The AutoShow to be Injected with some L.A. Flair

Southern California’s Petersen Automotive Museum is bringing one of the most unique displays to be seen at the 2019 Canadian International AutoShow, celebrating the L.A. Car Culture made popular by the state’s richly diverse Latino communities — including this El Rey lowrider. (Photo courtesy the Petersen Automotive Museum/TED7)

The AutoShow to be Injected with some L.A. Flair

Nowhere has the automobile had a more pronounced impact on a culture than in the mecca that has become a car collector’s paradise – Southern California.

Customized lowriders and hot rods have become an integral part of the SoCal streetscape, made famous by the richly diverse Latino communities in and around Los Angeles. The Petersen Automotive Museum — one of the largest and most respected automotive museums in the world — is bringing a sampling of these unique vehicles from its curated collection to showcase at the Canadian International AutoShow in February.

“The whole sub-industry of personalized cars, lowriders and hot rods were born and matured in Southern California,” says Jason Campbell, General Manager of the AutoShow. “The Petersen’s L.A. Car Culture exhibit will provide a welcome glimpse into the sunshine coast of California at the height of a Canadian winter.”

This 1949 Delahaye Type 175 Drophead Coupe was originally purchased by Maharaja of Mysore, ruler of one of the wealthiest states in British India. After it finished service in the royal motor pool, it was later owned by flamboyant music icon Elton John. (Photo courtesy the Petersen Museum/TED7)

The exhibit will feature six vehicles from the Petersen collection: famous celebrity cars, lowriders and hot rods that were inspired and created on the streets of L.A.

Among the cars coming to Toronto are a 1900 Overland custom covered wagon that was a gag gift from Bob Hope to John Wayne and a car that once belonged to the royal motor pool in British India before being subsequently purchased by music icon Elton John.

Terry Karges, executive director of the recently re-imagined Petersen Automotive Museum, says, “We welcome thousands of Canadians annually who help us celebrate the automobile and Southern California’s role in fostering enthusiasm for the special cars we have on display. It seems a great opportunity to share a small taste of the Petersen collection with the 350,000 visitors the AutoShow attracts each year, as so many from Canada come south to indulge their automotive passions.”

The 2019 Canadian International AutoShow takes place February 15^th to 24^th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. For tickets and show information, please visit autoshow.ca.

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