2018 St. Louis Auto Show: 5 Things You Can't Miss

CARS.COM — When talking about life back in “The Lou,” native Missourians often conjure images of a few special St. Louis mainstays — namely, the thin-crust St. Louis-style Imo’s Pizza, toasted ravioli from The Hill, cooling off on densely humid summer nights with Ted Drewes Frozen Custard and trips to the free zoo, City Museum or Forest Park. And of course, there’s St. Louis’ Gateway Arch — an iconic monument symbolizing the city’s role when 19th-century pioneers headed westward.

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The covered wagons that trudged West through the state’s open prairies a century and a half ago are a staple of Missouri’s history — but personal transportation has decidedly come a long way since then. And what better way to commemorate the journey than by marveling at all the bells and whistles of the modern American automobile at the 2018 St. Louis Auto Show.

Opening Jan. 25 at The Dome at America’s Center, the event will showcase more than 500 new cars, trucks, SUVs, and luxury and classic vehicles from at least 25 manufacturers during four days of everything automobile.

Here are five things you can’t miss at this year’s show:

1. Dodge Viper Simulator

Get behind the wheel of a 645-horsepower V-10 Dodge Viper and cruise around a fantasy track for three laps while experiencing simulated motions as the vehicle reportedly pitches forward and back, heaves up and down, and rolls side to side. Electric actuators, placed where the Viper’s sport suspension is located, allow drivers to feel like they’re actually navigating a racetrack. The simulator has all the functionality of a Viper, including the six-speed shifter, a working gauge cluster and a premium sound system.

2. Racing Champions

Racing personalities, including 2017 IndyCar Series champ Josef Newgarden and NHRA world champion Robert Hight will make appearances, while drifting champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. will treat spectators to free drifting demonstrations in his Ford Mustang RTR, followed by autograph sessions at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 26; 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27; and 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Jan. 28.

3. Classic Car Studio

Velocity channel’s “Speed Is the New Black” will bring the show’s 1966 Chevrolet C10 “Tiffany” to the Classic Car Studio, where auto-show guests can meet cast members. Meet-and-greets with the show’s personalities will be held at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Jan. 25-27, and at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Jan. 28.

4. Go-Karts and Indoor Ziplining

Grab a helmet and racing gloves, and rev up your engine for the St. Louis Auto Show Karting Experience, where guests can race GT-5 Gateway Pro Karts against friends and family on a custom multiturn course that simulates a “real racing environment.” Gateway Kartplex will offer rides starting at $15 for those age 14 and older.

Guests can also take in the sights and sounds of the show from a 32-foot bird’s-eye view on an indoor zipline that will run 400 feet along the inside of the venue. Rides are $10 each or $40 for a full-day pass.

5. Kids Zone

No driver’s license? No problem. The St. Louis Auto Show has plenty of activities planned for the kiddos still dreaming of the day they can legally take the wheel. Highlights among the lengthy list of activities planned for the Kids Zone include Daytona racing simulators, an LED rock-climbing wall, dome-hockey table games, a “giant” foosball table, a bungee trampoline and other activities to keep the kids engaged.

2018 St. Louis Auto Show hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Jan. 25, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Jan. 26-27 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 28. Admission is $11 for adults; children younger than 12 are free; group discounts are also available by calling 314-822-0333. Visit the St. Louis Auto Show’s website for further details, including parking information and floor maps.

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