Phoenix Auto Show
11-24-2011, 09:23 PM
#1
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Phoenix Auto Show
Went to the Phoenix auto show today. Some observations
1. The proliferation of cheap plastic on $45,000 to $50,000 vehicles is apalling. The plastic was so thin and cheap, it felt like that if you leaned on it, it would break.
2. Sigh - they are all touting their greenness by showing hybrid after hybrid - very few diesels - none new that I could see
3. Fortunately, they put couches between the Honda and Toyota areas. The perfect place to take a nap, because there is nothing exciting happening in either area. Honda had the most politically correct boring cars on display, I almost fell asleep standing up. The most interesting looking car was the CRZ - what's wrong with this picture?
4. Nissan did NOT have a GT-R on display (dammit).
5. I actually fit in a Mini Countryman.
That's about it - except they did have Bentley's, Lambo's, and Ferrari's right at the entrance.
1. The proliferation of cheap plastic on $45,000 to $50,000 vehicles is apalling. The plastic was so thin and cheap, it felt like that if you leaned on it, it would break.
2. Sigh - they are all touting their greenness by showing hybrid after hybrid - very few diesels - none new that I could see
3. Fortunately, they put couches between the Honda and Toyota areas. The perfect place to take a nap, because there is nothing exciting happening in either area. Honda had the most politically correct boring cars on display, I almost fell asleep standing up. The most interesting looking car was the CRZ - what's wrong with this picture?
4. Nissan did NOT have a GT-R on display (dammit).
5. I actually fit in a Mini Countryman.
That's about it - except they did have Bentley's, Lambo's, and Ferrari's right at the entrance.
11-25-2011, 02:00 AM
#2
Bummer...not sure what I would buy if I were in the market for another car. 
Maybe Val will be interested in your observations, once she gets her head around a new one.
Maybe Val will be interested in your observations, once she gets her head around a new one.
11-25-2011, 03:56 AM
#3
I have this bad feeling the car market is headed for another 10 year period like '74-'84 when there was nothing on the market that you'd want to own.
heck forget own, there was nothing on the market you even wanted to drive.
heck forget own, there was nothing on the market you even wanted to drive.
11-25-2011, 07:00 AM
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This was the most boring car show I have been to in a long time. Except for Ferrari (can't afford), Bentley (can't afford), Lamborghini (can't afford), Corvette (can't fit), and Audi R8 (can't afford), there was noting of any interest at all. I take it back - the Lexus LFA looked interesting (bet I don't fit).
Porsche only showed up with a Cayenne and a Panamera. So instead of Big & Rich - you get Big & Ugly.
Acura should get an award for designing a car whose grill looks like the mask the Occupy people were wearing - I think it is from the movie V for Vendetta.
The rest of the cars could best be described as exciting as a bowl of oatmeal, and most of the cars were about the same color as a bowl of oatmeal.
I went to the Ford area to look at their trucks (superduty's) and all they had were dressed up F150's. I asked one of the workers where the trucks were. He pointed to the F-150 - I just looked at him and said "truck - not tinkertoy". He said that corporate Ford had decided that auto shows were not the proper venue to show the superduty trucks. And I had such high hopes for the only Detroit carmaker that did not take a handout from the government.
Do I ask for too much - all I want is for someone to build an exciting car (that I fit in)that doesn't cost $60,000 or more. Exciting means 0-60 in somewhere around 5 seconds, reliable, exceptional handling and brakes. If Honda were to build an AP3 like we talked about in another thread, that would be perfect, but those idiots have sucked all the excitement out of the Honda brand (well, Toyota too for that matter)
Sorry for the rant.
Porsche only showed up with a Cayenne and a Panamera. So instead of Big & Rich - you get Big & Ugly.
Acura should get an award for designing a car whose grill looks like the mask the Occupy people were wearing - I think it is from the movie V for Vendetta.
The rest of the cars could best be described as exciting as a bowl of oatmeal, and most of the cars were about the same color as a bowl of oatmeal.
I went to the Ford area to look at their trucks (superduty's) and all they had were dressed up F150's. I asked one of the workers where the trucks were. He pointed to the F-150 - I just looked at him and said "truck - not tinkertoy". He said that corporate Ford had decided that auto shows were not the proper venue to show the superduty trucks. And I had such high hopes for the only Detroit carmaker that did not take a handout from the government.
Do I ask for too much - all I want is for someone to build an exciting car (that I fit in)that doesn't cost $60,000 or more. Exciting means 0-60 in somewhere around 5 seconds, reliable, exceptional handling and brakes. If Honda were to build an AP3 like we talked about in another thread, that would be perfect, but those idiots have sucked all the excitement out of the Honda brand (well, Toyota too for that matter)
Sorry for the rant.
