The Washington, D.C. annual auto show, titled "The State of the Auto," featured hundreds of automobiles which were displayed at the Washington Convention Center from Jan. 24 until Jan. 29.
The show, which is spread out over 750,000 square feet, features more than 40 domestic and foreign automobile manufacturers displaying over 800 new cars, trucks, mini-vans, hybrids and sport utility vehicles, according to a press release.
This year the show was raised to a tier one auto show, according to Mayor Anthony Williams in his weekly brief. A tier one show is "an internationally recognized event," Williams said.
The show had a major focus on fuel conservation and the use of E85, which is gasoline mixed with about 85 percent ethanol. Ethanol, which is made from corn, is seen as the fuel of the future.
Brent Dewar, the North American vice president of marketing and advertising for General Motors, said already 1.5 million GM vehicles are currently on the road that can be fueled with E85 during a press conference.
Many companies also revealed some of their new marketing strategies. Dewar premiered GM's new "Live green, go yellow" campaign, which will premiere during the upcoming winter Olympics in Tarino, Italy.
The Washington Capitals hockey team will also be there on Saturday. Max Rollinger, a freshman in the School of Communication, said one of the reasons he will go is to "get Alex Ovechkin's autograph." Ovechkin is a Washington Capitals player.
"However, I'm always interested in seeing what car companies come up with for new models," Rollinger said.
One event at the show is Camp Jeep, that lets a Jeep employee drive auto show attendees around an off-road track through water in a Jeep vehicle.
Lisa Bartosiewicz, a Jeep employee says her favorite part is the 60-foot hill climb going up at 35 degrees and down at a 45 degree angle.
Some AU students were not excited about the auto show.
"Cars are boring ... as long as it runs it's good," said Paul Swoish, a freshman in the Kogod School of Business.
The show ran through Sunday at the Washington Convention Center.
