Utah’s largest exotic car show brought 25,000 to The Gateway

THE GATEWAY – In 2022, Ismael Utrilla and his supercar group Need 2 Drive held the largest exotic car show Utah had ever seen. Many wondered if they could top it. Last weekend, they did. April 8 was one for the record books. On the first night to feel like spring after a historically long winter, Utah and its supercars showed up for Exotics at The Gateway — to the tune of 25,000 attendees and more than 150 amazing supercars. 

“I don’t know where to start,” Utrilla said of the show’s unprecedented success. “Not even Kanye West brought that many people in his Sunday service. Nobody could bring it but Need 2 Drive. It’s a passion. We turned down hundreds of supercars. This was the largest gathering downtown, maybe ever.”

Superstar supercars

The show started at 6 p.m., and within a half hour it was shoulder-to-shoulder foot traffic. The biggest attractions of the night were a Koenigsegg CCXR and Bugatti Pur Sport. Both are extremely rare and very expensive. In addition to those, there were dozens of exotic cars such as Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, McLarens and Corvettes..

What’s the drive?

Putting on a show this large is a lot of work. The logistics are challenging and can take months to iron out. So why volunteer to put on a free show? And why would the owners be willing to display their million-dollar supercars for free? 

Utrilla said, “Our motivation is to inspire the next generation. That’s our mission, our vision. And with that, we can achieve anything. It’s not just one person. We all are the car community. The moms, the kids, the dads — all of us. We need to teach the kids to dream, and the impact we can have on these kids is priceless. The reward is not in money, but in the satisfaction of inspiring others.” Check out some Lambos for sale

And it’s already paying off. As one Instagram user said, the event was “one of the most spectacular things I’ve been to in my life.” In addition to inspiring youth, 118 Racing and Need 2 Drive raised over $2,200 in donations for Utah Foster Care through the sale of their shirts.

“I want to make sure we are supporting a good cause every year,” Utrilla said. “I want to show the kids that it’s good to give. It’s our responsibility to show them this example.” 

Super support

The show was brought to Utah thanks to the collaboration of Utrilla, Need 2 Drive, Automotive Addiction, The Gateway and sponsors such as KSL Cars. “I’m grateful for the community, the sponsors, the attendees, The Gateway for allowing us to come to the venue, for KSL for believing in me, for Automotive Addiction for all the help,” Utrilla said. “I still can’t believe it. I’m on cloud nine.” Pick out a Porsche

Utrilla added, “It was a community effort. I’m the founder (of Need 2 Drive), but there was an army behind me, and I feel nothing but gratitude about it. If it’s not fun, people stop doing it. This is so much fun for me.” Other sponsors for the event included:

• 118 Racing

• Utah Foster Care

• Porsche of Salt Lake City

• Ferrari of Salt Lake City

• Tint Citi

• Car Guyz Motors

• Coatic-Lab

• Putnam Leasing

• Flanker

• Utah Detail Pros

• 4Wheel Towing

What’s next?

After such a successful show, Need 2 Drive isn’t slowing down. “There will be a few drives, a couple of private events. We’re already looking forward to next year and making it even bigger than this one,” he said. “Need 2 Drive has given me so much joy in the last five years. Exotics at The Gateway 2023 was insane — to see so many kids having the time of their lives. There were thousands of lives changed on Saturday, and that’s the biggest reward.” 

Sharing Utah’s car stories

There are so many amazing cars in Utah and we want to share their stories! If you or someone you know has an awesome car story, send an email to cars@ksl.com or message us on Instagram or Facebook. Learn more about Need 2 Drive on Instagram @Need2DriveUtah and Utrilla’s personal account, @PorscheDriver801.

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.