Ah November, the season for overeating and overspending and general pleasure lovin’ hedonism, but in an acceptable, middle of the road, kinda way that your grandma is okey-dokey with; unlike say Wasteland Weekend™ which if your grandma found out you’d attended she’d have the prayer chain activated post haste. “I think we’re losing the boy!!”
Each and every November since life crawled out of the primordial goo and began the heroic assent to bread machines, I drag poor hapless Esposita to spend a day at the Fresno (California) New Car Expo. For me it’s a sheer delight of shiny, curvy, dreamy unattainable goodness. I was just informed by Esposita that, “Hey I like it too”. Here follows random pics and commentary about future Curbside Classics.
This is the venue. Saroyan Theater area in downtown FresYes. Like everything that actually matters in life it’s all free.
Off to the side they give free test drives. I’ve never done this because they pester you forever afterwards to buy said car.
First up was this Alfa Giuila in Sophia Loren Red.
Tis a pity she’s a sedan.
Next up with this Alfa Stelvio.
The wheels on the Stelvio are exactly what we expect from Italy. Capisce?
Esposita liked both Alfas. A lot. Here she is in the Stelvio. Who knows what will happen when her Challenger lease is up in 18 months.
Meanwhile here’s a Fiat Spider topless. I like these far better than their pedestrian twin the Miata. (OMG did he just call the Miata pedestrian??!!)
Here’s the general lay of the land in FCAlandia.
The 300, handsome and always ready for The Great American Roadtrip. But wait, did I detect a faint whiff of corruption?
A Dodge Durango GT Brass Monkey AWD. Yeah, that’s the name.
And in case you were wondering, which I’m betting you weren’t, here’s the sticker.
Ah a Hellcat. With the widebody option, a mere 6k additional for so much more awesomeness.
Here’s the sticker. I continue to regularly have to talk myself out of getting one of these. (will not buy Hellcat this week…will not buy Hellcat this week…)
Jeep Cherokee in red. Finally some decent headlights.
Speaking of Jeep, here’s the plum new Wrangler.
Interior got the wife’s approval. I would certainly not turn one of these down, and this is the right color.
Ooo, the new Ram pickup.
Meesa like. And inside is the amazing huge 12″ screen. We’re a long ways from my ’72 F-250.
As we leave FCAlandia this fender callout on a Charger pretty much sums up their wares:
Gas shortages? Global Warming? Diminished expectations? Receding hairlines? Erectile dysfunction? Bah, damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!!
Off to Acura and Lexus land.
I don’t know what this is. But the bike on the roof was a statement of, uh, something. Walking on.
Then there was this, which I also don’t know what it is. Walking on.
However I do know what this is. It’s the NSX.
Wowza. The car gal keeping a watchful eye on us riff-raff told me that I could drive away with this particular one for a cool 210k.
One of those total fantasy cars that’s too cool for me.
Okay, let’s move on to a really cool and sexy Lexus.
Oh, not that one. I don’t even know what that thing is. Dear lord it’s ugly. Captain Underbite.
How about this?
The LC. What a great, great looking car.
This one was right around a cool 100k.
Meanwhile Lexus offers lots of these.
I don’t know what they are. Probably LX/CX/VX/345/675/820/NVRQTci’s or whatever. I can attest some of them have very comfy seats. Walking on.
In one corner were the exotics:
And this…
And this…
I think the new Magnum P.I. guy drives one of these. What? You haven’t seen the new Magnum P.I.? Don’t be a Philistine. Guess who the new Higgins is?
Yup, that’s Perdita Weeks and she is playing crusty grumpy, “get off my lawn” Higgins! Amazing. Well it’s Current Year™ eh.
Meanwhile, off to see what Das General has to offer.
But first, my annual rite of getting the free yearly subscription to Motor Trend. A perk for coming to the free show, is a free mag in your mailbox each month. Nice. Would I pay my own actual hard earned cash for said mag? Nah, that’s why it’s free. Notice I didn’t have to wait in too long a line to sign up. Only old people read things printed on paper.
Okay, back to GM.
Esposita is giving us a sense of scale here. I like this rig.
The new Chevy/GMC pickup for 2019 is nice and all. But I liked the Ram better. Now this grille is doin’ it right though, there is NO such thing as too much chrome. Still, it’s not quite as good as my favorite truck prow, the ’58 GMC.
