The New York Auto Show, which started in 1900 on the floor of Madison Square Garden, has attracted more than one million visitors each year for the past seven years and will hold a display of more than one thousand cars on a dual level display area of 750,000 sq. feet. Admission is eight dollars for adults and two dollars for children under twelve.

You remind me of my JEEP!

If raw power were all you cared about GMC displayed its impressive large truck/vehicle series in the Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon, and Sonoma style trucks. On hand they displayed the Vortec engines that could produce up to 255 horsepower and also brought out one of this year's new automobile fads; the third door. Like GMC, Ford, Chevy, and Dodge all produced a third door option on their trucks for easier access to the cab.

The third door is attached to the cab on either side of the vehicle and swings out in a suicide-door fashion that allows easier storage for equipment and makes it possible for new innovations like that incorporated for handicap passengers. The third door can be arranged so that it can accommodate a fold-up wheel chair and store it behind the seat with the use of a robotic arm. Many models of trucks offer the door and the price is relevant to the manufacturer.

Another eye popping exhibit was the Yamaha Royal Star motorcycles that electrified the floor with its large cycle display. Yamaha has reverted its design to the hogs of old with this new road warrior creating an almost Harley-Davidson feeling. But all this beauty and power isn't cheap at over $13,000 a cycle.

Harley, Harley, Do you hear me?

Along with Ford, Dodge also displayed a great sedan exhibit with the Prowler roadster, and three Vipers as the main attraction.What seemed most impressive were Dodge's new sedan line featuring economy cars like the Intrepid and Avenger that offer style at an affordable price.

Many people may have wondered about the new kid on the block--Saturn. The Saturn exhibit held the most practical aspects of the show because each hour the salespeople went through emergency procedures like changing a wheel or "what to do if stranded" sessions that appealed to many auto weary New Yorkers. Although they didn't have much on display in terms of variety their product is of a high quality. For instance two of the salespeople there were happy Saturn owners themselves who after buying the car decided to work for the company.

In terms of luxury automobiles the biggest names in the business were on hand to show that you will get what you pay for.Jaguar introduced a new line to go along with its already $70, 000+repetior of XJ models. On the other hand Mercedes-Benz chose to introduce two new models, the All-Activity Vehicle 4X4 and display the beginnings of its brand new E-class. Prices for the E-class begin at around $40,000. One of the most colorful and vibrant exhibits was BMW's effort to show the world it has the "ultimate driving machine." This exhibit was humoring because the cars were painted in light colors which caught the eye's attention but did little to arouse buyer influence.

Lastly but not least Volkswagen continued its campaign to the young, educated, active people of America by displaying its new model called the Trek. Amid the blare of TV sets and rock-and-roll the Jetta Trek looked to be another quality product from the people who brought us the old reliable bugs.

If your appetites were still wanting more after you viewed all the cars there were still the auxiliary exhibits located on the lower level. There was the Iwerks Reactor, Portable Motion Stimulation Theater that aroused the senses as it plummeted you into the forefront of laser disc movie technology. Virtual reality made a showing in the 3-D Immersion Theater that was guaranteed to be an experience to remember. There was also plenty of arcade racing simulators, food, and high spirits.