Back To The … AutoShow: Oblivion exhibit celebrates cars of the 80s and 90s at CIAS
The OBLIVION ‘80s and ‘90s Car and Culture Show will be back at the AutoShow with an exhibit that calls back to the decades of excess, vintage cars, a 1980s-style arcade and plenty of throwbacks.
TORONTO, February 7, 2023 — Celebrating the decades of excess when Generation X came of age, the OBLIVION ‘80s and ‘90s Car and Culture Show is returning to the Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS) happening in the North and South Buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre between February 17th and 26th, 2023.
A showcase that is committed to the vehicles of the 1980s and 1990s — surrounded by the pop culture elements that helped define the era (think video game arcades, big action flicks, New Wave, Hair Metal and Grunge music blaring out of ghetto blasters, pastel and neon clothing) — OBLIVION is bringing eight vintage vehicles to the 2023 AutoShow, headlined by the iconic DeLorean time machine made famous in the Back to the Future movie trilogy.
“The people of my generation have a growing sense of nostalgia and a genuine desire to re-connect with the elements of their youth, whether that is the first car they drove or the toys they played with as a kid,” says Justin Sookraj, founder of OBLIVION and owner of Wells Auto, a DeLorean-specific dealership and repair shop in Milton. “As the artifacts from the ‘80s and ‘90s become more rare, OBLIVION is a way to celebrate that culture fondly.”
The OBLIVION car show had its first event in Milton in 2018 with a strict edict that it was only showcasing vehicles from the era when Generation X (and the first wave of Generation Y) came of age. It has since become a roving show with a new venue every year that speaks to the eras it celebrates, having been at Ontario place, a vintage camp and a classic mall with 1980s architecture and aesthetic.
OBLIVION made its debut at the Canadian International AutoShow in 2020; its return will include the complete experience, with displays of pop culture tidbits that defined the decades — ghetto blasters, toys and music — and an arcade with both arcade-style and home console games ($5 for unlimited play).
At the 2023 Canadian International AutoShow, the OBLIVION exhibit will showcase a couple of instantly recognizable cars from movies and TV, plus some rare showstoppers that will get the nostalgic juices flowing. Among the cars planned to be part of the display is a 1987 Magna Torrero Prototype, one of only three ever built. Powered by a 532hp 8.1L V8, it features all-wheel drive, satellite navigation, a video entertainment system and an on-board fax machine.
Other cars to be seen at OBLIVION include:
1993 Jeep YJ, straight from Jurassic Park
1994 Alfa Romeo RZ
199 Plymouth Prowler and Trailer
1987 BMW M3
1991 Honda Civic Special Edition
1993 GMC Typhoon
“Cars produced in the 1980s are all turning 40 this decade — they are true classics in every sense of the word,” says Jason Campbell, General Manager of the AutoShow. “They are an important piece of the collector market, while also driving a strong sense of nostalgia for Generation X.”
The OBLIVION display room will be found in Castrol Alley on the 700 Level of the South Building in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (rooms 714 and 716).
Stay connected with the Canadian International AutoShow on Instagram @autoshowca, Twitter @autoshowcanada and Facebook /autoshowcanada.
About the Canadian International AutoShow, presented by The Toronto Star
Celebrating its 50th year, the Canadian International AutoShow coming to the North and South Buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre between February 17th and 26th, 2023 features more than 650,000 square feet of exhibits, displays and attractions spanning the North and South Buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. With an annual attendance in excess of 330,000, the Canadian International AutoShow is not only the largest automotive expo in Canada, it is also the country’s largest consumer show. A leader in lifestyle, technology and all things automotive, it is a showcase for the latest cars, trucks, SUVs, concept cars, exotics, classics, muscle cars, electric and alternative fuel vehicles.
About OLBIVION coming to CIAS
The OBLVIION Car and Culture show is a love letter to all things ‘80s and ‘90s — the posters, magazines, movies, music video games and, of course, the iconic cars that cater to the nostalgic desires of Generation X. An update on the “classic” car show, OBLIVION showcases the new classics in the automotive world. Held annually in the summer, it is a roving show that each year selects a unique location that speaks to days gone by — starting in Milton in 2018, it has since staged shows at Ontario Place, a vintage summer camp and, in the summer of 2022, a classic shopping mall in London, Ont., with period architecture and skylights. For more information, visit oblivioncarshow.ca.
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