2012 Carlisle import show.

Yesterday I drove a few hours away to go to the annual Carlisle Import Auto Show for 2012. I had been tipped off there would be an Alpine A110 there, and I was quite looking forward to checking it out. I had also been told that there would be a lot of great Audis there, which there were!

The show was fantastic……I would say the largest turnout was for Saab and Audi fanatics with lots and lots of fantastic Trollhatten and Ingolstadt eye candy. I sat inside of the Alpine A110 for what felt like at least 20-25 minutes. The car FIT LIKE A GLOVE. I have never been as comfortable in a car as I was in an A110. Unbelievable….i didn’t want to leave. The A110 is pure magic…..i must have one in my life!

After leaving the Alpine, I was completely distracted by remembering the car—and honestly I had concentration difficulties. The Audi area quite brilliant though; lots of great Ur quattros, a couple nicely set up TTs and several nice 4000s and Coupes! Audi had brought the original R8 LMP car as well, and near it was also a Sport quattro! The Saab area was flourishing with “Saab Pride”; their enthusiasts knowing their marque is currently in a coma on massive amounts of life support if not dead already. There are still whispers of a Saab corporate revival floating around in China; but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

I felt the Carlisle show was a true enthusiast’s show; the people were very nice, there wasn’t much ‘snobbery’ as felt at so many car shows, and not every car was shined to perfection like at other car shows—there was room for originality, something I very much appreciate. I spent much of my day poking my head into interiors, and breathing in a large inhale of the different smells of older cars; something which fascinates me.

I didn’t take a lot of photos; in fact taking too many photos at car shows sort of annoys me these days, as it prevents you from actually paying attention. That being said, here are some of my favourite cars from the day: