Canada’s largest auto show, the 2025 Canadian International Auto Show, opens to the public Friday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and there’s no shortage of cool rides on the floor. Last year set record attendance and this year there is even more to do and more cars to see. Here are five must-see vehicles that caught our eye:
Bigfoot Monster Truck
Bigfoot turns 50 this year. It is menacing and impossible to miss, standing at 10 feet tall, 12 feet wide, and 20 feet long with massive 66-inch Firestone tires, which cost around US$7,000 each. Powered by a 1,400-horsepower engine and weighing 11,000 pounds, it’s capable of crushing anything in its path. There have been many successful Bigfoots over the past half century. This is Bigfoot No. 8; Bigfoot No. 24 is currently in the works. The first Bigfoot was a souped-up 1974 Ford F-250 with 48-inch tires, more power and a raised suspension. In 1986, Bigfoot No. 5 made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest monster truck in the world, standing more than 15 feet tall and weighing more than 41,800 pounds. Fans at the show can’t get inside, but they will be able to take a picture right beside the massive wheel.
The Bigfoot Monster Truck - Bigfoot No. 8 - will be displayed at the 2025 Canadian International Autoshow in Toronto.Jordan Chittley/The Globe and Mail
Allard J2X MKIII
No classic car aficionado can resist this stunning roadster. Originally built by Britain’s Allard Motor Company, only 83 Allard J2X V8-powered roadsters were made between 1951 and 1954. Now, it’s reborn again as a low-volume, handcrafted commemorative edition dubbed the Allard J2X MkIII. It captures the beauty, style and sophistication of its past with round headlights, chrome details and hood strap buckles, yet adds a modern twist with the latest technology to make it safer, more comfortable and reliable than the original. Manufactured by Allard Motor Works, prices start at US$220,000. Only six or seven vehicles are produced a year. But you’ll have to be patient – build times take seven to eight months, depending on the options.
The Allard J2X MkIII captures the beauty, style and sophistication of the original 1950s models.Jordan Chittley/The Globe and Mail
Campagna T-Rex RR
It’s not only about four wheels at the show – three-wheeled vehicles, like this Canadian-made T-Rex RR, are also a hit. Built by Campagna Motors in Boucherville, Que., it’s in a class by itself – a fast, powerful, fun and street-legal bike that requires no motorcycle license. Under the hood is a 1441 cc Kawasaki in-line four cylinder engine that pumps out 208 horsepower and 116 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Weighing in at only 498 kilograms, it can go zero to 100 kilometres an hour in four seconds. But getting inside requires the skills of a contortionist. You also have to remove the steering wheel first before sitting on the ledge and then swinging both legs over and sliding down to the driver’s seat. Prices start around $72,000.
The Campagna T-Rex RR, built by Campagna Motors in Boucherville, Que., weighs in at 498 kilograms and can go zero to 100 kilometres per hour in four seconds.Jordan Chittley/The Globe and Mail
Red Bull RB18
F1 fans must make a pitstop to see this world-championship car at the show – the RB18, the 2022 season vehicle for the Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 team. The single-seater was built by Red Bull and designed by Adrian Newey. As one of the most successful race cars in F1 history, it dominated the tracks with 17 wins and 28 podium finishes. And at the wheel for 15 of those wins was F1 race car driver Max Verstappen, the four-time reigning F1 world champion. The RB18 has a sleek aerodynamic design, a tiny driver’s seats and cool, unique colours that commemorated the Dutch Grand Prix, Max Verstappen’s home track, where he also won a first-place finish.
The RB18 was the 2022 season vehicle for the Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 team and driven by Max Verstappen.Jordan Chittley/The Globe and Mail
Cadillac Sollei concept
Elegantly styled with swoopy, long lines, the Cadillac Sollei concept is a refreshing change from the same-old, similar-looking EVs on the road. Even though this yellow Sollei four-seater convertible is still a concept vehicle, it has a strong design language with bold proportions, a low, elongated body and a wide stance. On the side doors it has hidden buttons instead of conventional door handles. Inside, Cadillac’s trademark 55-inch pillar-to-pillar screen takes centre stage along with bio-based environmentally friendly luxury materials grown from mycelium, which comes from the renewable root structure of mushrooms. The name comes from sun (sol) and leisure (lei), but unfortunately it’s easy to forget and hard to pronounce.
The Cadillac Sollei concept vehicle has a strong design language with bold proportions, a low, elongated body and a wide stance.Jordan Chittley/The Globe and Mail