charliemike

I didn't take any pictures. I had figured being an auto show sponsored by new car dealers there wouldn't be anything interesting there.

I was wrong.

Sorry for the length.

Top Five Surprises:

1. The 2012 Ford Focus sedan is beautiful. It's sleek, very very good looking, and the interior looks just like we thought it would. I was looking at a pre-production with 19s but the fact that a Focus looks good with 19" wheels should tell you something about this car. It's bigger than the current Focus. It's definitely smaller than the Camry/Accord but since it's going to play in their sandbox I think Ford realized that people might accept a smaller car if it's really nice. And it is ... When I saw it up on the rotating platform I thought it was the best looking American car I had ever seen ...

2. Until I saw the Buick Regal GS concept. It's even better looking in person. I liked it so much more than the B8 Audis. With AWD, a 6MT, and 300hp+ I think it's going to be incredibly competitive. And if they build it like they do other Buicks it's going to probably win some awards too. Obviously, we don't know about driving dynamics but since James May did say good things about the Vauxhall Insignia VXR, I have very high hopes for the Regal GS. It was another car on a platform so I couldn't sit in it. Looking at the car, it's clear that it's not going to be as expensive as an Audi S4 currently is ... And that's because of the materials. But, that's okay. The leather might not be Milano leather like in an Audi but it's not going to be leather found in a Pontiac Grand Prix either. I loved it, and would definitely buy one.

3. The Nissan 370Z ... The interior is so much better than even the improved interior of the refreshed 350Z. The materials are so much nicer, there's leather and what appeared to be alcantara in the doors, everything was very nice to the touch. It's a huge leap forward. The one disappointment with the 370Z is that the convertible there was $48k. I kid you not. I was stunned.

4. The new Hyundai Sonata. It struck me as sort of VW CC-esque on the outside and the interior was pretty nice. Navigation (no touchscreen), and all the usual bits. If I had to describe where Hyundai was now with the Sonata, I would say that it's probably 85% 8th-gen Accord? Maybe 90%? I was looking for things like double door seals (like my Audi had but 2008 Mazda does not) to see what kind of effort was made to quell interior cabin noise. I think it's going to do very well but time will tell if people chose it over an Accord.

5. Tie: VW Jetta Sportback TDi and the Chevy Aveo SS - For very different reasons the two were surprises. The Jetta had the nicest seats of any car I sat in under $40k. They were perfect. I would have bought that car on the spot if I were test driving one at the dealer and liked everything else about it. Perfect bucket seats. The Chevy Aveo surprised me because they had it next to the current version and it really makes the current Aveo look like what it is ... A POS Daewoo rebadge. The Aveo SS concept was very aggressive, had a much better interior (obviously), and looked like it was worth being in the $14-18k club. Is it better than a Mazda3? It's smaller and probably not. Can it compete with a Mazda2 or Fiesta? On looks, the SS was much better. We'll have to see if the car is any good.

Biggest disappointments:

1. Lincoln - They have some new interiors coming out and thank god ... I tink the interior design of the MKZ/MKZ/MKT (and the Ford SHO) are truly bizarre. They all felt cheap. Cheap materials, one gigantic piece of plastic from the dash to the rear passenger compartment. Lots of companies are getting wise to the fact that a sprayed rubber coating over the dashboard is way better than not and a stitched leather cover is better than sprayed rubber. Ford is fixing things but they really need to get Lincoln straight.

2. The Camaro and Challenger - All due respect to Sarlaac because I know you love yours ... I just didn't like either of them. I thought they were both way too big and felt too cheap. And at $45k for a Hemi Challenger, it was a bit of sticker shock. I guess you're paying for the engines and the pedigree but I felt like I'd rather drive a 370Z. It goes back to the whole driving v. interior argument that doesn't need to be rehashed. I can see why it appeals to people. I just don't seem to be one of them. That said, the 2011 Mustang is the best of the group. I still don't think it's where I wish it would be but I thought that it was in many ways a better execution than the other two pony cars.

3. The Chevy Cruze - I think it's a miss. The Volt should have been the Cruze. If you parked the Cruze next to the new Focus, the Cruze looks like a Dodge Avenger. I don't think that's a good thing. Is it way better than the Cobalt? All appearances suggest that it is ... It's definitely more attractive and doesn't look like it was built for a rental fleet. But that segment is getting so fierce that I think Chevy might already be behind.

4. The Chevy Corvette - Remember when this car hit the street at $65k? There was one on the floor for $80k today. Admittedly, it had the handstitched interior (which I thought was a bit of a letdown for $7k). But holy mother, that's a lot of coin. And the Corvette Grand Sport was $60k. The ZR1 was $121k ... I don't think I'd be their target audience even if I could afford one. It's seems like GM has a formula and just makes it more insane and charges more for it as you move up the ladder from Camaro to Camaro SS to Corvette to Z06 to ZR1.

