Signifying the start of a new decade, CIAS 2020 chose to not only showcase innovation taking place today, but that which advanced progress in the golden age of the automobile.

Transformative Times was the theme of the 2020 Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto. If you believe mainstream media reports, we are living in arguably what could be described as the biggest change in the concept of personal transportation since the motor car was first invented.

Yet within that roughly 130-year time period, there have also been some remarkable automotive achievements and some of these were celebrated at the CIAS Cobble Beach Classics display this year. From the 1904 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout, to the 1969 Lamborghini Miura S, each car in this year’s collection was a game-changer in its day, further advancing not only the concept and configuration of vehicles within a defined segment but also leaving a lasting impression on the industry as a whole.

Another fascinating display, particularly to those like myself who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s was Oblivion. The brainchild of Justin Sookraj, who has developed a renowned reputation for restoring and maintaining DeLorean DMC-12s, Oblivion was created as the definitive 1980s and 1990s cars and culture show. With two annual gatherings under its belt and a third planned for 2020 at Ontario Place, this is one event you don’t want to miss.

At CIAS, the Oblivion display featured a selection of prime vehicles from the new wave era, ranging from Knight Rider’s K.I.T.T. to a faithful recreation of the Back to the Future Part II time machine (nee DeLorean DMC-12), a pristine Mk II Volkswagen Jetta, Acura Integra Type R, Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z and Subaru BRAT. Alongside these vehicles, was an interactive vintage video arcade game display and plenty of ’80s and ’90s memorabilia.

In many ways the 1980s were transformative times in both the way we lived and the cars we drove. How fitting then, that this popular era was celebrated and represented at the 2020 Canadian International AutoShow.