Northeast International Auto Show returns to Providence this weekend

Paul Edward Parker, Providence Journal
·2 min read

PROVIDENCE − Last year, supply-chain shortages forced the postponement of the Northeast International Auto Show, but this weekend, new cars and trucks will be in abundance in the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Perhaps the star attraction, certainly the one that's getting all the pre-show buzz, is the all-electric microbus from Volkswagen: the ID. Buzz.

"We're really excited," said Bradford Scott, owner of Scott Volkswagen in East Providence. "We are one of a handful of shows that are getting the ID. Buzz."

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz, an electric version of its iconic microbus, will be featured at the Northeast International Auto Show in Providence this weekend.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz, an electric version of its iconic microbus, will be featured at the Northeast International Auto Show in Providence this weekend.

The ID. Buzz, which won't be available in the United States until mid to late summer, is a radical update of the quintessential hippie transport vehicle from VW.

"It's the nostalgia for the old vehicle combined with the excitement of an electrified future," said Scott. "It was a sign of the times. It was a cultural movement, part of the peace and love of the hippie days. It sort of came to represent that freedom."

While he predicts the brand-new version will appeal to aging hippies looking to relive the '60s, Scott also predicts it will be popular with a younger generation looking for a versatile vehicle that's larger than most electric cars on the market. In fact, the updated version will be roomier than the classic, he said.

Most displays for the Northeast International Auto Show at the Rhode Island Convention Center were still in pieces in shipping crates Tuesday afternoon, although one Toyota sign had been assembled. The show opens Friday.
Most displays for the Northeast International Auto Show at the Rhode Island Convention Center were still in pieces in shipping crates Tuesday afternoon, although one Toyota sign had been assembled. The show opens Friday.

The seven-seater will have a range of 258 miles and a fast-charging system that will take the charge from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes. No manufacturer's suggested retail price has been announced yet.

What else will be at the Northeast International Auto Show?

The show will also feature a collection of tricked-out Jeeps from 401 Jeep Wave members and pets through Subaru Pet Adoptions will be available.

The show opens Friday and closes Sunday. Hours on Friday are noon to 9 p.m.; on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Laborers on Tuesday afternoon were in the early stages of setting up displays for the Northeast International Auto Show, which opens Friday in the Rhode Island Convention Center.
Laborers on Tuesday afternoon were in the early stages of setting up displays for the Northeast International Auto Show, which opens Friday in the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Tickets are $14, although those 62 and older and students 21 and younger with a student ID can get in for $10. Children 12 and younger are free. Tickets are discounted $2 if purchased in advance at www.ProvidenceAutoShow.com.

For information, visit www.ProvidenceAutoShow.com or follow @NEAutosShow on Facebook and @NEAutosShow on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Auto show returns to Providence Friday