Thank the truck gods the wheel wells ain’t square no more! But sticker shock can be yours, they are proud of it.
GMC’s new trick tailgate was gettin’ the love.
You can get a “little” Chevy pickup these daze. Again note the wife unit for scale. (she’s 5’3″)
Ah the Camaro. I test drove one herewhileback. Nice. Was like driving das bunker down the road.
Great car. Not easy to live with. Probably like living with an A-list Hollywood actor/actress ya know, but then maybe we all need something like that to keep us alive, I mean what else we gonna do with our free time and spare cash?
Chevy had the usual assortment of SUVs. I think this is a Chevy Frak AWD with the 1.9 Hoonigan Super Bi-Turbo V-1.
Buick!! Yes indeed the only real, honest to dog, old school, long and low, wagon in the whole joint was this Buick!
Esposita loved the Buick wagon. As did a fair number of the youngs we noted looking it over.
And that’s it for Buick. For me.
On to Toyotaland. Here is the new “Not Your Grandma’s Camry” being looked at by the new desired demographic, “Not Your Grandma”.
When’s the last time you saw a cool Camry interior like this? Never, right?
Times they have changed at boring old Toyota.
I don’t even know what this blue thing is, but I like it.
They just keep on giving. The “straining to poop” Prius face.
Space: the final frontier…
Would you roll in this Tacoma? Sure, why not.
Now Toyota hood scoops have hood scoops…
This was Toyota ten years ago. Solid. Conservative. Safe. Getting the job done.
And this is Toyota today. Bonkers anime gal with a magic sword.
Moving on.
Mercedes was here. This is very nice, almost a real hardtop. 92% of a hardtop.
I don’t know what this is, a uh, CESuL 329.7 perhaps? Walking on.
Betting the guy looking at the red SUV of some sort is in some kind of finance, makes a seven digit income each year, and understands what the word “actuals” means…
But Mercedes isn’t really my thang. In fact I get nothing but fish bellies from Mercedes and BMW, only VW (cruddy old ones) cause me to burst forth in Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, über alles in der Welt!
So how about Brit stuff? Compare the red SUV above with the red one below.
The Rover is cool, sexy. It’s what the ballers drive. I’ll take the Rover any day. But that’s why Mr. Actuals up there lives in a leafy hood where the homes are stately and dead silent, and all the kids are above average, and why I live in crappy hood where my neighbors have fistfights in the street over women. (not kidding)
Esposita likes Rover stuff as well. She gets pretty excited when we get to their section each year.
One of the Rovers had this handy dandy coat hanger gizmo. What will they think of next?
Jag was here with their usual style. #FresnoProud…hahahahahahhahahahhahahahahaha!!!!! Fresno and Proud in the same phrase and they mean it, snort! Hilarious.
Meanwhile this was nice.
And this.
Prap’s in Jolly Old England the average Brit is reduced to driving a 1.1 liter super compact sedan with all the appeal to the senses of a gray waste bin, I dunno what they drive there. But here in #FresnoProud (snort) we get only fantasy Brit cars with more appeal…
Emma Peel.
Nissan was there. Here’s a new leaf. I think the sticker wanted 42k for it. They sure are proud of it.
And of course a Frontier, the truck that won’t die. O’Reilly’s auto parts needs these though, delivery duty and all. Walking on.
Honda! The new Accord! The wife had an ’08 and loved it. She checked out the new one.
“I don’t like that”
“And I don’t like that”
The new Ridgeline, with the line between the cab and bed, attracted a crowd of very happy women.
Like Espoista here they were all smiling and happy about that hidden trunk and side swinging tailgate. Were I a truck designing exec, one who knows about leafy hoods and actuals, I’d be taking note that the fairer sex liked this truck trunk thing. Hmm.
But for me it’s boring. Even trying to be hard edged in black it’s a snoozefest. Walking on.
A fuel cell powered Insight. The future? Flash in the pan? Speaking of flash…
CIVIC TYPE R!!!!!!!!
The sticker. All this sweet boy racer goodness can be yours for $35,595. Best deal at the show! If I parked it in front of my house overnight it’d be jacked ASAP.
On to Subaru. It was one of the busiest sections of the whole show. Well except for this car, the only car Subie makes that I like. No one was looking at it, ever.
