Ah, Utah weather. As they say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes.” And so it was for the 2024 Exotics at City Hall show, put on by Ismael Utrilla, Need 2 Drive and their sponsors. As we wrote in our preview article, some pretty special cars were lined up to attend. Some made it, and some couldn’t escape their snow-covered driveways.
Photo courtesy of @shotbyrondo
Regardless, the show was a success. The previous two shows at The Gateway were tough acts to follow, but this year’s showcasing of cars was the best yet — and provided a template for future shows at the city and county building in downtown Salt Lake City.
In speaking with Ismael Utrilla, the main organizer of the show and co-founder of Need 2 Drive Utah, he highlighted several ways this show was his favorite so far, and why you should be excited for next year.
More money raised for charity
The first thing Utrilla mentioned when asked how he felt the show went was how much money was raised for Utah Foster Care. Working in conjunction with Supercar Ron — and the showcasing of his ultra-rare Pagani Huayra Tempesta Roadster — Utrilla estimates about $5,000 was raised. “We had fewer people than last year but raised more money for the kids. That’s a huge win in my book,” said Utrilla.
Photo courtesy of @shotbyrondo
And by fewer people, he means there were still about 5,000 people in attendance. While that number is well short of the flood of people at The Gateway show last year, it was still a good crowd — but not too much to feel overwhelming.
Less stress, better attendee experience
Even with the snow and rain, Utrilla emphasized how much less stressful this year’s show was compared to previous years. “Because of the new location, it was way easier to see the cars in one place,” he said, “The complaints from last year were that it was too crowded, people couldn’t see the cars and the cars were too close together. This year all of those problems were remedied.”
Photo courtesy of @shotbyrondo
KSL Cars took some time to walk around seeing all the cars. There was plenty of space to walk around, never feeling overwhelming. Overall, there were about 100 cars planned, but only 80 or so could make it due to the weather.
“Having the cars there in the rain … our owners are on another level. It just shows how Utahns and the car community support each other, and that we love to drive our cars,” he said.
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Mission to inspire: accomplished
Even with fewer cars and attendees, the mission of Need 2 Drive was accomplished. When asked why he continues to organize these car shows, Utrilla gave a simple but profound answer, “This club started in 2018. The motivation, goal and mission of Need 2 Drive is to bring people together to share their love and passion for cars. And that hasn’t changed in six years.”
Photo by Jason Bell
“Why do the car show? To inspire the next generation. It could be a kid, an adult, a teenager, a banker or anybody who is the next generation of supercar owners,” he said. “We want to inspire kids to work hard for their goals and achieve their dreams.”
Photo by Jason Bell
Given the many smiles I saw, especially from children, including my own, I would say this mission was accomplished. “Seeing the kids and the car fans … all the hard work, it’s worth it. It’s worth it for the joy, hope and smiles,” he said.
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Plans for next year
If you missed this year’s show, don't worry. Utrilla plans on holding Exotics at City Hall at the same location, but probably a week or two later in April to avoid conflicts with spring break and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ general conference. And if he can avoid some wet weather, that would be a bonus, too.
He also promises even more special cars next year. “We lost some cars like the 918, Carrera GT, the GT2 RS and the Murcielago SV, but there will be some new surprises next year. We hope to have 5-8 hypercars there.”
Photo courtesy of @shotbyrondo
Utrilla and Need 2 Drive would like to thank all of their sponsors, including KSL Cars, Windshield Skin Utah, Jags Fuel Stores, DC Customs, Flanker, All City Event Rentals, PME Tuning, Tint City, Auto Lifestyle, 4 Wheel Towing, 4 Wheel Classic Cars, DLR Real Estate and Utah Foster Care.
For updates and announcements about next year’s show, check in with @exoticsatcityhall and @Need2Drive on Instagram. Follow @kslcarsofficial for details about this and other upcoming car events in Utah.
KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.
About the author: Having owned everything from a DeLorean to an E46 BMW M3 and a Toyota Land Cruiser, Jason Bell is a lifelong car enthusiast who loves sharing his passions as a teacher, automotive journalist, and social media manager. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press where he serves on the Board of Directors. Contact him at jasonbellcars@gmail.com.
