Show Producer Hijacks Popular Concept Car Out of LA Show

    SAN JOSE, Calif.--Jan. 8, 2002--In a move reminiscent of James Bond -- or at least, Austin Powers -- San Jose International Auto show producer Bill Schultz arranged a 1 a.m. extrication of Ford's highly-promoted Forty-Nine concept car from the floor of the Los Angeles Auto Show today and has secured its presence at the Silicon Valley new car exhibition which opens to the public January 9 after tonight's media preview.
    The one-of-a-kind futuristic vehicle had been on display at the Los Angeles Convention Center since January 4 with the understanding that Ford Motors would transfer the prized car to San Jose on January 7. When LA Auto show officials apparently resisted this agreement after large weekends crowds gathered to see the Forty-Nine, Schultz, a 29-year veteran of auto and boat show productions and a Southern California resident, enlisted the assistance of Southern California associates to "take possession of a car rightfully committed to this show."
    "The Forty-Nine might be the hottest concept car on the circuit," Schultz said. "It's been the focus of our show's advertising campaign and its picture is on the cover of the Auto show program which was distributed to 400,000 Bay Area homes in the Sunday San Jose Mercury News. Was I going to stand at the front door of the convention center and apologize to 250,000 people attending our show? I don't think so. If this becomes a legal squabble, I'll deal with it when I get home.
    "My feeling is that this will quickly become a non-issue in LA," Schultz added. "They've got a lot of other great cars down there, but the Bay Area deserves to see this one."
    The San Jose International Auto Show runs January 9-13 at the San Jose Convention Center. A picture of the Forty-Nine is available on line at sjautoshow.com