But they were all over this. I mean a non-stop crowd crawling over it like it was made of chocolate and caramel.
I think it’s called the Ascent.
Really? Really people? This thing is as cool as John Foster Dulles:
Remember there was dull, duller, and Dulles.
This brings us to Ford.
Last stop for the Ford sedan, all aboard!!! On second thought, nah, good riddance in my book. I won’t miss sedans. (ducking the thrown shoes and tomatoes)
The wife likes the Flex, it reminds her of a Rover. I like it too, but not enough to actually pony up loot for one, pretty much like everyone else it seems. So stick a fork in it cuz’ it’s done. Now onto the meat and taters of Ford:
Love me the ‘Stang. This GT can be yours for:
$46,730. Not bad. It’s sharky.
Speaking of Mustangs, who can forget Farrah Fawcett with her Mustang II? I know the H8ers loathe on the II, but I don’t care, they were a great car. Great! (I think about the Mustang II a lot)
The new Ranger made a guest appearance.
Actually looks good to me.
Esposita liked it too. But not as much as the Ridgeline with it’s funky friendly truck trunk. The Ranger doors were locked. No sticker. Keep out!
These things are thick in my burg. Thick. You won’t see many Prii, but by God you’ll hear the roaring V-8 Ford engines (cuz we cut all the dang mufflers off) of the first gen Raptors! But this new one is a V-6!? Heresy!!
Slick taillight. Radar. We really are living in the future now, I can see the robots from here. Just don’t back this taillight into Lulu Mays fence on a Saturday night and bust it, you’ll release the radars.
Explorer. No T-Rexs in sight. Boring. Walking on.
And lastly we come to this. Frankly, if we were to get Mr. Spock, Vulcan Science Officer, rationality, we ought to all be driving these. You don’t need what you are driving now, nor do I need what I’m driving, this is what you need. They just make sense. Perfect use of space, ample and flexible cargo room for people or chickens or bread machines. “Right Sized” as all the internet car people like to chant; in a circle, in the forest, on full moon nights, in a clearing in the glade, drums beating in unison, “right-sized…right-sized…”. Ugly. Boring. But logical. What we ought to drive.
Then again, Mr. Spock drove a Riviera.
Never thought I’d see an Avengers and Star Trek reference on CC, especially in the same post.
There’s an obscure Battlestar Galactica reference in there as well.
Frack! Almost missed it!
Dang, no pics of the fistfight. That’s not a coat hanger; it’s a driver’s halo in repose.
Nice on the halo comment!
Okay the fistfight. See the couple across the street have had an ugly split, lots of cop visits, and Wifey done found herself a New Boy™ see, so that can only mean one thing in my hood:
fistfight!
Wifey came over one night with New Boy™ and some posse, while Hubby took off his shirt, so as not to stain it, and gathered his own seconds to ensure the dual was fair. Also their kiddos came out to cheer on their respective sides.
Hubby pretty much beat the hell out of New Boy™. Had him on the ground in the street for a while, givin’ it to him proper.
A small crowd gathered to enjoy the festivities. Too bad a Taco Truck didn’t show up, now there’s a missed market, I’d got me a crunchy taco for sure.
A couple of years ago another neighbor sorta kinda went after the Ice Cream truck guy who was selling Ice Cream to his wife. But that’s another tale.
Priceless Heath! – I liked reading that comment as much as the post. ;o)
Seems like Toyota is trying to overcompensate for being called dull for all these years. Their interior quality seems to be declining as well. Never thought I would see a FCA interior that looked more impressive than a Toyota/Lexus.
I agree they are overcompensating for past image. The image that comes to mind is of that Camry, face scrunched through tears of rage, screaming at the car magazines, “Look at me! You did this to me! All those years of being ignored…well, are you happy NOW?!”
I think you may be a few years behind on your interior assessment, though. Toyota/Lexus and Honda/Acura took a big dive in ~2008 which lasted for a full model cycle or two, but their new redesigns are an enormous improvement.
Hot Diggity Heith, a hot wife who also actually WANTS to be at a Fresno car show!
It must be your hair man, no other explanation there…
My hair is the secret to my success.
Heath, your writing is as imaginative as some of the cars. Thx for an entertaining read.
fun read, thanks
Boo, I’m supposed to slow down.
