Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (May 27/02) - Going to Iqaluit's first car show last weekend was a lot like watching a bunch of kids in a candy store.

Adults filed past rows of shiny vehicles, with their mouths agape, eager to get behind the wheel.

Suzukis, SUVs, pick-up trucks and Jeeps -- you name it, it were there -- were all washed up nice and pretty and put on display by The Driving Force Nunavut.

Owner Dan Gauthier sounded like a proud papa the day following the first car show ever held in the territory.

"It was a success. Everybody who went had a lot of fun," said Gauthier. He estimated about 250 people made it out to the Arctic Winter Games Complex for the event over the course of the Victoria Day weekend.

"It was nice to see something like this in Iqaluit," he said.

And not all the people came out just to ogle. Many came with the goal of driving away in a vehicle sporting that new car smell.

"We sold between 10 to 14 vehicles," Gauthier said.

Prices ranged between $20,000 to $45,000 on the 40 brand-new vehicles. For those buyers with pockets not quite deep enough, all three of Iqaluit's banks were on hand at the show to arrange special financing for the vehicles.

Iqaluit resident Annie Ford considered buying an automobile at the show, particularly because hers had been stolen just two days prior to the event. But, as luck would have it, the vehicle she wanted sold just two hours into the show.

"I was very tempted, to buy one but I can't afford one right now," she said. "I wanted that blue one, but it sold," she said.

Never fear, Annie, your chance will come. Gauthier said he wants to make the event an annual one and already has a few changes in mind for the next indoor car show.

"I would advertise it more and I probably wouldn't do it on the long weekend," said Gauthier.

He also hopes the coffee and doughnuts he planned to serve will arrive on time next year -- they fell through at the last minute -- but he doesn't plan on getting into the business of free giveaways at the car show.

"I don't think so because the price on the vehicles is already low enough," said Gauthier.