Toyota Offers Multiple Consumer Ride and Drive Opportunities at 2015 Chicago Auto Show
Contact:
Rick Bourgoise
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Tel: (313) 259-2004; E-mail: richard_bourgoise@toyota.com
TOYOTA OFFERS MULTIPLE CONSUMER RIDE AND DRIVE OPPORTUNITIES AT 2015 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
Indoor Toyota Camry Experience and Outdoor Toyota Drive Center to delight show attendees with hands-on vehicle immersion
CHICAGO, Feb. 3, 2015 – Attendees of the Chicago Auto Show have come to expect a hands-on driving experience in a Toyota vehicle. This year, Toyota is raising the bar, offering two different consumer ride and drive opportunities – one indoor and one outdoor – for show visitors. The Scion Live Drive, by Toyota’s Scion brand, adds a third venue for 2015 Chicago Auto Show patrons to experience Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. vehicles.
“The Chicago Auto Show provides a platform to connect and engage with consumers like no other auto show in the United States, and we are thrilled to entertain show goers with multiple platforms for a personal vehicle experience,” said Don Johnson, Auto Show Engagement Manager at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “These touch-points help consumers in the vehicle purchase decision-making process, so we’re educating participants in our ride and drive events about the benefits and features of Toyota products.”
The Camry Experience will immerse Chicago Auto Show attendees within a 27,000 square foot themed indoor driving course. Located in the South Exhibit Hall at McCormick Place, the Camry Experience is designed to recreate one of the recent television commercials in Toyota’s “Bold New Camry” advertising campaign.
The commercial featured, titled "The Fix," follows one man's mission to deliver his pregnant wife's craving for a special treat. In the Camry Experience, participants will ride in a 2015 Toyota Camry, with a professional driver at the helm, through a custom designed course that follows the commercial’s journey. Along the way, they will learn about the Camry’s bold design and technical features.
In the same way the wife gets a fulfilling treat at the conclusion of the commercial, participants in the Camry Experience will score a special dessert at the end of their ride - a unique "shaved snow" prepared by southern California food truck purveyor Fluff Ice. Fluff Ice, a dessert treat originally from Asia and gaining popularity in the U.S., will be custom made for Camry Experience participants. Fluff Ice is available while supplies last.
The Camry Experience is free to all Chicago Auto Show attendees, aged 8 years old and above. It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from Feb. 14-21, and from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Feb. 22.
Outside of McCormick Place, the popular Toyota Drive Center returns. This experiential event offers show visitors an opportunity to test drive a variety of popular Toyota vehicles in a non-retail environment on a specially-designed street course around area roads. Featured vehicles include the RAV 4, Highlander, 4Runner and Sienna. Drivers must be age 21 or older and have a valid driver’s license. Passengers must be at least 8 years of age and accompanied by a parent or guardian. Drivers will be accompanied onboard by a “right seat driver,” who will help navigate the route and point out features on each model.
The Toyota Drive Center is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during the Chicago Auto Show. The event originates from the lobby of the North Exhibit Hall on Level 1. Hours of operation may change due to inclement weather and road conditions.
Also originating from the lobby of the North Exhibit Hall is the Scion Live Drive, a driving event similar to the Toyota Drive Center. Show attendees can drive the award-winning FR-S sports car, the iconic xB urban utility vehicle, and the sporty tC coupe.
All three vehicle immersion events are free of charge to Chicago Auto Show attendees.
About Toyota
Toyota, the world’s top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we’ve built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ nearly 40,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.37 million cars and trucks in 2014 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment. As part of this commitment, we share the company’s extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good. (NYSE: TM) For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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