Great write-up… I haven’t been to a car show in about 15-20 years, and this (almost) makes me want to go back.
A few weeks ago, I had what is likely the next best thing – spent a few hours at CarMax while in the process of selling one of my cars. Instead of killing time in the waiting room, we wandered around the car lot, which was quite entertaining. A few thoughts to go along with yours:
Sedans: I love(d) sedans and decided to scout out a good one… not that I’m in the market right now, but just out of curiosity. I didn’t like any of them. Every sedan I sat in was either claustrophobic or otherwise annoying. The best one, in my opinion: A Camry. I’ve either become duller than Dulles in my Middle Age, or the sedan market has morphed into something that makes very little sense. Maybe both. In any event, several months ago, I might have thrown a shoe at you for saying that you won’t miss sedans, but right now I can’t say I disagree much.
CUVs/SUVs: They’re as boring and anonymous to me as they are to you, but I sat in several, and I liked them more than sedans. If I’m going to be boring, I might as well be comfortable doing so. If that’s the choice I have to make, no wonder I don’t like new cars much.
Pickups: My wife, daughters and I all settled on a Silverado as our favorite vehicle among the 500 on CarMax’s lot. It was roomy inside, wasn’t clownishly decorated like many of the trucks, and wasn’t unnaturally high off the ground. Too bad they’re so dang expensive.
Range Rovers: My wife wanted to sit in a Range Rover… as she put it “to see how the other half lives.” Unlike your wife, mine hated it. In fact it was pretty much as antithetical to her conservative Midwestern upbringing as anything could be – amusingly so. At least there’s jealousy of the Privileged Class on that front!
Prius: Thanks for the imagery of the “straining to poop” Prius face. I’ll never get that out of my mind now. I’m still not sure if it’s an improvement or not over the previous Angry Prius face, but at least it’s funnier.
It’s worth attending these kind of shows if just to keep tabs on the industry trends. Plus you can look at a large variety of what’s new without a single salesperson bugging you.
I recall the year when suddenly everything had wood on the steering wheel. Huh? Oh, back to the Model T. Interesting.
You’re welcome for the Prius imagery, no charge on that one.
Rover and Jag are not uncommon hereabouts, they are sold with massive pretensions here which works. Some of the lowball, scuzzball, buy-here-pay-here dealers have hilarious fake cockney accented women voiceover their ads as they show Rovers parked on downtown roofs while hip Millennials party hard.
“Blimey, Guvnor! Put down yer warm pint of PBR and test drive the new F-Pace! Brilliant!”
I went to my first one of these shows in 8 years at Denver back in April, I have to agree, they’re worth attending regardless of your taste in cars for the first hand experiences or even for confirmation bias. I sat in a sixth gen Camaro for the first time there for example, and despite not ever having back problems in my life it felt broken during ingress/egress! If I just casually looked at it from afar I could infer the horrid visibility from the gunslit windows(also confirmed) but that pain was unexpected and only experienced first hand, and without a salesman trying to convince you it’s a good thing, “sign here”.
That’s it in a nutshell. Car shows have downsides, but they definitely have a place in car shopping. There’s a lot you can tell quickly if there’s nobody pestering you, and it’s a great way to compare across brands. As you say, “I just don’t fit in here!” is something I’ve found out about several potential future cars.
I have mixed feeling about the CUV horde sweeping sedans from their homeland like Attila’s conquering armies. First, I can see why people like them. They are just so easy. Easy to get in and out, easy to load, easy to drive, and now pretty easy to fuel. They provide everything the bulk of non-pickup truck buyers want.
I think the things you dislike about the current sedan crop is a direct response to CUVs–the sedan body style in any form is not trendy, and even traditional sedans didn’t provide the ride height and SUV-reminiscent body style, so rather than competing on those fronts they’ve moved to “sporty”. Lower seating, coupe-like rooflines, stuff that will bug boomers like my parents.
Now for me on the other hand, in my mid-30s with two young kids, sedans have never been better. Well, unless you want a stick shift, your choice is limited there. They handle well, they get great fuel economy with engines that hit 60 in 8 seconds or better, interior quality is the best it’s been in a decade, tons of legroom for carseats (headroom doesn’t matter there), and you can pick up a segment benchmark for just over 20 grand.
