One moment of curiosity and one small act of kindness at an auto show sparked Marc Ouayoun’s automotive obsession. He was 13 years old in 1986, living in Paris, attending the city’s big biennial auto show. From behind a glass door at the closed-off Porsche booth, he was trying to get a better look at the 930 Turbo and the hot new 959 supercar. One of the Porsche executives saw this 13 year old, opened the door and let him in.
“He gave me some brochures and told me, you know, one day maybe either you’ll work for Porsche or you’ll get one,” Ouayoun recalled.
Today, Ouayoun is the proud owner of a very-1980s purple Porsche 964 Cabriolet and also the president and chief executive of Porsche Cars Canada.
The Auto Exotic display room at the 2020 Canadian International Auto Show.Matt Bubbers/The Globe and Mail
He’s convinced car shows can still ignite automotive obsessions for young people today, and the 2020 Canadian International Auto Show is certainly trying its darndest to do just that. The number of exotic concepts, rare classics and wild supercars on display this year is staggering. If anything can pique someone’s curiosity for cars, it’s these machines.
At BMW’s expansive booth, you’ll find the spectacular Vision M Next concept. This wedge-shaped hybrid machine finds the perfect tension between looking to the future while paying homage to the past. Its designer, Jose Casas, said he was inspired by BMW’s first supercar, the 1978 M1, but also by Y3 sneakers and movies and random shapes he sees out in the world.
BMW's Vision M Next concept.Matt Bubbers/The Globe and Mail
Rumour has it BMW’s 600-horsepower plug-in hybrid could become a production car eventually.
Just across the show floor, at Porsche’s booth you’ll find the new 935 on a rotating plinth. Its bare carbon-fibre bodywork is a mess of impossibly complex curves, something like an M.C. Escher drawing. The 700-horsepower special edition is a modern take on Porsche’s 1978 “Moby Dick” racecar. The only bad thing about the new 935 is that it’s not road legal.
The 2020 Porsche 935.Matt Bubbers/The Globe and Mail
Elsewhere at the show, the vintage Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer – fanatical Porsche specialists out of California – is an entirely handmade, custom creation. The “Malaysia commission,” as this particular car is known, combines classic 911 style with more modern running gear, including a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre, 390-horsepower engine and a six-speed manual gearbox.
The vintage Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer.Matt Bubbers/The Globe and Mail
The boutique British supercar maker McLaren brought a large selection of road and racing cars to the Toronto show. Among the new models on display is the limited-edition Senna Can-Am. These supercars were created for a handful of Canadian customers, each willing to part with more than US$1.5-million.
British supercar maker McLaren's Senna Can-Am.Matt Bubbers/The Globe and Mail
The next generation of young people are growing up in a world in which gasoline cars share the road with electric ones. For them, the all-electric Pininfarina Battista should be a must-see. This forward-looking 1,900 hp electric supercar is said to go from zero-100 kilometres an hour in less than two seconds. A ride in this thing is sure to get even the most phone-addicted teenager’s adrenalin pumping.
The all-electric Pininfarina Battista.Matt Bubbers/The Globe and Mail
Last but not least, Autostrada magazine organized a jaw-dropping auto show display of 14 rare and exotic cars (and one tractor) collectively worth an estimated $25-million. These vehicles, which can be seen in the Auto Exotic room, were lent to the display by 12 anonymous Toronto-area collectors.
“It’s a way for them to share their passion for cars without sharing themselves,” said Lucas Scarfone, publisher of Autostrada. The cars’ owners hope that by putting their prized possessions on display they can pass on their passion, he explained.
Autostrada magazine's display of 14 rare and exotic cars (and one tractor) in the Auto Exotic room.Matt Bubbers/The Globe and Mail
It’s a tactic that seems to be working. In their booth, a 1966 Lamborghini R1 tractor (yes, Lamborghini made tractors before cars) sits alongside Lambo’s latest and greatest mid-engine supercar, a bright orange Aventador SVJ.
A 1966 Lamborghini R1 tractor.Matt Bubbers/The Globe and Mail
It’s the car that Lenny Martinez, a 22-year old car enthusiast, drove to the auto show from Windsor specifically to see. “I just made it my dream to actually see one in person,” he said. He wasn’t disappointed.
Exotic cars are always evolving, becoming faster, sleeker, more powerful and, these days, more electric. What hasn’t changed, not since Ouayoun was 13 years old in Paris, not even since the very first supercar, is their ability to let us dream big. With their carbon-fibre wings, impossible curves, eye-catching paint and mind-bending power, supercars let our imaginations run wild, even when these cars are standing still. That’s a kind of power that can’t be measured, and it’s as real today as it ever was.
Stay on top of all our Drive stories. We have a Drive newsletter covering car reviews, innovative new cars and the ups and downs of everyday driving. Sign up today.
Matt Bubbers