New England Auto Show scenes

Hundreds of cars packed the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center for the 2014 New England International Auto Show which kicked off Thursday morning. The four-day event allowed carmakers to showcase their newest models – which represent a wide array of consumer choices, including hybrids, SUVs, crossovers, and many more.

The 2014 New England Auto Show runs until January20. Check out some of the coolest cars on display at the show. Plus, get live updates from the floor here.

A 2014 Toyota Highlander spun on a dais ahead of the press preview event. Toyota Boston Region general manager Cooper Ericksen says the new Highlander features 34 percent more cargo than its predecessors, comes with an 8-inch touchscreen display, a panoramic moonroof, and safety features such as lane departure alert, blindspot monitoring, and rear parking sensors. It was recently named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Before the event opened to the general public, product manager David Matthew gave the press a preview of the Mazda 3. One of the cooler features of the Mazda 3 is the car’s anti-distraction technology. It features a “heads up’’ display above the steering wheel to help drivers stay focused on the road. In addition, the Mazda 3 dashboard has a 7 inch infotainment display that reads Facebook updates instead of displaying them.

Cadillac marketing manager Todd Brown introduced the 2015 Cadillac Escalade. The Escalade that was on display at the New England Auto Show is only the second one built in the United States. In addition to three rows, heated and cooled seats, and powerful LED headlights.

Ram Truck Brand director Bob Hegbloom, introduced the 2015 Ram 1500 Diesel. The truck boasts a 3.0 V6-liter ecodiesel engine and gets 240 horsepower and 420 pound feet of torque, which is considerably more torque than most V8 engines can produce.

The 2014 Mini Cooper Paceman is the newest model of the Mini brand. The Paceman is a 2-door car that is slightly more elevated than its predecessor, the Mini Countryman.

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder features a new style that sheds its truck troots. The Pathfinder’s new look is more of a car-based crossover platform.

The all-electric powered Nissan Leaf alos made an appearance at the New England Auto Show. The electric car’s charging station is located in the front of the car.

Walkers better beware! Hyundai’s zombie-killing “Survival Machine’’ inspired by AMC’s “The Walking Dead’’ made an appearance. Let’s face it, folks! There aren’t many events offered this week that will offer you the oportunity to take a photo with a zombie-proof car.

The 2015 Volvo V60 sports wagon was on display.

John Moore, 49, and his son Sawyer, 8, of Hopedale, were among the first members of the public to enter the Auto Show. “They sell nice cars,’’ said Sawyer, as he and his dad posed in front of a BMW S Series.

Just when you thought the Mustang couldn’t get any cooler. Check out the Mustang pool table. Park this in your garage adn impress your friends twice.

The Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG is one of Mercedes’ first car models with all-wheel drive.

The 2015 Porsch Macan has been a superstar since its world debut at the Los Angelese Auto Show last year. The Macan is a five-seat compact SUV that comes with a V6 turbo engine that can get 340 horsepower. It can also go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 5 seconds.

Richard Dowham, 34, and his son Dominic, 3, of Waltham posed in front of the Audi R8 at the Auto Show.

Karl Gott (left) and Nicholas Skourtis of MacMulkin Cadillac and Jessica Osternck of McLaren Greenich posed in front of the pretty amazing 2014 McLaren MP4-12C Coupe.

Two generations of Corvettes stood side-by-side at the New England Auto Show. The white model is a sixsth generation C6, while the red model is a Stingray C7.

Not everyting at the Auto Show was new. A 1966 Astin Martin DB6 was also on display. If you’d like to cruise in style like James Bond, it could cost you around $400,000.

“I like it,’’ said Jim Famolare, 69, of Billerica as he checked out the blue Corvette on display.

David Turner (left) and Derek Fraioli, both 21 from Haverhill, checked out a white Corvette at the show. Fraioli, who had never attended a car show before said it was “hell of an experience.’’

Crowds gathered to check out the 2014 Ford Mustang.