“Lower seating, coupe-like rooflines”
Yes, that’s a big part of it, though I’d add poor visibility to that list as well. The high windowlines on most sedans is particularly confining, especially to those in the back seat. For my kids (ages 9 & 11), some of the sedans had window lines that were about at their foreheads, and none offered them a real opportunity to look out the window. And it’s not just the kids; I don’t like those high windowlines either. In general, the SUVs/CUVs were much better in that regard.
Of course, my comments were limited to just SITTING in the cars. I’m sure that I’ll have a whole different impression of modern sedans vs. SUVs if I’d actually drive them back-to-back.
And how about those of us who don’t have the climate control on 365 days a year and put our arms out the open window on nice days? High beltlines are ergonomically the car equivalent of ape hanger handlebars if you try this driving position. I do not like crossovers, but not one of them bothers me in this measure.
Yes, yes, I know my hands should be 9 & 3, not 6 or 12 and out the window. Sue me.
I saw a guy in a new Audi Q2 today, the window sill was about neck height…
Heh, definitely a west coast show if Subaru had people at the booth. At North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Subaru’s usually pretty desolate and abandoned-looking.
– That Alfa Stelvio is *SCREAMING* for a 2-3″ drop to get rid of the gap between tires and wheelarches. But that would strip it of its’ last pretense to crossoverity and Luxury Hatchbacks Don’t Sell (unless they do).
– Speaking of hatchbacks, that blue thing on the Toyota stand is the new Corolla which has been getting rave reviews. The show car you snapped wasn’t so equipped but with an honest-to-god manual transmission being offered (with downshift rev matching! On a Corolla!) it’s said to be a really fun drive.
I hope I can find a 2019 Corolla hatch in that color. When I go shopping for a 2019 Corolla hatch, which will be in 2028 or so. If we’re still allowed to drive.
That is a pretty sweet color on that Corolla. It was definitely a neat car and I liked it.
I’m guessing that driving in 2028 will require permission from our Robot Overlords and they’ll be in no mood to accommodate, not after all the expense of building Skynet.
Fun to read. Is the place near Selland Arena? It looks like Selland.
Only three cars interest me at all. I do like the Corolla hatch with a manual. I also like the Buick but does it have to be a turbo four with AWD? It does look best of any cars at the show. And I like the Transit Connect. The rest – pass.
Wow, a free new car show? In Indianapolis they charge a hefty admission fee. I suppose it is cheaper than the gas to visit each dealer.
It looks like brown is the new gray?
I seem to spend $6k more on each new car than the last one. If I follow this trend, I am scheduled for a $30K car next time. Do those even exist any more?
If they charged admission there’d be 4 people show up.
There was a lot of brown. I kinda like it. Esposita hates it with a passion, so that new Accord had three strikes against it.
Lexus usually brings all their cars in some shade of gray. Toyota used to do all white, but has started to branch out and the wrapped trucks were a big departure for them.
Speaking of trucks, that Tundra interior was a sea of 1980’s level GM hard cheap plastics. The entire door panel was hard plastic, not a soft thing on it, not even the armrest area. Really? In Current Year? Really?
Maybe the key to scouting out an under-$30k car is to attend one of these car shows and focus on cars that get ignored by the crowds. No interest = Big discounts?
Incidentally, our recently-bought 2018 Sedona cost us thousands less than our equivalently-equipped 2010 Odyssey did eight years ago, so we somehow bucked the trend. A combination of a slow-selling model in a slow-selling segment. It was WAY under $30k… not bad for a large vehicle these days.
‘Free’ took me aback, as well. I’ve never seen one of these where they didn’t charge admission.
You do have to go through a metal detector though, and empty your pockets for security.
They’ve had a lot of trouble with people bringin’ in shanks and stabbing the nice leather seats in the Rovers, Vettes, and Jags.
Stay classy, Fresno.
You should be able to get a new (well, leftover 2018) RAV4 for less than 30k. I would guess that the RAV4’s competitors are similarly priced. I’m sure that many of the Corolla sized cars would be under 30k as well. Anything larger would likely put you over the limit though.
Thanks for the car show write-up. These are a headache to attend and, with the excellent photography, this is just as good without the hassle and crowds.
