Photo gallery: 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show
Friday November 21, 2008
The Los Angeles Auto Show opens to the public today. Things may look bleak for the auto biz, but you'd never know it from the show, where you'll find several new and new-to-the-USA models on display. If you can't make it to the show, you can check out all the good stuff in my 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show photo gallery. And if you can make it, my visitor's guide to the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show will tell you how to get there and what to see. -- Aaron Gold
Photo © Aaron Gold
Comments
Kia misspelled Seoul.
That’s quite a collection of butt ugly cars Aaron? With the exception of most of the European cars early in the gallery, most of those cars suck. I really like the Audis and the Bimmers.
Mercury-Milan=UGH!!
Lincoln-MKZ=The grille from hell!
Ford Fusion-All the class and style of a K car.
Ford Mustang-Still classy. Love the convertible.
Cadillac STS=OMG, who would buy this metalic mess from Gotham?
Camaro/Corvette-Great looking but can it rescue GM? NO!
Volt-Nice body, butter face?
Pontiac G8-How much money did they waste making this teeny bopper sled?
I can see why the American auto makers are begging for money in Washington. My gawd the ford products, mercury, fusion and the Chevy Cadillac and the Volt??? What are they thinking?? If they run some of the pictures by Congress no one will loan or give them money. My vote is no.
C
I actually really like the new Fusion - I think this is one of those rare situations where the restyle is actually better looking than the original. And if memory serves, the car drives pretty decently. I’ll post a full photo gallery next week. — Aaron
Well from this gallery here are my first impressions…
Most Beautiful = Mercedes SL65 AMG
Most Out There Design = Hyundai HED-5
Most Likely to Succeed = Honda Insight
Most Unexpected = Dodge EV
Ugliest POS That Never Should Have Gotten a Green Light = Pontiac G8
Most Likely to Be My Next Purchase = Infiniti G37 Convertible/Chevy Volt
In response to the comments about the big three going bankrupt, I agree with the comments from some of the employees who said let them go bankrupt and allow the companies to be restructured by the court rather than just hand these idiot execs a blank check. Ford deserves some helpful guidance by removing some upper management and taking control of discretionary spending. GM deserves a clean sweep of the top brass and some product line reduction. Chrysler deserves liquidation, I mean come on already! They went to the edge, we bailed them out, they went to the edge again, Mercedes bailed them out, and now just a few years later after Mercedes washed their hands of that rotting corpse of a car company they are at the edge again. Let them die. Let their marketshare fall over to GM and Ford. Let’s be honest, if you are considering a Chrysler product you are most likely going to “Buy American” (i.e. Buy Mexican) and your interest would fall to similar products from Ford or GM. It is highly unlikely that anyone considering a Chrysler product is debating the choice between that and a foreign ownership product like a Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, etc.
Great photos Aaron, hopefully I’ll find the time to make to the show and see some of these first hand!
For some reason Ford makes the ugliest grills for cars these days. They look like chrome cheese graters.
Such a same since the Fusion really is a very very good car.
Come on Ford make a Fusion that looks as good as it drives.
DFI
#1 No one but Chrysler sells the Jeep Wrangler. I have one and NO I wouldn’t buy a Hummer. But the Toyota FJ cruiser is a worthy competitor that I considered.
#2 Chrysler wasn’t near bankruptcy when Mercedes “merged” with them. They were in pretty tough shape after the divestment, though.
#3 If the companies go into bankruptcy we all will pay because these automakers and their dealers, suppliers, etc. comprise 1/10 of America’s jobs.
#4 The big brass at the automakers *may* lose their jobs if a court restructures them but the other casualty will be the contract between the manufacturers and the UAW. Likely end result–fewer workers, lower pay, and no pensions.
#5 Bankruptcy could backfire since consumers would hesitate to buy from a manufacturer that may not be around to service the warranty. i.e. no emergence from chapter 11. It would be nice neat problem if the answers were so simple that a purge of management would solve them, but I just don’t see it.
