Every auto show has a concept car or a production car, usually an exotic that makes you just stand back and go wtf.  Are they serious?  They can’t seriously expect us to believe it is destined for production, can they?  This year had two and I seriously just stepped back and thought wtf next.

Winner #1 was on the Mercedes bench.  It looked like a boxed up and updated Nazi staff car.  I kept waiting for Adolf and Ava to show up for a ride in their staff car.  Either that or it is waiting for the remake of the Rat Race film with Kathy Najimi finding Ava’s lipstick in the glove box or John Lovitz accidently giving a dyke on bikes bruiser the finger after he burnt his finger on the cigarette light of a Nazi Staff car.  Either works.  The car didn’t.  This really is my fugly winner for this years auto show.

Mercede's updated "staff car" concept -my fugly award winner

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German Press and Jetta TDI "Green Car of the Year"

Volkswagen did the unimaginable at the LA Auto Show.  It garnered the “Green Car of the Year”.  VW did it with a diesel, not a hybrid, not some exotic fuel, but a performance oriented turbo-DIESEL.  Hopefully that award will open up a few eyes to the ease one can “go green” and not have to give up any driving fun in the process.  (Snark alert:hopefully once and for all it will undo the diesel myths and damage done by GM with their failed attempt of making the diesel an important part of the US auto scene 30 years ago).

When I first heard it started inside the LA Convention center I knew there was going to be something really special about this car.  It didn’t smoke at start.  Other than a quick clatter when it first started it was silent when running.  It was silent under light acceleration.  The exhaust had a faint smell, not the sweet-sour you associate with a gas car, something more or less “nutty”.  Not objectionable, certainly not visible and something you had to look hard to notice.  That is a huge change from the last round of diesel VW’s we saw here a few years ago.

This years LA Auto Show had a few new wrinkles for press days.  The big one was that the manufacturers ponied up nearly 2 dozen “green cars” for the media to drive.   They were all were nominees for “Green Car of the Year” and represented a broad approach to cleaning up our cars more than they already are.  For my driving I opted for those cars that are more traditional in nature that the average guy would feel right at home in and get great results without having to change their driving habits or style.  (Well, one car was just for kicks and giggles simply because I want one.  You have to read to the end to figure out which one it is I wanted).

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Can the streets of LA handle more automobile hipness?. Quite a few new razzle-dazzle cars were introduced at the LA Auto Show, but my eye picked out two that will possibly be big hits in my North East Los Angeles neighborhood.

First we have the 2008 Nissan Cube. Already available in Japan, the Cube is about the same size as a Honda Element, but infinitely cooler looking. They say it was inspired by a raindrop and they’ve carried that theme throughout the vehicle from the roof lining to the speakers, cup holders and even the asymmetrical rear window.

2008 Nissan Cube

This vehicle, which Nissan calls “A mobile device”, is touted as a lounging pad, with reclineable passenger seats, way too many speakers and…mood lighting. Highly customizable with several of Nissan’s awesome colors, the car is very much geared to the Web 2.0 crowd. There’s the almost standard Bluetooth integration, but the car also features mp3/ipod integration. You can see more photos here or at Nissan’s website.

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I’ve spent the last two days wandering around the LA Auto Show checking it all out.  This is a quick run down of my favorite activities at the show that will be available to the public at large when the show opens.  

My absolute favorite was Volvo’s “City Safe” demo where you actually get to sit in the car and put the system to the test real time.  It works, amazingly well.  I have to thank Adam Kopstein from Volvo who let me ride along and “tape” the ride.  Its amazing how well the system works.  I did it and failed the first time as instinct stepped in and before I got close enough to activate the system, I braked myself and had to retry the test.  Its freaky.  It works.

It doesn’t take much imagination to see this working very well in real life.  Imagine being in a parking lot, or bump and go traffic, exhausted and turning around to hand the kid in a car-seat a bottle or just turning your head before a lane change and the car in front stops quickly.  City Safe won’t let you rear end them, or if fast enough you won’t do much more than a tap with no damage to either of you.  Bring your DL and be prepared to stand in line.  Its a trip but well worth the thrill…and no extra charge! (more…)

Lincoln MKZ unwrapped for LA Auto Show

The news embargo is over on the Lincoln MKZ info I got at the reveal media conference last week. The MKZ is #2 of the 4 Ford World Premieres set for the LA Auto Show that opens on the 21st.  

