Bringing cars, fun and fame under one roof

A deep, gold-colored Lamborghini Gallardo stands in the main foyer, reflecting bits of light off its shiny hood. The exotic car rests in the center of a crowd, yet is isolated by a ribbon a few feet around its perimeter as if to say, "Touch Me Not." Though the Gallardo is hands-off, the 2005 Washington Auto Show, organized by the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association, brings a variety of accessible American, European and Asian cars, as well as a few celebrities and entertainers, to create an enjoyable and overall glamorous auto show.

The 63rd annual auto show held at the enormous Washington Convention Center reserves 725,000 square feet of exhibit space on only two levels. In 1921, the first show was organized with the intention of introducing the public to the idea of the horseless carriage. Now, it features over 700 automobiles from over 37 manufacturers.

At the auto show, the main entrance and foyer lead directly to two escalators and a grand staircase, where a Christmas tree on the landing increases visitors' anticipation to take a peek upstairs. Upstairs, people may get a chance to see Rock-it before entering the main gala; he won't be hard to miss – he's a fairly tall techno robot. "OK, lady. I'm nine feet tall," he says apathetically to a woman next to me who's taking a picture.

Plenty of other cartoon and sports mascots (and another robot, Sprockit) will roam around the auto show to pose for pictures. Sprockit may be hard to see, though, since it's not nearly as tall – or obnoxious – as its robot counterpart. However, if visitors are lucky, they may encounter Shrek (without his donkey pal, for once), the gingerbread man or Ringo, a friendly polar bear.

Let the show begin

Dodge reserves an exhibit for its Tomahawk, a Viper-powered motorcycle that runs on four wheels instead of two. The motorcycle is freestanding and appears to be a chunk of metal with two sets of wheels stuck on either end. In reality, however, it is a superpower motorcycle with a 20-valve, V-10 engine.

Four cars rest at Toyota's "Hands-On" contest, where participants must be the last person in contact with the car of their choice to win the vehicle. Though they are allowed a 15-minute break every three hours, the contestants may not read, listen to music, play games or do any other time-occupying activity – except eat, sleep and drink. The contest started with 19 contestants and will end this Sunday to determine who wins the cars.

Across from the Hands-On contest is an area designated for XM Satellite Radio, where anyone may stop by at an available stand and choose a song of their liking. Meanwhile, different bands and artists, such as Visions of Jazz, Mike Holden and Lea, perform live on stage for anybody willing to listen.

Nearby, the Cadillac Sixteen receives enough stares and attention at the auto show to inspire awe in almost any passerby. The auto show houses one of only two models that exist today. The car claims to have "luxurious interior amenities," including crystal gauge dials and hand-woven silk carpets but also boasts a 1000-horsepower engine. The elegantly black car, with its angled hood and strip headlights, seems as if it was inspired more by the Batmobile than by Cadillac designers.

The main events

In the upper level show, a small booth across the Nissan and Toyota exhibits is set up for celebrity appearances. Over here, I meet up with Brooks Robinson, 1983 Baseball Hall-of-Famer for the Baltimore Orioles, who joyously autographs a picture of himself. A similar booth is set up downstairs near the Volvo exhibit. There, I see John Force, 12-time National Hot Rod Association champion, who seems enthused about his autograph signing but quite clueless about his location. "What city we in?" he asks, turning to a guy sitting next to him. "Cincinnati?"

The star of the lower level is, without a doubt, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. A similar model of the car garnered $2.1 million in a charity auction in New York. In this auto show, it rests on a wide, rotating platform with one of its scissor doors open for others to marvel at its interior. The sleek, aerodynamically designed race car delivers 615-horsepower from its top-of-the-line engine and is valued at $452,500. Rick Oxendine, a Mercedes-Benz car salesman of Silver Spring, described the car in one word: "badass."

At 1:00, 3:00 and 6:00 p.m., Maximum Velocity, an extreme sports stunt team, shows their moves on BMX, in-line and skateboard. The crew performs on a 13-foot mini-ramp and executes a few feats such as front flips in midair, tail whips and 540s.

Jeep showcases its concept car, the Treo, designed by drive-by-wire technology. The vehicle looks more like a space vehicle with its seven-slot grille front (which resembles the rear of car) and its bulging headlamps (which seem more like bug eyes). However, Treo promises zero-emission, fuel-cell technology that drives electric motors at each wheel.

For children, a Kids Playland is provided as well as a small racing area (for kids of all ages). A small fee of $4 allows a contestant to race a foot-long car 12 laps amidst other cars. The winner gets the much-coveted prize: a free race.

For more information, visit the Washington Auto Show web site. The show will be held at the Washington Convention Center from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2.