DFW Auto Show in Fort Worth begins four-day run

Besides the shiny beauties — a sleek Maserati Ghibli, the powerful Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang, among others — the star of this year’s DFW Auto Show in Fort Worth is clearly technology.

More cars have Wi-Fi and larger display screens. They’ll read your texts and emails to you, and get you there with less fuel.

“You can get inside a car [and] it will talk to you,” said Lee Chapman, president of the Dallas Fort Worth New Car Dealers Association. “We have a Volvo that will somewhat drive itself. There’s something changing about them all of the time.”

The technology isn’t just about goodies. Some improvements have been made to meet federal CAFE, or corporate average fuel economy, standards.

“From a technology standpoint with CAFE, we’ve made great leaps from where it was five years or 10 years ago,” Chapman said. “We’re now in that era where you can see huge jumps in technology. It becomes much more than just a mode of transportation.”

Car lovers will have some 250-300 models to check out.

Some of the all-new or redesigned 2016s scheduled to appear: Chevrolet Malibu, Silverado and Volt; Fiat 500X; Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang; GMC Sierra; Hyundai Tucson; Lexus ES; Lincoln MKX; Mercedes-Benz CLS400C, GLE450C4 and GLC300W; Mazda MX-5; Nissan Maxima; and SMARTC. Ford also will spotlight the 2017 F-Series Super Duty.

Park Place Premier Collection will feature the Maserati Ghibli, Gran Turismo and Quattroporte, and Aston Martin returns to Fort Worth to showcase the Rapide, Db9 Coupe and Db9 Volante.

“You can’t see these cars just anywhere,” Chapman said. “They draw people from out of town and out of state.”

For drivers itching to get behind the wheel, 20 vehicles can be taken out on the streets. The Ride & Drive event, included with the price of admission, will feature Fords, Lincolns and Toyotas that can be taken for a spin through downtown Fort Worth. The Ride & Drive will take place at the Fort Worth Water Gardens, next to the Convention Center.

A visit to the auto show is the first step for many who are about to buy a new car. The DFW New Cars Dealers Association research shows that 30 to 40 percent of those who attend will buy a new car within 30 to 60 days and 75 percent will buy one within a year.

“There’s nothing like walking up to a car and seeing how it fits and feels,” Chapman said. “If you want to compare four different cars, you can do it here.”

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 9:32 AM with the headline "DFW Auto Show in Fort Worth begins four-day run."