Por Johnny McDonald

Highly polished new cars — glistening under bright lights and positioned on carpeted floors — large video screens, and attractive well-informed lady models will be the sales pitch ingredients for the ‘best of 2015’ at the four-day International Auto Show in San Diego’s Convention Center, opening New Year’s Day.

New Car Dealers Association (NCDA) officials estimate that 50 percent of the attendees will be prospective customers.

“What I have seen in auto show surveys is that consumers will add a brand over that which they had intended to buy because of what they’ve seen in the show,” said Scott Webb, director of marketing and operations for he NCDA. “Something they hadn’t considered. That’s the competitive spirit of a show where the cars are the stars.”

Webb said they used to acquire crates of brochures but the manufacturers found that wasn’t the best way to get feedback from the public. It was time to talk.

He said there may be some similarities in exterior design but that interior changes offer advanced electronics like navigation equipment, backup monitors and entertainment systems.

Webb came to San Diego after serving 17 years as assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Auto Show.

“We’ll eventually see a return to the more fanciful design exercises with peeks at what the automobile might become,” he said. “The life cycle would become shorter and shorter. Cars will need to be redesigned more often.

“It’s a matter of scale and scope because the automobile is still complex,” he continued. “The auto show enables manufacturers to obtain some feedback that adds to the tool chest.”

California is the largest car market in the U.S. It’s no surprise that the state also has the largest concentration of automotive design studios compared to any other place in the world. Between San Diego and Thousand Oaks, there are 15 design outposts for carmakers ranging from Audi to Volvo.

At these locations, more detailed drawings are executed and approved by appropriate layers of management. Clay (industrial plasticine) and digital models are developed along with the drawings. The data from these models are then used to create a full sized mockup of the final design.

The San Diego International Auto Show will feature over 400 cars and trucks and run Jan. 1 – 4, exhibit hours are 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Sunday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.) at the San Diego Convention Center, located at 111 W. Harbor Drive, Downtown. For tickets or more information, visit sdautoshow.com.