*** LA Auto Show - Part 2 ****

Started by Colin, November 22, 2008, 09:43:28 AM

Colin

FERRARI

The very first stand that I got to was Ferrari. Pride of place goes to the new California model, with 2 cars on show. One, in red, with the roof down and a pale blue one with roof up. The styling of this car has grown on  me, and it does look better in the metal (and in red) than the early launch photos suggested.





















The rest of the range was on display, too.

The 430 Scuderia





Regular 430



599 GTB







612 Scaglietti





FORD

Centre of attention here was the 2010 Ford Mustang. Although claimed to be "all new", this looks like a fairly extensive facelift of the model that has been around for the past 4 years. The car goes on sale in March 2009, with the first ones due down the production line in early January. It was certainly capturing a lot of attention, with throngs of people around the cars all the way up to closing time. Whereas there may be some debate about the aesthetic merit of the new styling, there is no denying the leap forward in the quality of the interior, which is a massive improvement on the rather low rent trim that features today.





















A Bullitt version of the current model was shown alongside the facelifted cars.



Also debuting was the 2010 model the Ford Fusion. Here, I was even less convinced that the facelift is a visual improvement, with a more pronounced and very bold grille at the front and extended light clusters at the rear. Ford were making huge publicity about how the hybrid model is the most economical in its class, and were handing out free "t" shirts to showgoers who could win a $20 gas coupon if they were spotted wearing them during the show.





Ford were showing the Verve Sedan concept car, promising that this will go on sale in the US as a 2011 model year car.









The Flex has only just gone on sale, and there were several somewhat "personalised" versions of this on the stand, along with one standard model.







The latest Focus is a reskin of the original 1998 model, available as a 2 or 4 door sedan only.



GMC

Although the future from this brand is frequently called into question, it is still alive, and producing a range of SUVs and trucks. None of these are what you would call small.









GUMPERT

One of the most dramatic supercars of the recent times, the Apollo looks even more striking in bright orange.





HONDA


Whilst inspecting the new Insight - officially a concept version - I was cornered by a video crew who wanted to record people's impressions of the car. Look out for what I said on Honda's website very soon (unless they got better soundbites from other people later in the day, of course!).







The CRZ staged another show appearance.





Rather less production ready was this concept:







New production model is the 2009 Pilot, complete with rather dominant grille.



The hydrogen fuel cell FCX-Clarity is now on the roads as part of a controlled trial





HUMMER


Nothing new here. and the one manufacturer who was making few claims about fuel efficiency and green-ness.



HYUNDAI

Genesis was the main talking point here, with several cars on the stand

















The Genesis Coupe was also on show, and seemed to be very well received. It does not look significantly bigger than the outgoing Coupe/Tiburon model. The show car was labelled as a prototype, but it looked production ready.









Also labelled a prototype was the Elantra wagon, which appears to be the i30 Estate from Europe.

Whether the i30 Hatch will make it to the US to replace the Elantra sedan is less clear.



A real concept car is the iMove.



Production cars included:

Accent



Elantra



Tuscon



Santa Fe



Veracruz



Sonata



INFINITI

Latest car here is the G37 Cabrio, which looks rather good, and if it drives like the sedan and coupe, will be rather good.





Some of the models from this range will make it to Europe in 2009. That includes the EX35:



It does not include the massive FX56, which is just too big for European roads (and fuel prices)



JAGUAR

The new XF was the most important car on this stand, and seemed to be generating a lot of positive comments from everyone, praised in particular for its design and appearance.







Still elegant is the XJ, of course:





JEEP

The extensive range of Jeeps featured near the entrance to the South Hall, but with the exception of the Jeep ev and a concept car, seen before, all were production models well established in the market.













KIA

Latest offering here is the Soul, a car which I really rather like. With its chunky styling, and planned low market price, this one could do rather well when it goes on sale next Spring.





The rest of the US range was well represented, too.

Rio



Spectra



Vinsanity

Quote from: Colin on November 22, 2008, 09:43:28 AM


WOW. I really like that color combo :wub:

Although I would take mine with an interior matching the wheels (like the interior on the Spyder)

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hotrodalex

Quote from: Vinsanity on November 22, 2008, 10:58:50 AM
WOW. I really like that color combo :wub:

Although I would take mine with an interior matching the wheels (like the interior on the Spyder)

:hesaid:

Tave

Quote from: Vinsanity on November 22, 2008, 10:58:50 AM
WOW. I really like that color combo :wub:

Wasn't the 300ZX available in a similar package?

I swear I've seen a kid running around in a maroon turbo with gold BBS wheels.
As I write, highly civilized human beings are flying overhead, trying to kill me.

Quote from: thecarnut on March 16, 2008, 10:33:43 AM
Depending on price, that could be a good deal.

Vinsanity

Quote from: Tave on November 23, 2008, 01:42:36 PM
Wasn't the 300ZX available in a similar package?

I swear I've seen a kid running around in a maroon turbo with gold BBS wheels.

Actually, IIRC, bronze BBS rimz were a popular accessory for almost every upscale Japanese car in the early-mid 90's, and many of them would show up on burgundy-maroon cars. Of course, this Ferrari wears it much better, though.

hotrodalex

Quote from: Vinsanity on November 23, 2008, 01:53:06 PM
Actually, IIRC, bronze BBS rimz were a popular accessory for almost every upscale Japanese car in the early-mid 90's, and many of them would show up on burgundy-maroon cars. Of course, this Ferrari wears it much better, though.

The stripes really complete it. If it just had the wheels I wouldn't really care for it.

dazzleman

Colin, phenomenal job with the photos.  Thanks for posting them, man.

The new Ferrari California is pretty sweet.  I actually prefer the blue over the red.  But I'm just not a fan of red, even for a sportscar.

I also like the Mustang quite a bit.  It continues to look a lot like the original Mustang.

I'm not crazy for the Honda styling.  They're getting too rounded and fat looking.
A good friend will come bail you out of jail...BUT, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, DAMN...that was fun!

FoMoJo

Once again, great photos.

My personal favourite...

The best looking Ferrari since the 275 GTB.
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

SVT666

Quote from: FoMoJo on November 24, 2008, 09:49:01 AM
Once again, great photos.

My personal favourite...

The best looking Ferrari since the 275 GTB.
I agree. The 599 is gorgeous.  That new Mustang is really hot, though I still don't like all the plastic on the bottom of it.

hotrodalex

Quote from: FoMoJo on November 24, 2008, 09:49:01 AM
Once again, great photos.

My personal favourite...

The best looking Ferrari since the 275 GTB.

I'm not a fan of a lot of Ferrari's front-engined GT's. Just not as cool as the mid-engined ones.

FoMoJo

Quote from: HEMI666 on November 24, 2008, 10:16:16 AM
I agree. The 599 is gorgeous.  That new Mustang is really hot, though I still don't like all the plastic on the bottom of it.
The plastic has got to go.  It really cheapens the look.
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."