Everything from hybrid trucks to pimped-out rides are on display this week at the 2006 Denver International Auto Show at the Colorado Convention Center.
Thousands of car fanatics poured into the 400,000-square-foot convention center showroom Wednesday evening to jump-start the event. More than 180,000 people are expected to attend the show, which runs through Sunday.
The event is the largest annual automotive show in the Rocky Mountain region and one of the premier shows on the national circuit, organizers say.
“A lot of folks are here to look for fuel-efficient vehicles, sports cars and SUVs,” said Bill Barrow, general manager of the event.
The show arrives at a time when the federal government is setting gas-mileage goals for the largest sport utility vehicles for the first time. The government also wants minivans, pickup trucks and SUVs as a group to increase their fuel efficiency by 11 percent over the next five years.
GM is showcasing its hybrid half-ton truck at the show, meaning it runs on more than just gasoline. Though the truck is only slightly more fuel-efficient than regular pickups, Barrow said it’s a good start and will lead to better hybrids.
“This hybrid is important to Colorado because we love trucks,” Barrow said.
The show features 550 cars, 120 dealers, 37 manufacturers and 60 “after-market” companies, Barrow said.
Relatively new to the Denver show, after-market companies sell everything from rims to entertainment systems to upgrade cars. This is only the second year that after-market firms have been a part of the show, which has been held for 28 years.
Brent Swenson is using the show to officially re-launch his after-market company, 5280 Autosports. The Centennial company had been known as Sunfree Window Tinting and Autosports.
While the five-employee company upgrades cars, its official slogan is, “We re-style to fit your lifestyle.”
“We’re taking the business to a new level,” Swenson said.
The company is showing off a 2006 Dodge Charger with a custom air ride, custom interiors, 22-inch rims and full- blown entertainment and navigation systems.
Swenson is asking $60,000.
Littleton resident Jim Wilkin might be a buyer.
“I want to see the specialty cars,” he said, walking into the show.
Others want to get a taste for the new cars that will be hitting the market soon, such as the Ford Shelby, as well as old favorites like the Chevrolet Corvette.
“It’s a good place to see all of the brands and all of the cars without having to go to the different dealerships and getting hassled by the salespeople,” said Chuck Patterson, a Bailey resident who attended the show with his 9-year-old son, Eddie.
“Seeing the emotions that a car evokes out of consumers is really gratifying,” said James Owens, a marketing manager for Ford, which is showcasing the Edge, a new midsize vehicle.
The Washington Post contributed to this report.
Staff writer Andy Vuong can be reached at 303-820-1209 or avuong@denverpost.com.
Check out the big wheels
What: Denver International Auto Show
Where: Colorado Convention Center
When: Today, 5 to 9 p.m.; Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: All tickets will be sold at the door. $10 for adults; $2 for children 6-12; free for children 5 and under when accompanied by an adult.
Participating manufacturers: Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Explorer Vans Co., Ferrari, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, KIA, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Maserati, Mercedes Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Pontiac, Porsche, Saab, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo.
More information: call 303-588-1305 or visit denverautoshow.com.
