L.A. Auto Show Announces Theme for January's Show:

California Dreamin' 2000 / More Than a Dozen World Debuts Planned Los Angeles (PROTEXT) - Recognizing the global impact ofCalifornia's influence on automobile design and development, theGreater Los Angeles Auto Show announced California Dreamin' 2000as its theme for next January's show. The theme reflects the fact that California's lifestyle andattitudes have an impact upon how people around the worldperceive and utilize automobiles. Cars are an integral part ofboth its lifestyle and culture, and with Hollywood movies andtelevision shows to spread the word, the world looks toCalifornia for the latest trends and styles. Expressive, health-conscious, fun-loving and daring-to-be-different; these are thequalities that give California its unique character. Four of the world's largest automakers have already committedto unveil at least one concept vehicle each as a part of theirsupport for the California Dreamin' 2000 theme. DaimlerChrysler,Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen will lead the way to whatwill be the most world debuts of concept cars and productionvehicles in the history of the L.A. Auto Show. "Manufacturers recognize that California is not only a hugemarketplace, but also a trend-setter for new ideas and products.Consequently, they regard the L.A. Auto Show as an important partof their strategic plans," says Andy Fuzesi, general manager ofthe Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. California also plays a leadership role in automotive design.At least 20 automotive design studios, including the majorAmerican, European and Asian manufacturers, are concentrated inthe Southern California area. At the center of this designactivity is Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, one of theworld's foremost design institutions. Among its alumni are manyof today's leading automotive designers, includingDaimlerChrysler's director of international design, Neil Walling,Ford's vice president of design, J Mays, General Motors' vicepresident of design, Wayne Cherry, and Volkswagen's Californiadesign studio director, Freeman Thomas. Fittingly, Art Center will play an integral part in theCalifornia Dreamin' 2000 theme. Honoring its 70th anniversary,Art Center will present a special multi-media exhibition thatwill showcase students from its transportation design department.The presentation will include 3-D scale models, large-screenvideo projections and other demonstrations of design fromsponsored projects, and some of the best work from its graduatingstudents. Judging by the success of its alumni, some of thesestudents will likely become renown designers of the future. "The show is still over six months away and we already knowthere will be more than a dozen world debuts of concept cars andproduction vehicles. In the coming months, additionalannouncements will be made about the world debuts and otherCalifornia Dreamin' 2000 activities," says Lisa Kaz, showdirector of the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. Convenient Travel Dates Media Days, scheduled for January 6 and 7, are perfectly timedafter the New Year's holiday and just before the Media Days ofthe Detroit show. Thus, journalists and industry executives willbe able to conveniently travel in one trip to the two mostimportant automotive centers in the United States - Los Angelesand Detroit. ots Original Text Service: VL CommunicationsInternet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: VL CommunicationsGroup at (USA) 916-362-3400, facsimile at (USA) 916-362-3485Barry Toepke or Tracy Grisham of VL Communications Group (USA)916-362-3400, or email, vlcomm@aol.com

Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug"PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to bepublished under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial serviceproviding distribution of press releases from clients, who areidentified in the text of Protext reports and who bear fullresponsibility for their contents.

PROTEXT