rap artist Ludacris' 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Rap artist Twista's 2005 Chrysler 300c, Middleweight boxing champion Bernard Hopkins' 2005 Chrysler 300 and Bentley Azure, DUB Magazine's 2005 DUB Edition Dodge Magnum.
Specialty Vehicles
Additional Tuner Specialty Vehicles located inside the respective manufacturer's displays include SEMA Chevrolet Corvette, SEMA Pontiac GTO, Nissan NISMO Frontier, Lincoln Navigator K and Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.
Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce Exotic Vehicle Display
Those interested in seeing some of the most sought after vehicles in the world will enjoy the exotic vehicle display featuring the Aston Martin DB9, Aston Martin Vanquish S, Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Arnage, Ferrari Modena 430, Lamborghini Murcielago Barchetta, Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster, Lamborghini Gallardo and Rolls-Royce Phantom. Exotic vehicles are courtesy of F.C. Kerbeck of Palmyra, NJ.
Hybrid Vehicles
Hybrid vehicles continue to grow in popularity and more will be featured this year than ever before. A hybrid vehicle has both a gasoline engine and an electric motor to conserve fuel mileage. Honda will display the Accord, Civic and Insight. GMC will show the Sierra, Lexus will highlight the 400H, Ford plans to display the SUV Escape and Toyota will showcase the Prius.
Promotions
The 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show will feature two Mazda car giveaways and Hyundai will present a donation to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. On Saturday, February 5th, Mazda will give away a Mazda 3 hatchback, tuner car. On Saturday, February 12th, Mazda will be giving away a second vehicle - a Mazda 3. Hyundai will also give a vehicle away and present a $20,000 donation to the Hospital on Thursday, February 10th. Additional details on these promotions will be available at the respective manufacturer's exhibits.
Vintage Display
The 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show will feature a vintage display from the Eastern U.S. Concours D'Elegance and the Buckingham Concours D'Elegance. The special exhibit will feature some of the most prestigious cars of our automobile heritage.
Black Tie Tailgate Preview Charitable Gala
On Friday evening, February 4th, from 7-11:30 p.m., the ADAGP will host the Black Tie Tailgate Preview Gala. For just $150 per person, guests can preview the show before it opens to the public and enjoy food, drinks and entertainment. Proceeds benefit The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia through the Automobile Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation, which contributes funding and resources for worthwhile child-related programs and causes throughout the Philadelphia region. It is recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. Tickets to the Black Tie Tailgate can be purchased by calling 800-759-9533 or at http://www.blacktietailgate.com/.
Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation Day
Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation Day will be held on Sunday, February 13th, offering all children age 12 and under free admission when accompanied by an adult. A host of popular children's characters including Dora the Explorer, The Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2, Elmo and more will meet and greet the whole family. Free face painting, balloon animals and arts and crafts will also be available in the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation Activity Room. Kids can also participate in the "Project Safe Kids Amber Alert Child Safety Program." Parents will receive a free wallet-sized disc that will hold up to ten children's photos and digital finger prints, which will be taken at the show. The first 250 kids who enter the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation Activity Room will receive a free gift, and the first 500 kids to participate in the safety program will receive a free DNA identification kit. Parents are required to accompany their children throughout their stay in the Activity Room.
About the Show
The 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show rolls into the Pennsylvania Convention Center from February 5-13, 2005. This year's show will have hundreds of concept, east coast debuts, classic, luxury, new production, exotic vehicles, specialty vehicles and for the first time ever, a Tuner Car Salon. Produced and owned by the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia (ADAGP), the 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show will feature more than 700 vehicles from more than 40 participating manufacturers from around the world.
The 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show hours are:
-- Noon to 10 p.m. on weekdays
-- 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays
-- 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 6
-- 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13
Box office admission is:
-- $12.00 for adults (ages 13 and older) on weekends
-- $10.00 for adults (ages 13 and older) on weekdays
-- $6.00 for children (age 7-12) on weekends and weekdays
-- Free for children six and under
-- Senior citizens (age 62 and over) receive a special admission price of
$6.00 on weekdays only
"E-ticket" prices are:
-- $10.00 for adults (ages 13 and older) valid any show day
-- $6.00 for children (ages 7-12) valid any show day
-- Free for children six and under
Online tickets can be purchased by clicking on the "Buy Tickets Now" link on the official 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show Web site, http://www.phillyautoshow.com/. Once purchased, "E-tickets" can be printed immediately for redemption at the show.
SEPTA Tickets:
Discounted ticket prices are $7.00 for adult admission. The discounted tickets can be redeemed for admission into the Auto Show weekdays, February 7-11. Children and senior tickets are also available, with admission $6, respectively. SEPTA and the ADAGP are once again making available a "Turbo Pass," which entitles riders to unlimited, one-day travel on SEPTA buses, trolleys and trains from February 5-13. "Turbo Passes" are not valid on SEPTA Regional Rail Trains arriving in Center City Philadelphia prior to 9:30 a.m.
Discount adult admission tickets, child/senior tickets and the SEPTA "Turbo Pass" will be available at 75 SEPTA Sales Offices including:
-- SEPTA 15th Street Store -- SEPTA 69th & Market Street Sales Office -- SEPTA Broad Street & Olney Avenue Sales Office -- SEPTA Transit Museum Store at 1234 Market Street, Lobby -- SEPTA Railroad Ticket Offices Discount Coupons Available at Your New Car and Truck Franchised Dealers
Discount coupons can be picked up at your new car and truck franchised dealer. Coupons can be redeemed at the box office at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for a discount on admission to the Auto Show. For a partial list of participating dealers, go to http://www.adagp.com/.
About Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation
One dollar for every attendee to the Philadelphia International Auto Show has been pledged to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia through the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation. Due to increased attendance in 2004, the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation contributed over $279,000 to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, completing their $1 million, five-year pledge one year early. The Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia has contributed over $2.5 million to the Hospital in just over a decade. The Foundation has recently renewed their support of the Hospital with a $2 million, six-year pledge to support construction and maintenance of the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Patient Welcome Center in the Richard D. Wood Pediatric Ambulatory Care Center, as well as other programs benefiting the lives and welfare of children who are patients of the Hospital. Once that pledge is completed, accumulated contributions will exceed $4.5 million. For more information about the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation, visit http://www.caringforkids.com/.
For more information about the 2005 Philadelphia International Auto Show, visit the show's Web site at http://www.phillyautoshow.com/.
About the ADAGP
The ADAGP, established in 1904, is the oldest association of its kind in the nation. The Association, comprised of 230 franchised new car and truck dealers throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, leads lobbying efforts, provides education and training seminars, conducts a Sales Training Academy to recruit new individuals into the retail automotive industry, and owns and produces the Philadelphia International Auto Show. The ADAGP's 230 members sell approximately 211,400 new vehicles every year. This process generates $10 billion in sales and employs approximately 16,684 people with annual payroll of over $700 million.
About The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is ranked today as the best pediatric hospital in the nation for the third consecutive year by a comprehensive Child Magazine survey. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, The Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu/.