Cooper should attach a 5 hp Briggs and Stratton to the Mini E to get over-optimistic owners back home. Beats the mileage back home a tow truck would get.
I’m not a big fan of the G8 trucklet but I do (at the risk of sounding contrary) like the regular G8 very much.
I hope that some of these alt. fuel vehicles start to hit the streets soon. They would provide nurturing homes for all of the homeless “imagine world peace” bumper stickers currently engaged in the gallant effort to give the appearance of fenders to 1979 Honda Civics.
Anyone interested in the CTS-V should take another look at the G8 GXP… 420hp!!
The Solstice coupe was pretty nice.
The G37 convertible is very well done and looks great. Speakers in the headrest to help keep the audio sounding nice well the wind whips through the cabin…
The 2010 Mustang looks good.
The Insight will knock the Prius out… i hope they stay as faithful as possible to the concept design.
Drove the Q7 TDI… excellent vehicle, so quiet and comfortable with solid power.
My favorite car of the show is the new 370Z though… front 1/3 reminds me of the Z31s and the rear 2/3rds remind of the 240z.
Without getting up close, my WINNWERS are:
1. Honda CRZ (I’ll probably buy one)
2. Honda FC Sport Concept (brilliant design)
3. Seinfeld’s Porsche RS Spyder…WOW!
LOSERS:
1. Cube (definitely Gen Y/Millennium car)
2. Mini electric (too limiting…think diesel)
#. Volt (how’d they get this Malibu knock-off from that exciting concept car…playin’ it safe all the way to bankruptcy gang?)
The Mazda 3 looks like it has a glandular imbalance. Perhaps it looks better in person than in photos.
Would you kindly spell and punctuate your column properly. If you cannot, then allow your computer spell checker a romp through your verbiage. Thank you.
Mr. Ayres:
You could set a good example by terminating your questions with a question mark. Let’s not even start talking about your failure to cite a specific example of the ostensibly offensive spelling and punctuation….
I do believe that you’re busted, Thom.
Sexiest…Tie between the new Lotus, Ferrari and Mercedes AMG. Cayman is also a sexy car from all sides.
Ugliest…
Tie between the Pontiac G8 “truck”, about the farthest thing Pontiac should have been developing to save their butts as you can get.
Followed closely by the Nissan Cube. Looked really cool, kinda cute from the front end. Then it turned around and you realize it had been rear ended and somebody in the window dept screwed up massively. Do you even WANT to know what that window will cost to replace?
Most likely to be bought instead of the Cube… Kia Soul. Though I reserve judgement until I see the back side but it will likely be cheaper.
Most likely to succeed big time:
Honda CRZ and Insight. Honestly don’t like the current Honda designs…too bland. But those look nice.
Most testosterone laden vehicle… Gallardo convertible. OOK OOK!
Biggest trend I’d like to see disappear…
Giant bulbous noses. I mean c’mon, it looked good on a giant Dodge Ram truck, but now it seems every domestic has to have a giant slab of a front end. The Volt started out pretty sleek, then it looks like it had 4 kids and started eating Bon Bons. Cadillac Wagon…cool concept but it looks like it could be used as a bulldozer if all else failed. Not just the domestics either…the new Lexi are looking 6 months pregnant and the Mazda, LOVE the current little wagon, but that new design makes the Subaru WRX look balanced.
Best Trend…
More TDI’s. About Bloody time.
Most Bland…Lincoln MKZ, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan. Safe safe safe. Yawn.
Biggest broken promise of performance…
Brabus Smart. They concentrated on handling so when you are waiting 10 minutes for it to accelerate onto the freeway on-ramp it can make a crisp merge once you finally get there. They couldn’t even increase it 10HP? I say give it to AMG.
Most superfluous use of contrast and stripes…Dodge EV. C’mon guys, can’t you get at least a FEW more stripes or highlights on there? Maybe some flames or a neon light kit?
Most likely to be the next car in my garage…
VW Touraeg TDi.
Thomas…Hurry up and get outta that glass house you’re in!!!