Atlanta Car SHow Thoughts
04-28-2002, 12:53 AM
#1
Atlanta Car SHow Thoughts
Was at the Atlanta Car Show today and checked out some of the competition. I did not drive these. Her eare my thoughts on the interior/layout of the competition.
Nissan:
Maxima has good size in front and back. Back is more roomy. The front does not feel as tight as the TL. Seemed to have qulaity material. Sticker was in the mid 29k
Altima
I was very disspaointed with the the interior. It was very plain and cheap looking. The radio are was horrible looking. It looked like an old Ford Taurus or something. It was very roomy inside. More so then the TL in back. The front was still not as tight as a TL. Sticker was in the mid 27k
G35
Up close for the first time, it looks like an Altima with a better front but uglier rear. Good size in the back, bigger then TL but not to much. Front was tight. It felt good. Did not like the power seat buttons on the right bottom part of the seat. WOuld be to the right of your right thigh area. The materials felt simlar to the TL. Sticker was i nthe mid 31k.
Audi:
The A4 is a pretty cool looking car. I like the redesign. It had a tight feel all around. The back seat is small. Probably same size as the new civics. The front seating has a tight feel, tighter then the TL but felt somewhat sparse. Qulaity materila used, similar to the TL. Sticker was like mid 26k for the 1.8T and 28-29k for the 3.0.
Mercedes:
The C class, they had a C240 I think. Small all around. It had a tight feel. But bakc seat was very small. Materials felt quality, maybe a little better then the TL. Sticker was 30K
There was an E class 320 there also. Not the new body style but the current one. Back seat is smaller then the TL. Front are is tight and laid out well. Quality materials better then the TL. Sticker was like 46k.
VW:
They had a Passat W8 there. Had better quality interior then the regular passat. A lot of wood and some chrome. Good size back seat. Front was not as tight as a TL but not as removed as a Maxima. Sticker was like 36-38k.
Volvo:
I drove an S60 for 2 weeks on vacation. Front interior is tight and quality material. The back is small. I think sticker was in the 28-30k range.
Lexus:
I do not care for the new ES300 look. The interior is nice. Very good material and a larger back seat thenm before. A little larger the then TL. Very good inside. Much better then the previous ES300's. Just do not like the exterior. Sticker was like 36-39k.
Just looked at the IS 300 really quick. Do not consider it competition. It is tight inside but small. They had the hatchback version also.
Lincoln:
I really like the looks of the LS. The front is tight, kind of small. Laid out well. Back seat seemed small. Material seemed quality. Sticker was in the 33-36k range.
BMW:
I will be sticker with the 4 door's here. One side not, the 7 series is SWEET! Looked at the 325i. Very tight feel inside. Tightest of all the cars. Felt like you would really feel the road. Very snmall inside. Bakcseat is non-existent. Price was like 28-30k and this was with a stick and little options. Materails seemd good quality.
The 5 series are nice also. Feel a bit more sedanish theen the 3 sereis. But sitill a tight feel. Back seat is small also. This was a 530i and price was in the mid 40's.
Now like I said I have not driven all these vehicles. I am 6' and 205 so I am not a small guy but only 3-4 of the vehicles were comparable in interior size.
Heard from the Acura guy that the RL redesign was scraped for the 2003 year and is not scheduled to appear until 2005 and a V8 would be an option.
There will be a 4 door RSX coming out and maybe the will be an R version of the RSX.
Said the redesigned TL should be out in fall 2003. Still no information on it yet.
One last car, the Jag X-Type. Damn it is small inside. Back seat is tiny. Front seat is small but tight. Material seems good quality. Sticker was loe 30's. Even the S-Type felt small inside.
Mark
Nissan:
Maxima has good size in front and back. Back is more roomy. The front does not feel as tight as the TL. Seemed to have qulaity material. Sticker was in the mid 29k
Altima
I was very disspaointed with the the interior. It was very plain and cheap looking. The radio are was horrible looking. It looked like an old Ford Taurus or something. It was very roomy inside. More so then the TL in back. The front was still not as tight as a TL. Sticker was in the mid 27k
G35
Up close for the first time, it looks like an Altima with a better front but uglier rear. Good size in the back, bigger then TL but not to much. Front was tight. It felt good. Did not like the power seat buttons on the right bottom part of the seat. WOuld be to the right of your right thigh area. The materials felt simlar to the TL. Sticker was i nthe mid 31k.
Audi:
The A4 is a pretty cool looking car. I like the redesign. It had a tight feel all around. The back seat is small. Probably same size as the new civics. The front seating has a tight feel, tighter then the TL but felt somewhat sparse. Qulaity materila used, similar to the TL. Sticker was like mid 26k for the 1.8T and 28-29k for the 3.0.
Mercedes:
The C class, they had a C240 I think. Small all around. It had a tight feel. But bakc seat was very small. Materials felt quality, maybe a little better then the TL. Sticker was 30K
There was an E class 320 there also. Not the new body style but the current one. Back seat is smaller then the TL. Front are is tight and laid out well. Quality materials better then the TL. Sticker was like 46k.
VW:
They had a Passat W8 there. Had better quality interior then the regular passat. A lot of wood and some chrome. Good size back seat. Front was not as tight as a TL but not as removed as a Maxima. Sticker was like 36-38k.
Volvo:
I drove an S60 for 2 weeks on vacation. Front interior is tight and quality material. The back is small. I think sticker was in the 28-30k range.
Lexus:
I do not care for the new ES300 look. The interior is nice. Very good material and a larger back seat thenm before. A little larger the then TL. Very good inside. Much better then the previous ES300's. Just do not like the exterior. Sticker was like 36-39k.
Just looked at the IS 300 really quick. Do not consider it competition. It is tight inside but small. They had the hatchback version also.
Lincoln:
I really like the looks of the LS. The front is tight, kind of small. Laid out well. Back seat seemed small. Material seemed quality. Sticker was in the 33-36k range.
BMW:
I will be sticker with the 4 door's here. One side not, the 7 series is SWEET! Looked at the 325i. Very tight feel inside. Tightest of all the cars. Felt like you would really feel the road. Very snmall inside. Bakcseat is non-existent. Price was like 28-30k and this was with a stick and little options. Materails seemd good quality.
The 5 series are nice also. Feel a bit more sedanish theen the 3 sereis. But sitill a tight feel. Back seat is small also. This was a 530i and price was in the mid 40's.
Now like I said I have not driven all these vehicles. I am 6' and 205 so I am not a small guy but only 3-4 of the vehicles were comparable in interior size.
Heard from the Acura guy that the RL redesign was scraped for the 2003 year and is not scheduled to appear until 2005 and a V8 would be an option.
There will be a 4 door RSX coming out and maybe the will be an R version of the RSX.
Said the redesigned TL should be out in fall 2003. Still no information on it yet.
One last car, the Jag X-Type. Damn it is small inside. Back seat is tiny. Front seat is small but tight. Material seems good quality. Sticker was loe 30's. Even the S-Type felt small inside.
Mark
04-28-2002, 01:13 AM
#2
Two last last cars I saw, the new Infiniti M45 and the G35 Coupe. Boot were sweet. The M45 somewhere between the G35 and the Q45. The G35 coupe is a great looking car.
Acura really needs to get more agressive with it's designs.
Mark
Acura really needs to get more agressive with it's designs.
Mark
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