Anyone else go?

No C7 Corvette but they made up with it by having an LF-A and the F-Type Jaguar there.

My favorite cars of the show (as stickered):

$20-30k: The Ford Escape 1.6 FWD SEL ... Ford had the best front seats of the entire show at any price. The Escape, Fusion, and Focus ST all had great seats that I could have spent hours sitting in. The Escape is a really nice package in the SE trim and I bet loaded out with the Titanium package and 2.0T engine.

$30-40k: Ford Focus ST (Sunroof and ST3 pkg) is my next car. It'll replace the BMW. Unless the car is a complete disappointment to drive I can't wait to get one. The first time I sat in a Focus SE I knew if they brought the ST here it'd be an amazing car. And it is ... The Recaros are fantastic. The finishes are better than expected and I love MyFord Touch even if everyone else hates it.

$40-50k: Hyundai Genesis R-Spec is some kind of car. The new headlights in the 2013 give it an extra bit of panache outside. Inside it's not perfect but it's pretty damned good and for anything else less than $50k it would be very hard to justify not going with the R-Spec. If I had kids, I would buy this car.

$50k-60k: That is, unless I could swing an Audi Allroad. Because it's a beautiful car inside and has just enough room to not need a SUV. Plus the slight ride height lift gives the car enough of a view of the road that you might be able to convince the wife to drive it.

$60k+: Jaguar F-Type/Audi S6 ... The F-Type is a beautiful car with a few quirks that give it some uniqueness. The taillights are not my favorite but the interior is amazing. I can't wait to see this car in a coupe. The XK is too big for me. I bet a F-Type V8 S Coupe would be the next best thing to a V8 Vantage. And the S6 is so amazing that I can't imagine why anyone would need the S8.

Biggest disappointment: The Lincoln MKZ/Cadillac ATS were disappointments for different reasons. The exterior of the MKZ is beautiful and so is the quality of the paint Ford chose for it. But the silver exterior handles are not metal. They should have been metal or painted the body color. Inside, I couldn't get a sense of the spectacle of the HVAC/Console because the car was off. So it looked cheap as a result. But it has presence. A lot of it.

Which is more than I can say for the ATS, sadly. It's not a bad looking car but it's not remarkable in any way in person. The wine red color helps but in other colors it's pretty plain. Inside the seats weren't that great and the interior didn't really have any gravitas to it. Which for a car that very quickly gets into the $40Ks, I would have expected it to be nicer.

The new Grand Cherokee looked nice from 10 feet away on a pedestal but that's as close as I got.

The C-Class coupe is a really nice car but $42k for a 200hp/220lb-ft turbo 4 is too much money. That said, I bet the C63 Coupe is seriously hot balls when compared to the CTS-V Coupe and RS5.

The new Accord is huge and decent enough. I sat in a Sport just to say I did. I'd rather have a Fusion even if it was more expensive and slower. The Ford IMO is just nicer.

I didn't see if Infiniti was there with the new Q50 and totally skipped Toyota, General Motors, and MINI. The Fiesta ST was there. Not a bad looking car.

Oh, and the FIAT 500 SUV is a visual disaster.

Pictures to follow.

TL;DR - I have a bias for Ford and Audi. Hate Toyota and ignored Honda/Acura. Hyundais are sleepers.

 

I went last week. Did a Ride 'N Drive in a CTS, Prius Plug-In, and VW CC.

Waited way too long to drive the CTS and didn't find it particularly thrilling. Probably should have tried the CTS-V but the wait was even longer for that.

VW CC was fun - but not sure I'd actually buyo ne. Prius Plug-In is so slow - I don't care what kind of gas mileage it gets, I would never want to drive one.

I sat in the RLX - I think its a really nice car, but still too expensive. If it weren't so expensive, it'd be at the top of my list to test drive.

Other than that - I just generally walked around the show - nothing really jumped out at me. I'm waiting for the new TL and Genesis to come out. After test driving the new Accord and really loving it, I am hoping the new TL will have promise.

Might have to go up to the New York Auto show to catch a glimpse of the new TL (if its there) and the new Vette - even though the Vette isn't in my future

 

Thanks for the rundown. I can't wait until NAIAS comes to Austin. It's a small show, basically "better than nothing" but still worth going.

Oh, I saw a black Genesis R Spec on the road today and my jaw dropped to my seat cushion. That car looks gorgeous from every angle.

 

It has a lot more presence in person than the 3.8 for sure.

I've been keeping my eye on them. It's just such a big car and I tend to have to park in garages in DC. But they're at $35k and dropping.

 

It's pretty much makes everything your said worthless when you say you hate one brand and intentionally ignore a few others. I like Honda/Acura and want to see them succeed, but it would be pretty ignorant of me to ignore the advancements that other brands are making.

 

Not worthless at all. EVERYONE has their own tastes an opinions. Take the observations of what WAS seen and given, and use them. Just because someone chooses to ignore, or dislikes, a particular brand doesn't deem the info provided about other brands "worthless".

I too walked right past the Ack display that the Philly auto show. Why stop and look at something that offers you nothing at all?

 

I suppose I mistook the part where he said "my favorite cars" for "the best cars". I was under the impression he was comparing the classes, but I can see now he was just sharing his likes. OP, I apologize for misinterpreting your purpose with my first post.

pttl, I can't understand how something can't offer you anything when you haven't given it a chance to make an offer. I seriously hope some people chose candidates differently than how they choose cars.