5. Chrysler as a whole - I'm just full of dislike towards them right now. Just felt like they still have not done anything with their lineup in forever. Everything just looked and felt cheap.

charliemike

Cliff's Notes:

Good - 2012 Focus, Buick Regal GS, 2011 Hyundai Sonata, VW TDI Sportwagen, Chevy Aveo SS

Bad - Everything Lincoln, Challenger & Camaro (Mustang is better), Chevy Cruze, Corvette (losing value advantage due to price creep), and anything made by Chrysler, LLC.

charliemike

Honorable Mention for "What the fuck were they thinking?" goes to the Subaru Impreza STi for $38k and an interior out of a Cobalt. The interior on the STi is worse than a 1st-gen Mazda3. Just nuts.

dallison

i have to agree with you on camaro. The sheetmetal seems real cheap as does the interior. not hating, but it reminds me of most of the gm lineup.

nokiaman

That Buick Regal must've been REALLY something for you to like it over a B8.

charliemike

Marc, it's amazing. It's a similar size to the B6/B7 and because Audi started rounding the exterior of the B6 with the B7, in a lot of ways this sort of looks like an extension of that idea. It's clearly not an Audi. I'm okay with it. But I would definitely buy it and be proud that it's American and a Buick.

I can't wait to drive one if they make it.

charliemike

Also, the BMW 5-series Gran Turismo ... They are really nice cars. They're just a funky hatchback that BMW can try to call whatever it wants. The liftgate is clever but it's still a hatch. A really nice one though.

There are some clever motherfuckers out there that have figured out how to sell people a station wagon without them realizing it

einsatz

I was there today, too...
Dodge/Chrysler is dead. I like how they had sections for gas/diesel/hybrid/hydogen/electric.

nokiaman

With the rate things are going with Japanese cars and domestic brands, it shouldn't be too long before a noticeable shift in sales happens.

charliemike

I did too. I didn't get to see the Scuderia air/hybrid whatever the hell it was.

I hope people start getting on the diesel bandwagon.

Costco

I hope diesels start becoming more common in the US also.... Ford and VAG are two of my favorite brands on the rise right now and diesels are a part of the reason why for the latter.

chill_dog

Sounds a lot like the car show we had in November (dealer sponsered, hybrid/diesel section). Nissan/Infiniti was noticeably absent a couple of months ago; too bad as I had really wanted to check out the Z.

With regard to your observations, I agree with just about everything. I remember pointing out to my friend that the ZR1 and Cobalt had the same steering wheel...he didn't believe me until he looked closely.

jupitersolo

I watched the International Auto Show on NBC today. The talk was that Fiat will be bringing those brands back very well next year. Will just have to wait and see. They said they was a lot of problems behind all of what the public doesn't see to fix first.

PortlandRL

The Portland Auto Show was this weekend and I went on Thursday (opening day).

Absent from our show this year was:
BMW
Land Rover
Mercedes-Benz
Nissan (this shocked me)
Saab
Suzuki

The Chrysler display was Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep all crammed into one little corner of the floor. Quite honestly, I don't think they're going to make it. I know it takes a lot of time and money to bring a car to market (let alone many) but at this point it's all a matter of what's going to run out first.

alexSU

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I thought Saab was done for good??

PortlandRL

https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=190

Sarlacc

I'll disagree. The interior of the Challenger is not cheap, nor does it feel cheap.

Everyone who sees my car or any of my fellow club members cars at the shows is always shocked at the interior quality. If you dont like the design, thats something else. I personally really like the design, its simple and functional.

As far as rather wanting a 370Z...so would I....if I wanted that kind of car (and I do because I'm a car nut and I want a lot of different kinds of cars) You're making a statement that is apples and oranges. But you'll never truly understand the muscle car craze until your physical in one accelerating like a rocket.

The Regal is a hit. I was very surprised by it at the LA auto show.

princelybug

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princelybug

iTrader: (16)

alexSU

iTrader: (3)

K, thanks.

Costco

IMO muscle cars are a love/hate thing. I'm driven a ton of cars around the same price range, and I like a lot of them, but there's just something about the linear power delivery of a pushrod V8. The torque is just instantaneous. Sadly a lot of people only drive them stock, and thus they have a skewed perception of modern muscle car handling. From the factory the chassis and ride is usually tuned for a softer ride, but they can all be competent once you put a little money into the suspension. Still isn't the same as my friend's Evo X in terms of feel or grip, but his car cost $40k.

I liked the 350Z and I'm glad the 370Z has a much nicer interior than the old one, but after seeing my friend's 370 in person several times I just can't get over the exterior. It handles and drives really nicely from what he tells me, but he gets similar or worse fuel economy than I do, which is kinda sad. and he paid $40k OTD for it!

CL6

When you compare the performance you get with the Vette vs. its competition the car is a bargain. The interior, even with the leather dash option, is still shit though.

charliemike

I know you love yours so I wasn't trying to be a jackass about it.

I've been in a C5 Corvette FRC. Did nothing for me. Aesthetics mean as much to me as performance (to a degree). I'm just not a muscle car guy.