The people we met at the 2015 New England Auto Show

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By Justine Hofherr

January 15, 2015

6 minutes to read

At the 2015 New England International Auto Show, there were polished Mazda 5s, sleek MINI Coupes, and shiny Ford Mustangs, I literally could see every pore on my face in their reflection. That might be a slight over-exaggeration, but you get the point.

The cars stole the show.

But once you get past the “torque,’’ the “turbocharge,’’ and the “downforce,’’ you might notice that it’s the people that make auto shows so exciting. After all, how would I know that the Chevy Corvette Z06 convertible is the most powerful Corvette ever produced, going from 0 to 60 in 2.95 seconds without the help of a chipper product specialist? I’m obviously not going to take the time to read that little display sign.

In case you missed the show, here’s just a taste of the cast of characters you could have met:

The Product Specialist

Product specialists are part car expert, part presenter, and have a tough job. They have to memorize tons of obscure facts about their manufacturer’s latest models, all while speaking in front of a crowd. They also have to look good, because at the end of the day, they are representing a multibillion-dollar brand.

Some of the product specialists at the auto show work at dealerships, but many of them are part-time models, actors, or presenters. This is a part-time gig for them – but that doesn’t mean they don’t know their stuff.

Paul is a part-time Chevrolet product specialist and actor in New York City. Wearing a slim-fitting suit and suede shoes, he occasionally looked down at his handwritten presentation from time to time. “I go on sometime in the next hour,’’ Paul explained.

For him, September through April is auto show season. Last week, he was in San Jose, and soon he will be flying to Houston then to Philadelphia.

“I love presenting,’’ he said. “It sharpens your presenting skills. You still get the nerves.’’ He laughed.

Paul said a family friend got him into the business, but it helps that he’s a total car enthusiast. To become well versed on all things Chevy, Paul said he and a bunch of other product specialists were sent to a convention center in Michigan, “piled into rooms,’’ and then rigorously trained on the latest models and features.

“A lot of people think were salespeople, but that’s not the case,’’ he said. What’s his favorite car? The Chevy Corvette Z06, of course. He stared at the spinning silver car. “The horsepower on that thing…’’

The Auto Reporter

Auto reporters are easy to spot. They are the herd of mostly men (with a handful of women sprinkled in) who wear jeans, button-down shirts, vests (occasionally), and most likely have a Canon DSLR slung around their necks. They hold notepads. Or coffee.

This is obviously not what all auto reporters look like, but if you see someone who looks like this at an auto show, chances are, he (or she) is a car reporter.

If they have a press pass clipped hastily to a shirt pocket, your mystery is solved. Also, if they attack the breakfast or lunch buffets with gusto, rest assured – they’re reporters.

The Practical Shopper

Albert and Dottie Stonestreet are from Topsfield. They are here because they absolutely love Chevys and are looking to add another to the family driveway. Dottie’s father was a Chevy salesman, and told her to only ever drive a Chevy, so she listened: “I recently bought a Chevy Malibu and I just love mine,’’ Dottie said. She gazed at a nearby white Chevy Malibu. “I also like Impalas.’’

This was Albert’s first auto show, but they came with a purpose, Dottie said. He’s a snow plower and is interested in getting a new truck.

“What kind of truck?’’

“A Chevy,’’ Albert said. “I don’t like foreign Toyotas. Buy America.’’

“Will you even look at the exotic cars here today, like the Lamborghini?’’

“No, no, no, no,’’ Albert replied. “We’re practical.’’

“Well, I might look at it,’’ Dottie said. She smiled.

The “Gearhead’’

Jay Kingston is a tall, gray-haired 71-year-old from Rhode Island. This is his first auto show, which is surprising, since he said he’s a huge car nerd: “I’ve always been into cars,’’ he said. He adjusted his round glasses. “I bought my first car with newspaper money, and fixed it up for four years.’’ He said it was a ’37 Ford 5-window Coupe, “an absolute classic.’’ He enjoys reading “Auto Week’’ and watching Formula 1 racing on TV. “I don’t like those stock cars that just go around in circles.’’

He came to the show for part business and part pleasure, since his wife is looking for a car.

“She needs automatic transmission, which stinks for me, and heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a back-up camera, and a little zoom,’’ Kingston said. He is considering a Nissan Murano or a Honda Accord for her.

But for him? He’d like a new Cadillac ATS, please.

The Good Girlfriend

Lily, 18, bought her boyfriend Mike, 20, tickets to the auto show for his birthday: “It was a surprise for him,’’ Lily said, tugging on Mike’s jacket. “He’s obsessed with cars like I am with makeup.’’

Mike grinned and said he wanted to look at the Nissan GTR Nismo. “As a kid, I liked Maserati’s, but then I got into beamers,’’ he explained. This was his first auto show, but will probably not be his last. He loves doing bodywork in his spare time.

“He’s probably getting ideas looking at all these cars,’’ Lily said. Though she wouldn’t describe herself as an auto enthusiast, per se, Lily said she liked imagining herself inside the Lambo. “Right now, we’re just here for fun, but maybe we’d consider buying a car we saw here in the future…when we get our finances in order.’’

The Cool Grandpa

Seventy-five-year-old Ronald Wybranowski takes his grandson, Connor, to the New England Auto Show every year: “This is our sixth or seventh show,’’ Ronald said. “We’ve been coming since he was 6 or 7…It’s what you do with your grandson.’’ He smiled.

The pair was excited to see the Lamborghini Huracán and the Porsche 911 GTS.

“We’re just here to have fun,’’ Ronald said. Connor nodded in agreement. “You don’t really get great info because they’re here to look pretty,’’ Ronald continued. He pointed toward a Toyota product specialist in a red dress.

Connor, 18, was looking forward to seeing the Audi R8. He said the Lambo is “too flashy.’’ It’s something you’d rent for a weekend in Las Vegas, he said.

“Maybe we’ll do that for your graduation,’’ Ronald said. He nudged Connor’s shoulder and winked.

The Family Looking for Something to Do

Kathy and Tim are a couple from Winchester. They brought their 11 and 4 year old to the auto show “just for something to do,’’ Kathy said.

“They’re into cars.’’ She gestured over to a black Dodge Durango. One of her sons repeatedly opened and slammed the door, laughing hysterically.

“I have to keep an eye on them,’’ Tim said, and hurried away.

“He likes the new Corvette,’’ Kathy added, pointing to Tim. “Do you like cars?’’ “No,’’ she said. “I’m no car enthusiast.’’

The Bros Who Are Bonding

Mario is a 20 year old from Worcester. He and a friend are here “just to look at cars in general.’’ The pair both wore black shirts and had slightly slicked-back dark hair. They barely looked up from the black Chevy Camaro Z28.

“This is my third auto show,’’ Mario said. He snapped a photo of the Z28. “I like how it looks, how fast it is…these are mostly cars we dream about.’’

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of sitting inside a gleaming white Rolls Royce Phantom, so creamy it looks like a $621,915 ice cream cone on wheels. But if you forget to look up every once and awhile, you might miss some of the more personal auto show moments – and some of the people who make it so enjoyable.