 

I've had 2 Acks and 3 Hondas. Not including 3 Honda motorcycles. Isn't that a chance to "make an offer"? I'm completely bored with their current offers.

 

Thanks for posting up your thoughts Dave, I agree with most everything you said minus the Accord vs. Fusion. The new Fusion does absolutely nothing for me.

I have to admit however after seeing the new Ford Fusion ST in person (in yellow nonetheless) I am impressed with the car; looks much better than in pictures and must be really fun to drive.

 

Great report. I don't agree on the new Accord. I test drove an Accord Sport with CVT last year and it is pretty damned good, with the CVT not really feeling like a CVT. Handles like a lighter car. Thankfully, it IS smaller than the last one, which was a beached whale. Honda can get some of its mojo back with the new Accord. I do like the looks of the new Fusion and it appears Ford is stepping it up. Should be a nice fight between these two.

 

I test drove a 6MT Accord Sport sedan last Thursday. I was really surprised that it really doesn't feel as big as it looks. Peppy too.

 

No worries, maybe I could have worded it better.

If it helps, the entire Japanese design movement right now disinterests me. It's not just Honda. I didn't even bother to look at Lexus or Toyota.

Other than the GT-R and 370Z, I can't think of a Japanese car I'm interested in right now.

 

I'm sure it's a fine car. I didn't mean to suggest it wasn't.

 

I will give Nissan credit that when it comes to a "sporty" car, they seem to be the Japanese brand that gets "it" best, and if I had to buy an American, it would likely be Ford.

 

Nothing personal. I only attend the auto show if I'm buying. Otherwise I see the same idiots at the Boat & Sportsman's show every year.

 

It was a mass of humanity for sure.

 

Didn't take it that way. After all, if I REALLY wanted an Accord, I wouldn't be driving what I do. Sometimes it's hard to impart that sentiment through the Interwebs.

 

Oh, okay

I'll say this Bob ... I sat in the CTS-V coupe and a CTS 3.6 Wagon and I don't know if Cadillac subtly upped the interior or what but I'm a fan now.

If I was going to spend $80k on a GT coupe I don't know what I'd do ... I love the CTS-V, RS5, and C63 AMG Coupe for different reasons. And they're all within a few bucks of each other too.

 

A CTS-V is $80k?!?

 

Low $70Ks with sunroof, painted Brembos, and Recaros.

 

One of the few instances where I'm right with you, the Focus ST was great in person and I'd definitely buy one. The CTS-V has always wowed me. Same with the F-Type... dripping with sex.

Would you have said anything if he mentioned he ignored Mercedes or Lexus?

I went to the auto show in town recently and the RLX had it's own fancy illuminated platform where anyone could walk up to and sit in it. No one really paid it much heed. The BMWs sprawled out next to it had people crowded around each car and waiting to get in. Just to get in the new 6-series I had to wait in line... and there were 3 of them.

 

Like I said, I was under the impression he was making a comparison thread after ignoring Toyota completely and dismissing Honda prematurely. That would make any objective comparison worthless whether it was those brands or any other. However, I made a mistake and apologized for being an asshole. No one's opinion is worthless even if they don't like my car or any other Honda.

 

When you said this, my initial thought was the CTS-V would be my last choice. However, I just built all three models and read a little about the RS5. The RS5 looks so plain for an Audi and a top-notch Audi at that. It reminds me of an Honda/Acura. Take into account what you have to pay to get features in a Benz, and the CTS-V suddenly takes the cake for me. I am a little surprised.

 

Back to the first post, I'm still moderately upset that GM is keeping the C7 goodness exclusively for the Detroit, LA, NY, and Chicago shows. Apparently, no other shows are getting it this season.

I'm glad I got to Detroit to see it.

I missed the F-type Jaguar at Detroit (just didn't get to it), maybe they'll bring it to Cleveland, whose show starts next weekend.

 

If I was to replace my 05 TL 6MT, the Accord Sport/EX 6MT would be at the top of my list. Haven't driven one yet but have looked at it. Really impressed with the updated 9G Accord design.

 

The 6MT Sport I saw was about $25k. Not a bad price.

 

Five picture album

I only took a couple of photos at the show because of the mass of humanity and my "little brother" (I volunteer) being a derp the whole time and trying to block my shot

But it's worth it just for the F-Type. My goodness.

 

F-type hotness....

 

I was just stunned by the car in person.

I wish I could afford one.

 

Where are the pictures??? This thread disappoints.

 

<iframe class="imgur-album" src="http://imgur.com/a/fe0vK/embed" width="100%" frameborder="0" height="550"></iframe>.

 

The C63 Coupe is hot and definitely the one I'd waste my money on, but yeah it's like $80k with the AMG development pkg and a couple other necessities like leather and lighting pkgs. Even for a stipper you're talking low 70's.

The C350 is one to get IMO if your not in the 6-figure income range. The 250 doesn't save you enough money to make it much of a bargain and the wheezy little turbo 4 makes it an easy one to pass on. Step it up $5-6k and you get a lot more car with the 3.5 V6 without much of a penalty on fuel consumption.

 

^^is that a Fiesta ST?!

 

Yup!

 

Have you actually used it? It makes simple tasks far too difficult. And the voice recognition is subpar. The non-navigation system in my Toyota has excellent voice recognition as does my cell phone. It's not like the technology isn't already here. And like most auto makers the vast majority of the system's functions are blocked out once the vehicle starts moving.

Check this out. This is from today, after the latest MyFord Touch update that was supposedly going to fix a lot of the voice issues.