Of course all the blather and hype of a media conference doesn’t mean a thing until the blue silk cover is removed from the car. It is a show stopper. Clearly the elements that make it a Lincoln are there, the grill split is nice as it does remind me of the original Zephyr launched back in the 40’s. It certainly fits the design theme of the MKS launched earlier this year. (more…)

 
 

Ford’s 2010 Mustang Reveal Party last night was loud, frantic and attended by nearly 1,000 Mustang Club fans who brought along 400+ vintage mustangs. We got to hear the winner of the “My Mustang” story and watch him get the keys to his 2010 GT. We got to see the video from the video contest winner also. Both can be seen at The2010Mustang.com.

You just knew it was going to be a fun when they are handing out earplugs with a warning that it was going to be loud. The evening built to a crescendo capped with the 2010 models being drifted, skidded or simply driven onto the hangar floor at Barker Hangar in SaMo.  The fans gave them ovations as each one entered the arena.

The Mustang did get a gorgeous, chiseled new body and interior.  The engine options are the same but both power plants benefited from the cold air induction introduced on the Bullitt.  Short version is that the colder the air the more efficiently the car can burn its fuel.  End result is more power coming from a cleaner burn.   The options lists are extensive.  If you want more power than the base GT provides you can go through Ford Motorsports or an authorized dealer to have “super packs” added.  

Super-packs are how you make your ’stang even more powerful and suspension tuned for more track performance to stay at the top of the performance pack.  ”Super-packs” means supercharged engines producing 400 or 500 horsepower along with the mods to the car so it can handle that increased power.  Nice.

A few more pics and the drifting vid after the jump. (more…)

The info embargo is over.  As of 12:01AM 11/18 I can share some tidbits that I was given at last weeks Lincoln MKZ reveal on the new ’stang that should whet a few appetites around LA.  

First its no secret that for Ford, LA and So Cal is the most important market for the Mustang (base and performance versions) that it was only fitting that the World Premiere of the 2010 Mustang is to take place at the LA Auto Show. The LA Auto show has pretty much matched Detroits Auto Show in importance on the global car show circuit.  Us finally getting the World Premieres shows how important this show has become.

What most of you don’t know is that Ford is having a special pre-reveal party tomorrow in Santa Monica.  The reveal party details can be had by registering on the Ford 2010 Mustang Reveal site.  We get the real deal while 11 other cities get a satellite feed of the event.  At the reveal party there will be a huge Mustang only show presented by the Ford Mustang Clubs.  Mustangs from the last 40 years will be on display.  Followed by that is what they expect to be standing room only for the roll out and uncovering the 2010 Mustang. 

The technical bits on the new Mustang I can reveal right now, more once the official press releases are passed out and I can sift through them.

• improved fuel economy on V6 and V8 models
• new suspension on all models based on current Bullitt
• Full Sync integration with Sat Nav
• automatic climate control (solves my trivial complaint nicely)

Lincoln MKZ is among 17 cars making their world debut at the LA Auto Show this year.

In the not so distance past the LA Auto Show wasn’t much more than the local dealers showing off the new cars and their in-house customization.   The problem was that the LA Show overlapped a few days with the Detroit Auto Show.  All that changed a couple of years ago when the show was moved to November.  

This years LA Auto Show runs November 21-30 and promises to be the biggest yet.  The LA Auto Show this time around will show case more debuts than ever before, certainly befitting our impact and importance in the world auto market.  The scheduling now is so tight the manufacturers are holding “preview” events locally in order to allow the media more time to kick the tires and pick the brains of the teams putting out the debut cars.  (Ford did one on Tuesday which I’ll talk about a bit later in this post).

Some highlights coming our way for the 2008 show:

• 17 cars will get their world debut including the Lincoln MKZ, G37 Convertible, Mazda 3,Nissan 370Z and the “Mini e” (e for electric)
• 12 cars will have their North American Debut including the Honda Insight and Ferrari California
• Awarding the “Green Car of the Year” to those cars that are the cleanest of the clean…big surprise in store for you hybrid fans-among the top cars in the running there is a diesel and a regular gas car.
• “Sneak Preview Night” 11/20 is a tax deductible benefiting Homeless Health Care Los Angeles