Viper Commands Attention At Auto Show Annual Display Features 150 1995 Edition Automobiles

You can see its sparkling, candyapple red coat gleaming from the minute you enter the 1995 Spokane New Car Show.

Even though you might blanch at the $64,995 price tag, you can’t help make a beeline toward the Dodge Viper, one of more than 150 cars on display this weekend at the Interstate Fairgrounds, N404 Havana St.

“Lots of people are intrigued by the car,” said Carl Clark, who’s been a salesman at Dishman Dodge for four years.

The Viper display is especially popular because this is the first auto show in which Dishman has been able to show off the limited-edition Viper, which is particularly difficult to stock. Dishman is one of 31 local dealerships representing 36 manufacturers at the show.

A circle of drooling fans surrounded the macho Viper. But Clark admitted that the 6-speed, V10 Viper is merely a sexy lure to show off new models (the Stratus sedan and Avenger coupe) and the workhorses of Dodge’s line-up (Neons, minivans and trucks).

“The whole idea is to get people to look at the cars and compare. We want people to see the biggest hits and introduce them to what’s coming up,” Clark said. “We get the sales later.”

Other dealers organized displays around shiny, powerful sports coupes such as the newly redesigned Mitsubishi Eclipse or the Lexus SC300. Volvo’s display emphasized its new side-impact airbags. Volvo is the first automobile to have such safety devices.

Toyota used the auto show to debut its already popular new Tacoma truck, and Kia introduced Spokane to Sportage, a $15,000, 4-door sport/utility vehicle with four-wheel drive.

Some auto show representatives eschew hard sales and new-model exposure, opting instead to to sell the manufacturer and corporate philosophy.

Saturn consultant Chris Kirian, who travels to auto shows in Portland, Seattle and Spokane, said he answers more questions about the Saturn Homecoming in Spring Hill, Tenn., than about engines or prices.

“Saturn has had such high media exposure that people want to know about the company. So we use auto shows as a chance to tell folks who may not ordinarily follow the industry about us and show how we’re different,” said Kirian, who is based at Saturn’s regional headquarters in Sacramento.

Don Rafferty, however, didn’t particularly want to hear any dealer’s pitch while he was looking for something to replace his 4-year-old car.

“I go to auto shows because I don’t like to go all over town to a number of dealers and get pressured,” said Rafferty, a retired Spokane resident who’s been attending the auto show for the past 20 years.

“Dealers here are more low key. They’re not in their own surroundings and they’re not trying to sell you something right there and then,” he said while looking at Buicks.

Rafferty is typical of the Friday morning crowd, according to Kip Nedved, who produced the $100,000 show for the Spokane County New Car Dealers Association.

“The over-50 demographic is a strong element during the weekdays, and they’re typically good buyers. Dealers like them,” Nedved said.

Nedved was happy with the turnout Friday morning, and he predicted strong attendance this weekend.

“In talking with the dealers, everyone is really pleased. We could easily use double the square footage, but things are going well so far,” Nedved said.

The Spokane New Car Show continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets cost $4, and children 15 and younger are admitted free.