TOP 10 must-sees at Auto 2024

This weekend, on 19-21 April, Ķīpsala is hosting on of the landmarks of the Baltic car industry, the Auto 2024 trade fair. Here is the TOP 10 must-sees that you can use to plan your Auto 2024 visit.

Aston Martin DBX
This is the first so-called crossover from the British luxury and sports car manufacturer Aston Martin. Due to enormous growth in popularity, almost all supercar manufacturers have added SUV or crossover to their line of new cars. Something nobody could have believed a while ago. But DBX is a thoroughbred Aston Martin. Its design is characteristic of brand’s unique sports coupes, and their power. Full package will come with turbocharged 707 horse power V8 engine that will accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds and reach the maximum speed of 310 km/h.

Renault Scenic
Although there are several new cars for the Baltic market that will be unveiled at Auto 2024, there is one that stands out due to its very recent victory. It is the new Renault Scenic E-Tech that has just won the prestigious European Car of the Year title at the 2024 Geneva International Motor Show at the end of February. Fifth-generation Renault Scenic is fully electric. Fully-charged it can travel up to 625 kilometres. This French five-seat electric crossover shares the frame with well-known and loved Nissan Ariya.

Cupra Tavascan
Spanish sportscar manufacturer Cupra is planning to launch production of several new models in the next several years, and one of them will have its Baltic reveal at the Auto 2024. Tavascan is a compact crossover with coupe-type body. Like other Cupras, its design is bold and package includes lots of extras like huge 15-inch screen in the middle of the front panel. Cupra Tavascan is fully electric. Full package with 340 horse power engine can speed up to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds.

Škoda Kodiaq
Škoda showed its strength last year in the Latvian market for new cars, ranking second in terms of sales and above its mother brand Volkswagen for the first time ever. Škoda has several new models in the pipeline for this year, but the new generation Kodiaq crossover, also unveiled on the Baltic market at Auto 2024, is probably the most awaited. Although the industry will inevitably go electric, new iteration of Škoda Kodiaq will even be sold with diesel engine.

Volkswagen Tiguan
One of Škoda Kodiaq’s biggest rivals, the new Volkswagen Tiguan, will also be unveiled at the trade fair. After being a best-seller for a number of years, with ever-growing competition among the compact crossovers, it started to lose its appeal in recent years because of its price. No more. The new model will stir things up and you will be able to buy it for 31 thousand euro in Latvia.

Money truck from Mirage
Auto Exotica section will also display Lada Niva, a car resembling the famous money truck from the film Mirage, which has caused a lot of talk on the social media. Although the 1980s film Mirage is set in the USA, it was shot right here, in the Soviet Union. So, the “American” bank was forced to use what was available at the day, the money truck based on Lada Niva SUV. The car customized for film studio looked really buff for the 1980s. With meshed windows and a safe deposit box in the back. All blueprints of Lada Niva money truck created for the film have been lost, so Ruslans Grigorovičs from ANRU Motors in Jelgava had to create his own version of the car by watching the film, which starred Mirdza Martinsone and Mārtiņš Vilsons.

Solar-powered car
Solaride is the first solar-powered vehicle in the Baltics. Second iteration of this prototype car is made by Estonian university students for the endurance races, also known as ecoRally. Solaride 2.0, the new prototype, came in third at the international competition in Australia. It is the first solar-powered vehicle in the Baltics that can reach the speed of 140 km/h, but usually, during the races, to save the battery power, it travels at around 90 km/h. Moreover, driving speed is set automatically by the car computer, saving up to 7% of battery power compared to human driving style and optimum speed preferences.

Professional drag race cars
Professional dragster is a mixture of formula car and buggy, with slightly smaller and narrower wheels in the front and huge, wide tyres in the back. If you come to Auto Exotica, you will be able to appreciate Estonian-built dragster with 5.3 litre V8 engine made in America that can generate the power of 700 HP. When you mount it on a body, the whole car will weigh 800 kilograms and give you mind-boggling acceleration to 100 km/h in mere 1.3 seconds, allowing you to reach the speed of 200 km/h just 5.4 seconds after hitting the gas. Which means that it can cover the standard drag racing distance of a quarter mile (402 m) in impressive 8.7 seconds.

Mercedes like Porziņģis’
Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe (W126) manufactured in 1980s and upgraded by the German tuning company Koenig Specials resembles Italian supercar Ferrari Testarossa with its visual appearance. The same kind of tuning was done to a Mercedes driven by the best Latvian baller Kristaps Porziņģis. The colour though is different and it is a coupe. Founded in 1977, Koenig Specials GmbH is based in Munich. It was started by Willy Koenig after his bitter disappointment with 1974 Ferrari 365 BB supercar’s performance. He decided to rebuild the car and offer similar modifications to other owners of Ferraris. Later he switched to Mercedes-Benz, adding Ferrari Testarossa body mouldings to its make.

Patria armoured vehicles
Patria XA-300 6x6 is one of the more recent additions to the armoured vehicle fleet of the National Armed Forces. Managed by two troops or members of the National Guard, it can carry up to 10 troops in full gear in the back cabin. Armoured modular vehicle is not designed for defence duties. It is a nimble personnel carrier that will bring troops into position while also shielding them off from bullets and shelling. Latvian Armed Forces will gradually introduce up to 200 of these AMVs beautifully adorned with ancient Latvian symbols.

Motor show Auto is organised by BT-1 International Expo Company.

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Opening hours:
19 – 20 April: 10:00–19:00
21 April 10:00–17:00

Entrance fees:
Adults: €9
Students, seniors, disabled: €6
Pupils: €4
Family ticket (2 adults +1 child under 18): €19 (+ €2 for every next child)
Tickets online: www.bt1.lv/auto/buytickets.php

Parking instructions:
Ķīpsala Expo Centre parking: €5 up to 4h (+ €2 for every additional hour)
On weekend, the 20th and 21st April, visitors should use P3 parking on Matrožu iela. There will transfers to Expo Centre every 5 minutes. Moreover, the parking fee on Matrožu iela is only €3, and there is no time limit.
“Olimpia” shopping mall will also provide free parking during the motor show