Photo credit: senior contributor Brendan Kownacki
Start your engines! It’s that time of year again with the launch of the 2014 Washington Auto Show. The show is about way more than cars though. It’s a technology convention, it’s a science conference and a giant showcase of luxury and fun for all attendees. The show fills two massive levels of the cavernous Washington Convention Center and presents 700 new makes and models of cars from over 42 manufacturers including Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Mercedes, Jaguar and more.
Audrina Patridge
The show also stands to present information about renewable fuels, new concept cars that look like something out of the Jetsons and technology that will push forward the transportation industry.
People from all over flock to the auto show to experience of the luxury of Mercedes, the chic designs of the new Fiats, the utility of Ford Trucks. The show is part of the premiere tour for the new Ford F-150 pickup truck, a major redesign in the history of the vehicle. Ford has combined the “high-strength steel frame together with its all-new body and bed, which are constructed using high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloys.” Jeep was also trying to show off its strength and durability, building a driving course full of hills and ramps at the back of the hall to show off that its a vehicle that can do it all, no matter the setting.
The auto show always draws some big names as well. Nationals players Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth made scheduled appearances bringing in some hometown spirit. Also scheduled to appear was WWE Superstar “the Miz”, Pierre Garçon from the Washington Redskins and TV personality and star of “The Hills” Audrina Patridge, who was on hand to sign autographs and chat with fans.
Patridge showed exactly why people called her one of the nice ones on reality TV, posing for photos with each fan who wanted to and signing autographs. Patridge expressed her love for her white Mercedes G-Wagen. “I’ve had it for a while now; I love it because I feel really safe in it and it can take any kind of weather; off-roading in the mountains,” she said describing one of her favorite activities while at her family lake house in Arizona. “I have no trouble with it…[Mercedes] right now. I’ve yet to walk around and check out the cars. It’s gonna be hard to choose.”
The auto show runs through February 2, 2014 at the Walter E. Washington Convention center.
