Show & Tell
Stroll through automotive history, both past and present
As it turns out, 2003 happens to be a great year for hosting an auto and truck show in Nashville. Running from Jan. 16-19 at the downtown Convention Center, the show is one of the earliest in the nation, preceded only by the giant industry extravaganzas in Detroit and Los Angeles. That means that for the first time in decades, Middle Tennesseans get the chance to see the latest new models sooner.
That’s not the only happy circumstance concerning this year’s Nashville Auto Show. In June of this year, Ford Motor Company celebrates the 100th anniversary of its founding and, by implication, of its vital role in the transformation of the modern world through personal transportation. In the same month, the nation’s single besecognized icon of automotive performance and prowess—the Chevrolet Corvette—is turning 50 years old.
To commemorate these two important historical landmarks, the Nashville Auto & Truck Show is showcasing both the world’s beselling vehicle of all time—the all-new-for-2004 Ford F-150 pickup truck—as well as a one-of-a-kind corral of past and present Corvettes, from the original '53 roadster to a presenay pair of special edition, 50th anniversary coupe and convertible models.
In honor of the occasion, the Scene is proud to produce this special souvenir-edition program for the Nashville Auto Show. In these pages you’ll find not only a handy visitors’ guide to the show floor but also a collectible commemoration of two major milestones in U.S. automotive history, as well as a showcase of the Nashville Auto Show’s headliners and most anticipated new vehicles. There are special features highlighting some of the more intriguing new trends on the current automotive scene: the new “bumper crop” of mini-SUVs, the renaissance of the humble station wagon and the evolution of the Drive for Fun philosophy in the form of modern coupes and convertibles.
So put on your tire-kicking shoes, roll up your sleeves and join us on the show floor of the 2003 Nashville International Auto & Truck Show.
—Marc K. Stengel
