Georgia Tech Auto Show Motors On
What began simply as a common interest among colleagues has become a long-standing tradition on campus: the Georgia Tech Auto Show. It returns Saturday, March 29.
It debuted in 2003 when Sterling Skinner, a laboratory manager at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and David Lynn, a lecturer in the School of Industrial Design (a master’s student in the program at the time), tried getting Tech gearheads out of the garage and into the community.
Because of Tech’s rich automotive history — from the iconography of the Ramblin' Wreck to the Institute's racing roots — the show's organizers quickly realized there was a shared enthusiasm among students, faculty, staff, and alumni to showcase their vehicles.
"It felt as if there were a lot of people on campus who were into cars, but you could be in an office or a lab right next to someone who shares this passion, and it may never come up in conversation," Lynn said. "Georgia Tech being so engineering-heavy lends itself to many people enjoying all things mechanical, and I don't know that there's any better example of a mechanical object than a car."
The show attracts classic cars, concept vehicles, unfinished student projects, and everything in between.
Lynn's decades of experience as an automotive designer have taken him around the world. He has designed cars that have competed at Le Mans and won world championships. But despite having seen more cars than most, he is continuously impressed by the unique collection of vehicles that roll onto campus for each show.
"A hallmark of the show is the variety," he said. "I've been a car nut for as long as I can remember. I've designed race cars and been to all the car museums and the car shows, but we do get cars there occasionally that even I haven't seen before, and that's so exciting to me.”
The show adopted a virtual format for two years due to the pandemic and took a year off before returning in 2024. Lynn says that support from community members and social media aided in the decision to revive the annual event, and he's excited to see it regain its prior momentum.
Since its inception, Skinner and Lynn have planned and organized each event alongside a team of volunteers, but as part of its evolution, the show will now be facilitated by the School of Industrial Design.
The 2025 Georgia Tech Auto Show will take place in the heart of campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free to attend. Participants will park their cars on the walkways surrounding the East and West Architecture Buildings, Koan Plaza, and Texas Instruments Plaza.
Vehicle registration for the show remains open through Friday. Classic antique cars, late-model modified cars, 4×4 off-road trucks, hot rods, cars modified with alternative power delivery (electric, fuel cell), daily-drivers, kit cars, race cars, concept cars, prototype cars, and all kinds of motorcycles are encouraged to participate.
For more information, visit the show’s website.