Celebrating the decades of excess when Generation X came of age, the OBLIVION ‘80s and ‘90s Car and Culture Show is returning to the Canadian International AutoShow.
A showcase that is committed to the vehicles of the 1980s and 1990s — surrounded by the pop culture elements that helped define the era (think video game arcades, big action flicks, New Wave, Hair Metal and Grunge music blaring out of ghetto blasters, pastel and neon clothing) — OBLIVION is bringing eight vintage vehicles to the 2023 AutoShow, headlined by the iconic DeLorean time machine made famous in the Back to the Future movie trilogy.
“The people of my generation have a growing sense of nostalgia and a genuine desire to re-connect with the elements of their youth, whether that is the first car they drove or the toys they played with as a kid,” says Justin Sookraj, founder of OBLIVION and owner of Wells Auto, a DeLorean-specific dealership and repair shop in Milton. “As the artifacts from the ‘80s and ‘90s become more rare, OBLIVION is a way to celebrate that culture fondly.”
The OBLIVION car show had its first event in Milton in 2018 with a strict edict that it was only showcasing vehicles from the era when Generation X (and the first wave of Generation Y) came of age. It has since become a roving show with a new venue every year that speaks to the eras it celebrates, having been at Ontario place, a vintage camp and a classic mall with 1980s architecture and aesthetic.
OBLIVION made its debut at the Canadian International AutoShow in 2020; its return will include the complete experience, with displays of pop culture tidbits that defined the decades — ghetto blasters, toys and music — and an arcade with both arcade-style and home console games ($5 for unlimited play).
At the 2023 Canadian International AutoShow, the OBLIVION exhibit will showcase a couple of instantly recognizable cars from movies and TV, plus some rare showstoppers that will get the nostalgic juices flowing. Among the cars planned to be part of the display is a 1987 Magna Torrero Prototype, one of only three ever built. Powered by a 532hp 8.1L V8, it features all-wheel drive, satellite navigation, a video entertainment system and an on-board fax machine.
Other cars to be seen at OBLIVION include:
- 1993 Jeep YJ, straight from Jurassic Park
- 1999 Plymouth Prowler and Trailer
- 1991 Honda Civic Special Edition
- 1994 Alfa Romeo RZ
- 1987 BMW M3
- 1993 GMC Typhoon
The OBLIVION display room will be found in Castrol Alley on the 700 Level of the South Building in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (rooms 714 and 716).