2009 Seattle Auto Show - AutoTrader.com at the Show

AutoTrader.com is greeting guests at the 2009 Seattle Auto Show with the chance to win $50,000 towards the dream car — or cars — of their choice.

Each year, AutoTrader.com visits 11 auto shows nationwide. The booths allow AutoTrader.com to support the dealerships that are often tasked with organizing local auto shows. In Seattle, an area where car shoppers are very familiar with the AutoTrader.com brand, the annual auto show is an important opportunity to connect with buyers who are more excited than ever about the show.

“The idea,” said Jennifer Lawrence, AutoTrader.com promotions manager, “is to remind shoppers that AutoTrader.com is a one-stop shop for research, reviews, to buy a new car, or to sell.”

Entrants simply fill out a short form to qualify to win the grand prize at the end of the national auto show season. Visitors can also play an auto manufacturer logo matching game to test their reaction time and memory skills.

For 2009, the Seattle Auto Show adopted a fresh motto: “New world, new technology, new choices.” Show management worked to bring relevant vehicles to car shoppers who expect fuel efficiency, safety and ecology without sacrificing capability. The result is a show with more manufacturers represented than ever before.

“Our crowds are up 45% this year,” said James Hammond, executive director of the Puget Sound Automobile Dealers Association. “You can distinctly notice that public interest in the show has spiked.”

"There are more hybrids at this show than there have ever been," said Hammond, whose team led an effort to display every type of hybrid vehicle available for sale in the U.S. An area of the show is also dedicated to low-speed “Neighborhood Electric Vehicles” designed to give urban commuters and country club dwellers a green travel alternative.

Tesla and Fisker, two manufacturers of exotic electric vehicles, rarely exhibit at public auto shows. Both firms showcase their plug-in sports cars in Seattle.

"As the producer of the show, getting Fisker here is exhilarating,” Hammond said. “I'm able to give my loyal auto show goers something that no one else in the entire U.S. has."

Alfa Romeo’s 8C supercar, imported to North America in very limited numbers, is another rare sight at the show. Exhibitors recognize Seattle’s tech-savvy buyers and their purchasing parity, Hammond said.

"Millionaires are made here every day,” Hammond said. “Seattle competes with Silicon Valley eye-to-eye."

Though Seattle has experienced an economic downturn, the area has been somewhat buffered by its technology industries and its status as a port city, Hammond said. For car enthusiasts that may be getting ready to consider buying again, the auto show is a comfortable place to learn about advances in the industry.

“This is a neutral territory,” Hammond said. “You don’t buy here, but you come to compare and look. You have a chance to look at cars without pressure at all.”

 

Play the "Match-It" game online for your own chance to win $50,000 to buy a new car on AutoTrader.com.

Explore the latest new cars in the New Model Showcase.

Search for Seattle car dealers.

 

About the Author
Adam Barrera began an automotive industry analysis blog at age 15, covered engineering beats for the University of Houston's Daily Cougar at 17, and graduated with a double-major in linguistics and print journalism in 2008. His mission is to empower new car shoppers through accurate coverage of relevant auto news.

 

No purchase necessary to win "Match-It" game. Must be 18 or older. Resident restrictions apply. See website for full Official Rules.