This Friday, 2 January marks the opening of the LA Auto Show at the Convention Center downtown. If you're an enthusiast, you must go. There are quite a few new models and some recycled show cars that we haven't seen yet. What are they? Let me tell you!
Before I start, let me give you some show details. It's 10 days long this year and opens on Friday, 2 January and runs until Sunday, 11 January. It opens weekdays at 11am and 9am on weekends. It closes at 10:30pm every day but Sunday that closes at 8pm. It's 10 bucks to get in and another $10 to park the car.
And now I'll let me in on my secret. I suggest you attend the show the last weekend it is open. The Detroit auto show opens a week after the LA show and their press days are the week the LA show is open. This means that some of the cars shown in Detroit for the first time are shown to the press the week of the LA show, and those cars "mysteriously" show up on the floor of the LA show after they're shown in Detroit. This way you might get to see the new Ferrari 456GTM replacement, the 612 Scagtlietti; the BMW 6-Series convertible (plenty of floor space for that); the Ford Freestar; etc.
The new Aston Martin DB9 is really beautiful. I've never driven a new Aston, so I can't comment on that, but visually the new car is great. They've finally gotten the interior right with only a couple of cheap Ford switches visible. Alas, while the body is nice, it looks an awful lot like the other Astons. If I saw one on the road, I'm afraid I couldn't tell the difference very quickly.
Another beauty is the new Maserati Quattroporte. I got to see it up close some time ago, and I think the two I saw are the same two on display now. Do they only have two? This is another beauty inside and out, and probably is the most gorgeous 4-door sedan available today. With the name Maserati, it should be a great driving car too. Note that it does have "Buick" portholes, but those really are from '50s era Maseratis. Unfortunately they're displayed back from the front of the display that commoners aren't allowed into.
What can I say about the Porsche Carrera GT? It isn't very beautiful, but certainly not as functionally ugly as the Ferrari Enzo. I will say that in black, it is smaller looking than expected. It is definitely fast, and if you're a good Porsche customer, you should be able to purchase one. I'm sure we'll see them on the road here, but I doubt I'll be driving one.
Porsche also subtly showed the Cayenne V6. That's the "cheap" Cayenne with the Volkswagen engine. Does this sound like a 924? I plan on an article comparing the Cayenne and Touareg soon, so stand by. Other than the engine, the V6 looks like the V8 inside and out. The Turbo is subtly different on the outside and has a slightly better interior -- as well it should for the extra money.
The BMW 6-Series Coupe is better looking in person than the photos would indicate. Also the one on display is in black, so that hides some of the ugly. The interior is like the 5-Series which is good. I'm not a fan of the double binnacle dash, but it is functional. It wasn't "on", so I couldn't try the iDrive version in the new 6. Also at BMW's place were two X3s. This is my first in-person viewing. I predict success. It definitely is a cute-ute. Also there was the new super X5, the X5 4.8is. It is interesting that it is shown (locked) with cloth-insert seats. Yes, they are available only on the 4.8is, standard on the others is vinyl! Otherwise, it is a stealth X5, very hard to tell from the others.
The Cadillac display has a huge three-car stand with the Escalade ESV, CTS-V, and XLR on display. I'm not a fan of Cadillac's "Art and Science" look, and the ultra-shiny chrome mesh grille on the CTS-V is pimp-mobile ugly. But... in front of this big stand is a little one, only slightly raised from the floor with last year's Sixteen concept on it. I thought the photos looked good, but in person, it is absolutely stunning! If ever there was a car Cadillac should build this one is it. It doesn't need anything like the 16-cylinder pushrod V-16 engine, really a supercharged Northstar would do. It doesn't have a lot of rear room, but the proportions of the car and the "look" are fantastic.
At the Lexus stand, the featured car is a V-8 powered IS, the IS430. I guess they needed to distinguish this one from other similar bodied ISes. The method they used was the most garish two-tone black and red paint job imaginable. What were they thinking?
At the GM-opoly area where all their marques are located, we have three new vehicles. First is the Saab 9-2x which is a Subaru WRX wagon with a Saab front end. The magazines are calling a Saabaru which seems entirely appropriate. It was on a stand that didn't let me see the interior. I wonder if it is changed much. At least this makes more sense than GM's plans for a Saab SUV with the truck-based little SUV that is shared with Chevrolet, GM, formerly Oldsmobile and of all things Isuzu. Why didn't they choose the Saturn Vue to share? Who knows? That would make more sense to me. The other new car is the first showing of the Chevrolet Cobalt (2- and 4-door). It was far away on a turntable, and clearly is the best looking Chevrolet they have. That definitely is damning with faint praise. It is only very slightly less conservative looking than the new Malibu. Now what is the interior and drivetrain like? How could Chevrolet design the ultra-bland Malibu and this looker?
I had a close look at the Hummer H3T that hadn't made it to the turntable yet. I suppose there is a market for this, but I'm not sure where. Isn't the mantra of Hummer BIG? This isn't all that big, though it is very wide looking. The press kit was the most expensive one available, even more than the Maybach.
Chevy also shows last year's show car, the "SS" which seems to be a trend in show cars that I don't understand. It is good looking, don't get me wrong, just impractical. It is a 4-door "sedan" that they call a coupe. Like a similar Mercedes destined for production, the rear seats seem to be designed for headless passengers. So now we have soon-to-be-released coupes that do have leg room, but no headroom. Is this progress?
Pontiac debuted the GTO at last year's LA show, and the production ones are now at dealerships and one at the show -- roped off. It is very much the best looking Pontiac available. I like the conservative masculine styling, but did they really need an antique powertrain? A pushrod engine and 4-speed automatic transmission? GMs development money certainly isn't in powertrains. GM small trucks have a modern 4-valve engine, how come the cars get the short end of the stick?
Mercedes showed their recycled concept the Vision CLS. This is supposed to be a look at an upcoming Merc almost-but-not-quite station wagon. Sort of the Mercedes version of the Pacifica, but much more highly styled. I doubt that the fancy style will make it to the market as it will make it less practical, but then maybe that is what they want.
The Ford stand was overwhelmingly trucks. That's all you see when you enter the hall, but one corner features the beautiful new GT, which seems on a turntable slightly lower than the floor you stand on, making it seem even lower.
What did I miss? The fourth (or is it fifth) year that Lotus has promised us the Elise. I drove one some time ago, and yes it was a fantastic drive. I guess that they're finally serious, though I wonder how many people will pony up $40k plus for a little car like this, elemental sports car or not. And speaking of elemental sports cars, Morgan had a stand with three new Aero 8s. I must say that it isn't as ugly from the front as the pictures indicate... just strange in a slightly cross-eyed sense. And finally the Mazdaspeed Miata is there. I'm afraid that all it inspired in me was a yawn. Yes, the Miata is great, but is this what it needs? Perhaps it will give it one last injection of excitement before it is redone soon.
Finally, I picked up a brochure from "networkcar". It piqued my interest because the cover said "Connect with your inner car". What does that mean? It sounds stupid to me, but reading the information makes it sound much like an OnStar competitor.
One final note or question: GM has all its marques in one area of the left side of the West Hall. All but Subaru. Isn't Subaru really part of GM? Don't they think so? Oh and another final comment: You need to stand in line for the new VW plastic injection molded pencil holder. It really is new!
