Gotta Go To The 49th Twin Cities Auto Show

For the second year in-a-row, the 49^th Twin Cities Auto Show will be held outdoors at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The public days start on Saturday, May 14 and run through Sunday, May 22. 

This year, the Auto Show will be centered in both the Midway/Grandstand Area, as well as Machinery Row. It also marks the return of Camp Jeep, the ride-along course that demonstrates the famous brand’s off-road capabilities. The track is on the Midway and is outside.

On Machinery Hill is a truck track and an electric vehicle ride-along. Then truck track will test  the capabilities of both pickup trucks and select SUVs through some maneuvers. It is similar to Camp Jeep, but with less obstacles. 

The electric vehicle drive along will feature over a couple of dozen of the hottest rides available. Vehicles are from Audi, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and Volkswagen. You can also participate in other Ride and Drives from Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. 

Luxury Lane returns as it has moved into the Progress Center at Machinery Hill. It will feature the finest automobiles sold in Minnesota. On display is the all-new Range Rover – the most advanced model ever created from Jaguar Land Rover. 

The Twin Cities Auto Show actually made news with the unveiling of the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. This was a long-awaited addition to the vehicle making a huge comeback for one of our favorite brands. The PHEV will feature a larger four-cylinder gasoline engine along with a larger battery pack. It is one of the few plug-in hyrbids that can be charged at a DC Fast Charger, using a ChAdeMO plug. The Outlander PHEV can now be reserved through select dealerships right now – including White Bear Mitsubishi in White Bear Lake, MN. 

Pricing and all-electric range has not been announced for the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV at this time. We should expect to see the new addition to the Mitsubishi lineup by this summer. 

Which vehicles would we recommend checking out? On the electric side, you can actually ride along in the Hyundai IONIQ5 and Kia EV6. Both vehicles received a lot of praise for its over 300-mile range and superb execution. There are a few electric Audi models, including the eTron GT four-door coupe. 

At the static displays, both Chevrolet and GMC have their updated their half-ton pickup trucks – the Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500. Of note is the GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X, which is matched up to the Ford F-150 Tremor and Raptor, along with Ram 1500 Rebel and Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. 

Nissan brought out their Pathfinder Rock Creek model, which is a new contender among ruggedized midsize three-row SUVs. Next door at Ford is the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. Deliveries for this very important vehicle for Ford are coming shortly to local dealers to those who have reserved them.

Inside and around the Grandstand are several displays from local car clubs and the Classic Car Walk. The latter gives you a great history of the automobile right within reach – just please don’t touch them. They will contrast a collection of tuner and enthusiast cars at the Minnesota Car Enthusiast Club display on the other side of the main Grandstand floor. 

If you “gotta go to the auto show” this year, tickets are available at the Ram Main Gate at the free parking area on the Fairground’s west end. Tickets are $15 for adults, with “Half-Price Wednesday” (May 18) for $10. You can also get tickets online at twincitiesautoshow.com 

The show runs from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, on Saturdays, Wednesday May 18, and Friday, May 20. Sundays run from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM. Tuesday and Thursday is from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Please check the website for specific dates and times, as well as activities – including daily parades through the Fairgrounds.

Finally, the Twin Cities Auto Show is back to show how the larger auto shows can do it outdoors. Check out the latest and greatest at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds!

Twin Cities Auto Show
May 14-22 – Minnesota State Fairgrounds
For tickets and times, log on to twincitiesautoshow.com