The only caveat is where was the new Jeep Gladiator pickup? You know, the Wrangler Unlimited with a bed tacked onto the back. There was an article over at TTAC on it and I’m surprised there wasn’t one at the show. That’s where all the crowds would have been if it had been there. I won’t buy one but there sure will be a lot of others who will. Seems like it will be another Jeep home run for FCA.
The Gladiator was just unveiled at LA Auto Show, will get to the smaller shows eventually.
1. I hate that I really kinda like Toyotas these days. (Except the Prius, just because I never will like a Prius. Never.)
2. Sedans probably ARE boring, and less practical, and passe’. But that big white Jaguar sedan (is it still an XJ?) is still something I want. It’s comforting to me that I’ve loved Jags since childhood and still do. Gives me a sense of “Right With The World” continuity. Because isn’t that what pretty much all things (theoretically) British are supposed to do?
3. White leather interiors making a comeback? Hell yeah!
4. Heath, you’re my hero. Clear, succinct, broad coverage with a heavy smattering of sarcasm and tactful vitriol for all things deserving of it. Right on. It must resonate because I think I live in the East Coast alternate universe version of your ‘hood.
Now look, I object. The title should have read “My Yearly Exercise-in-the-Saroyan Report”, as there was more walking on than identification of the vehicles.
Mind, to identify those you didn’t would presuppose you should have had an interest in doing so (or possibly a non-interest in not doing so) and where you didn’t or couldn’t, or wouldn’t or simply were walking on too fast to decide either way, I would identify with your level of interest (or disinterest) in those which you couldn’t and didn’t (or wouldn’t) because I wouldn’t either even if I could, and so the establishment of the presupposition that you should, can’t be made out and so it isn’t.
Apologies, I may have lost control of the previous sentence.
I certainly do agree with your comments on one you did stop The Walk near and identified, namely the Subaru Ascent: the Ascension of the Holy auto into a cloud of dullness. Ofcourse, soon, when self-drivers are with us in the flesh, I won’t give flying furball about what they look like, just as many, many a consumer of car-ware doesn’t right now. Like the pragmatic enthusiasts for the dullard brown thing pictured in the Saroyan.
In Australia (a place that some, if few, would call Very South-West Fresno), a country where that Ranger is often close to the best-seller, all Ford Mustangs are bought by middle-aged men (unless, ofcourse, I keep seeing the same man who has a very large collection of them). It’s so noticeable I ponder if it’s a condition of it’s importation. I wonder if that is so in America, though admittedly there’s no such fellow fitted to the one photographed above (even if it was photographed from above by one such).
The court has heard your objection and notes the validity thereof.
But in my defense it’s just too dang much work to walk to the back of whatever Mehmobile I’m looking at and observe the name plate.
I mean, then I’d have to remember it. Or write it down. And I briefly considered this at the start of the day but then thought, “to hell with it” and walked on.
I suspect that a lot of places on God’s Green Earth are essentially “Very South-West Fresno”. When the rare far flung tourist visits here I often hear something like, “this isn’t at all what I thought California would be like”.
Mustangs here are required to be owned by secretaries first and foremost, then guys who like to peel out of Cars and Coffee meets. Geezers like me flock to Ford Transits.
Just the other day I snapped this pic of a Challenger Hellcat window sticker at the local dealer. Quite a difference in the base price for Canadians (+20K) as compared to the sticker you showed us up top. A rather different way of laying out the standard vs optional equipment as well for essentially the same car. Great pics! Thanks for sharing these.
Just looked, there is one Challenger Hellcat widebody listed for sale in Australia, the asking price is AUD$190k! And the photos of the car are taken in the US of a lhd car.
You have done the impossible- making a car show is Fresno the subject of a highly entertaining read.
Well written, Heath!
Makes me wanna hit the Pittsburgh show when it hits in February. Which I haven’t done since, oh, 1994 or so.
Ford, what the hell is wrong with you? They totally missed the point of an auto show, didn’t they? A resurrection of one of your best selling pickups and you have no sticker and lock the doors? Perhaps they saw the other interiors and decided to not subject themselves to derision over the Tonka-grade plastics and switchgear the cost cutters demanded? I know Chevy took a lot of heat over how cheap the interiors were in the most recent Silverado.
Loved this writeup. Brevity, levity, humorous subject-evity.