11-25-2011, 07:15 AM
#5
I agree, not much to get excited about these. Other than maybe a new Audi or Porsche sports car, which are out of my price range, there's nothing.
I might think of a Smart car as a Tinkertoy but certainly not my F150.
I just loaded 300 pounds of sand in the back yesterday for snow traction (rear wheel drive needs the weight).
I might think of a Smart car as a Tinkertoy but certainly not my F150.
I just loaded 300 pounds of sand in the back yesterday for snow traction (rear wheel drive needs the weight).
11-29-2011, 02:47 PM
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I went to the L.A. Auto Show last weekend, and apparently it wasn't much better than the Phoenix show. Fortunately, I stopped by our usual SoCal Sat morning Cars & Coffee on the way, and saw a Ferrari 458 Italia, and a black Enzo. 
There were also several Lambo's including a beautiful red Gallardo 
, and a flat back Reventon. The Auto Show didn't have any Ferrari's or Lambo's, just a bunch of Rolls Royces, Bentleys, and Jag's (C-X75...old news). The Lexus LFA is yesterday's news as is the Nissan GTR, although they're both amazing cars.
I was interested in the newly designed Honda CR-V, and they had three non-production models to check out. My list of things I don't like about the car is too long to list here, but I left the show liking my current CR-V even more. Ford had the Cobra Mustang on a dyno, and ran it up to 140 mph for the crowd. The thing sounded awesome, and the driver was very skilled at going through the gears. I wasn't interested in all the lastest electric/hybrid/hydrogen offerings, and most of it was also old news just packaged in new concept shells.
However, I personally liked the newly designed Porsche 911, and the beautiful Carrera S they had on display. IMHO, the car is a piece of art. Also, the car I would like to have driven home was the new Subaru BRZ Sti Prototype. Now that thing looks like FUN!! (See the article in the Nov 2011 issue of Motor Trend). This is a joint venture between Subaru and Toyota producing a lightweight, nimble, rear-wheel-drive sports car. This should be the new Honda S2000 (as a roadster, of course).
Anyway, it seems much of what's out there is kinda like Thanksgiving left-overs...good, but few surprises.
~Jerry
There were also several Lambo's including a beautiful red Gallardo , and a flat back Reventon. The Auto Show didn't have any Ferrari's or Lambo's, just a bunch of Rolls Royces, Bentleys, and Jag's (C-X75...old news). The Lexus LFA is yesterday's news as is the Nissan GTR, although they're both amazing cars. I was interested in the newly designed Honda CR-V, and they had three non-production models to check out. My list of things I don't like about the car is too long to list here, but I left the show liking my current CR-V even more. Ford had the Cobra Mustang on a dyno, and ran it up to 140 mph for the crowd. The thing sounded awesome, and the driver was very skilled at going through the gears. I wasn't interested in all the lastest electric/hybrid/hydrogen offerings, and most of it was also old news just packaged in new concept shells.
However, I personally liked the newly designed Porsche 911, and the beautiful Carrera S they had on display. IMHO, the car is a piece of art. Also, the car I would like to have driven home was the new Subaru BRZ Sti Prototype. Now that thing looks like FUN!! (See the article in the Nov 2011 issue of Motor Trend). This is a joint venture between Subaru and Toyota producing a lightweight, nimble, rear-wheel-drive sports car. This should be the new Honda S2000 (as a roadster, of course).
Anyway, it seems much of what's out there is kinda like Thanksgiving left-overs...good, but few surprises.
~Jerry
11-30-2011, 04:21 AM
#7
Also, the car I would like to have driven home was the new Subaru BRZ Sti Prototype. Now that thing looks like FUN!! (See the article in the Nov 2011 issue of Motor Trend). This is a joint venture between Subaru and Toyota producing a lightweight, nimble, rear-wheel-drive sports car. This should be the new Honda S2000 (as a roadster, of course).
Anyway, it seems much of what's out there is kinda like Thanksgiving left-overs...good, but few surprises.
~Jerry
Anyway, it seems much of what's out there is kinda like Thanksgiving left-overs...good, but few surprises.
~Jerry
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...e_first_drive/
BTW, loved your last line.
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12-03-2011, 05:45 AM
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I agree, not much to get excited about these. Other than maybe a new Audi or Porsche sports car, which are out of my price range, there's nothing.
I might think of a Smart car as a Tinkertoy but certainly not my F150. I just loaded 300 pounds of sand in the back yesterday for snow traction (rear wheel drive needs the weight).
I might think of a Smart car as a Tinkertoy but certainly not my F150.
I just loaded 300 pounds of sand in the back yesterday for snow traction (rear wheel drive needs the weight).
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