Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

While Chevrolets, Chryslers, Fiats and Toyotas are fine for most folks, those looking for a little more verve at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show would be well-served to visit the inaugural Concorso Exotica display on the 100 level of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Stuffed to the gills with six-figure supercars and ultra-luxury machines, the Concorso Exotica exhibit is sure to get the blood pumping. Great Britain – surprisingly – has the highest representation of vehicles thanks to examples of the four-door Aston Martin Rapide, Bentley Mulsanne, Lotus Evora and Rolls-Royce Ghost.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

One aspect that gets lost during the glitz and glam of autoshows is the inevitable question of who’s going to maintain and repair these new vehicles when they inevitably hit the road. With more and more systems being controlled by computers, and increasingly exotic and expensive exhaust and engine parts, ensuring even the most basic car is operating at its best is a challenging proposition.

The answer lies in the high schools that still have automotive programs left in this era of tighter and tighter budgets. Like sports teams, those high schools love to pit their programs against one another, and the Canadian International Auto Show is the proving ground for Greater Toronto Area students to prove their mettle.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

The annual AJAC Canadian Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards were presented this morning at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, and North American manufacturers had plenty to be pleased with.

A cheer erupted from the brigade of General Motors representatives when the Chevrolet Cruze (Best New Small Car Over $21,000) was announced as the 2011 Canadian Car of the Year, beating out strong opposition from the Ford Fiesta (Best New Small Car Under $21,000) and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI (Best New Family Car).

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

While the main focus of the Canadian International Auto Show is to display the latest and greatest from every manufacturer, some of the best sights are located a little away from the bright glare of the show floor. The perfect example of this is the Icons: The Legend of Camaro & Firebird, a cornucopia of horsepower and smoky burnouts courtesy of General Motors’ pony car twins.

 By Mark Atkinson, MSN Autos

The days of shade-tree mechanics are dwindling thanks to computer controls, exotic materials and a replace-not-fix mentality that’s slowly crept into our maintenance habits. So attracting future technicians to the business who are bright and talented is crucial to keeping our vehicles running properly.

The 2010 Canadian International Auto Show is doing its part by playing host to a number of budding automotive technicians who are competing for fame, prizes and a chance to further their educations. Two-person teams of Greater Toronto Area high-school students are given 80 minutes to diagnose a number of deliberately rigged problems on a fleet of 10 Volkswagen New Beetle convertibles. The winners are chosen based on time and the fewest number of mistakes made.

By Mark Atkinson, MSN Autos

Carroll Shelby is synonymous with performance, whether it was his results as a sports car driver in the ‘50s with Ferrari, MG or Aston Martin to his own creations, the Sunbeam Tiger, Shelby Cobra and the series of modified Ford Mustangs. The 2010 CIAS is honouring Shelby in conjunction with the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame, who is inducting him as the first non-Canadian honouree.

As a result, 40 cars are on display, showing a fantastic slice of his personal history, spanning from his earliest days as a racer to the most current 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 muscle car. Here are our top picks for the best cars on display:

Mark Atkinson, MSN Autos

For those who have a need for speed, the 2010 CIAS is a good place to see some pretty impressive race cars in the flesh. Spread out through the manufacturer booths and other floor space are plenty of hi-po competition cars on display.

Besides the huge exhibit of cars dedicated to the legendary Carroll Shelby (see an upcoming post for more), the Ferrari stand shows the company’s 599X development racer, built in the mould of the FXX ‘rental’ program, hearkens back to the ‘70s Daytona that took on the world in sports car racing.

 Mark Atkinson, MSN Autos

While the phrase ‘electric car’ brings forth images of golf carts, slow urban machines and suburban runabouts for seniors, one company has turned that impression on its head in recent years. Despite initial teething pains getting the automotive media to take it seriously, California-based Tesla is the only automaker so far to successfully bring an exciting electric car to market – and capture the hearts of driving enthusiasts in the process. With over 200 Roadsters sold so far in the United States, the company is now making inroads into other markets, including Canada.

Mark Atkinson, MSN Autos

While Canada might be one of the world’s leading auto producers, the respective parent companies are all based elsewhere. The American and Japanese manufacturers assemble hundreds of thousands of cars, trucks and SUVs on our soil, but Canadians haven’t had a ‘home team’ to root for since the ill-fated Bricklin SV-1 debacle of the late ‘70s.