Regarding the white ILX, “I don’t know what this is…walking on” LOL. I spent about 1300 words writing up my impressions of that car’s forebear.
This makes me want to subject myself to the tedious logistics of attending the next autoshow. There are some vehicles I’d like to see in person and that LC is top of the list. I’d also like to see if any of the other pickups are are swanky as the ~$55K Ram 1500 I saw at the fair. From a first impression perspective, they hit it out of the park there. Hopefully the Ranger will be unlocked–it’s a design nearly a generation old elsewhere but is the best looking midsize pickup by a long shot. Curious about the Civic R as well, mainly to know if it is as heinously ugly in person as it is in photos.
I’m pretty sure it is.
Mr. Spock also photographed nude women in an alternate career, so perhaps it is no surprise he drove a Riviera instead of a mini-cargo van.
And that’s why Mr. Spock was a whole ‘nother level of cool that I can’t even touch.
Brits don’t drive sedans Heath, it’s not 1955 anymore darling. Will be soon, but not quite yet.
Hatchbacks??
An excellent article. However, my new Ascent and the spirit of John Foster Dulles would respectfully disagree with your characterization of their blandness. “Dulles was one of the pioneers of massive retaliation and brinkmanship,” says Wikipedia, and while my Subaru is thankfully not _that_ exciting, it gets out of its own way pretty well. Comfy ride, plenty of room, surprisingly speedy, and 17 more cup holders than Mr. Dulles. I agree that Mr. Spock is the benchmark of cool, though. 🙂
I’d love to live in your ‘hood with all that free entertainment…wouldn’t need a cable subscription when I can watch fights for free!
Pleasantly surprised that the Buick is attracting the elusive young person back to the brand…a friend of mine from college (I’m 30) bought a Buick Encore as her first new car, and if there was a new car I would want to buy, it would be the Regal TourX.
Thanks for the very entertaining write up!
I like the Buick too, but for one thing: Those big black plastic wheel lip moldings that look like they have a tab at the top to make sure the line workers only put them in one way. I would have to take off those moldings and grind that tab off the top. It is funny how a stupid little detail becomes the only thing you can see in a design.
Great read as usual! East Silicon Valley (ok, East San Jose) has similar “entertainment” at times. I wish the Silicon Valley International Auto Show was free though!
The only reason for me to attend a new car show is to flirt with the booth bunny’s. Nothing made today blows my dress up.
Great write-up! We should send you two to the Paris Auto Show next year.
I’d chip in to a crowdfunder for that.
Oh dear, they do have McDonalds in Paris right?? I’m not very adventurous with food.
I happen to know there’s one on the Champs Elysees, along from Renault & Citroen’s flagship stores. 😉
Yeah, remember Pulp Fiction, Royale with Cheese? Hang on, that was BK, at McD’s you could get a beer wasn’t it?
This is my kind of new car auto show coverage!
Agreed. Hilarious!
Great job – thanks.
I went to the LA Auto Show today (opening day). Admission is $20 and parking is another $20 on up, depending on where you park. Fortunately for me seniors get in for half and I took the Metro train.
Reinforcing Paul’s view regarding the viability of the Jeep brand vs. that of other US auto manufacturers, Jeep drew a good crowd with the new Gladiator Rubicon as star of the show. Rivian and Tesla were drawing them in as well.
Hmm, maybe next year I should cruise over to Fresno for the free car show. I haven’t been to one since we were shopping for what ended up being a Forester, in 2004. In San Jose and it wasn’t free. Oh, regarding the Ranger: I know lots of OEMs are using Hankook tires now, and I even bought some for our Beetle 10 years ago and they were fine. But I’m not sure I’d have picked white-letter out Hankooks for a show vehicle.
Ranger was locked huh, what were they trying to hide I wonder, This one locked too but I had the key 2018 model so probably not the same as the show car, OK to drive too and rommier than earlier models.
It has been years since I have been to a new car show like this (there hasn’t been one in Australia for a few years) but your tour is about the same as what I remember. The highlight for that one was the Alfa 8C, so apparently that makes it 2006! For a couple of years I went to the show with a few mates when it was on the same weekend as the F1 GP, every big screen in the place was showing the race.
Turning over a new Leaf. (Sorry, I’ll go quietly….)