The 2nd 2006 LA jelly bean show of 2007 autos

[Lee]

Everbody goes to the Auto show.

You ever drop a model off the workbench and onto the floor. Did it look like this? Lots of detail for Skunk to model. ;D



And on with the show





Now this was an eye catcher.

[stanhas87]

Dear All:

I will go there this Friday.Besides the 5-pound sacks of brochures that i will get,I hope to find some info on the 100-years that this event been running (like a list of the manufacturers exibited all these years).I been going since 1999;regret for not going in the 1980's and 1990's

Dear Lee:

Nice photos.

[Lee]

Jerry and I saw zip about the 100 years of the show while at the show. The reason that I went was to see some oldtimers and youngtimers. But no, they were not there.

[stanhas87]

lee said:

Jerry and I saw zip about the 100 years of the show while at the show.

Dear Lee:

Thanks.This is a shame,for since 1907,many.many makes appeared and disappeared.Oh,well.

Nick K

[Lee]

More 2007 jelly beans



yea, I was more interested in the camera than the car.

Now here is a true shoebox.










Looks like a batmobile but it is for real

[Lee]

And even more jelly beans

[Lee]

OK, here are some more to drool over.

Look at the single hinge on the rear door.












I have never seen a utility van before


but I have seen a utility pickup


GMC took a Buick and cut it up in six chunks. Then they put them in glass cubes and spaced them out so you could walk between them.






Now this is crazy. It is all for sound alone.

[Lee]

We did find two classics down in the basement. ;D

[Marc S.]

Says something about how important Chrysler judges the show to be that they bring an old concept car. A very nice one, but still.

From the articles in my daily paper, my car mag and your photos I get the impression only European and Asian companies brought really new models and design studies.

Marc S.

[Lee]

Jerry and I had much of the same impression.

The Ford display was dominated by big vehicles. Ford also had what seemed to be a lot of unused floor space. Like something was planned but wasn't ready in time for the show.

GMC... same oh, same oh.

Chrysler, well you see the Imperial. I thought the suicide type door was outlawed years ago. And only one hinge for a door? Sounds like lots of shop time to me.

[BillC]

marc said:

Says something about how important Chrysler judges the show to be that they bring an old concept car. A very nice one, but still.

From the articles in my daily paper, my car mag and your photos I get the impression only European and Asian companies brought really new models and design studies.

Marc S.

The Detroit automakers are saving their big news (such as it is) for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

As far as that leftover Imperial goes, I have to disagree. IMHO, that's one of the ugliest show cars since the Super8 Hemi nightmare five years ago. Like the Super8, it's a bloated caricature that is a disgrace to the name it wears (for a lot of good reasons, no Chrysler production car ever had the silly dogleg A-pillar seen on the Super8). Instead of classic, the Imperial looks merely ponderous and is spotted with styling cues lifted from better cars.

I am really beginning to wonder if anyone currently working in Auburn Hills actually knows how to style an automobile. Compare the Imperial to the new S-Class or CL-Class or the original Vision CLS that wowed the crowds in Frankfurt three years ago.

Come to think of it, I wonder if anyone in Detroit knows how to style an automobile. I look at what's coming out of Ford's U.S. studios and compare it to the original Iosis and think perhaps Ford could do better than three horizontal bars.

With few exceptions, GM has managed to completely liberate its bread-and-butter car lines from anything like the fabulous styling that was almost a trademark under Bill Mitchell and Chuck Jordan. In fact, GM has managed to free most of its cars from the burden of any charater at all. I think the Oldsmobile Aurora was the last distinctive GM sedan.

The new Mazda Nagare, on the other hand, is a design I think will turn heads instead of stomachs. As Lee mentioned, it's an eye-catcher. Of course, it's a down-the-road concept intended to give an idea of a car in the year 2020, but it's a refreshing change from some of the wheeled gargoyles being foisted off on the public as show cars these days.

[stanhas87]

Dear All:

Went to the show on Friday.It seem weak as compared with previous year.Isuzu was not present (let's face it,was another Manufacturer selling re-designed Chevrolet SUVs- who needs more?),the Imperial does not have the Elegance that the Black Beauty had (after all,is another 300 with different stryling cues) and the new Challenger did atracted me (someone took a photo of,gave me the card and is up to me to download it). In general,the expensive Automakers did not provided brochures or info to the public,but this year they did,and Ferrarri had ran of as I approached the stand.I quite like the ideia of seeing this Manufacturer exibiting their wares.

The Hundred Year show Commemoration was displayed via Wall Posters and for specific periods only;too bad they did not had anything avaliable on literature one can take.Alas,the booklet - program - had its price raised,from $3.00 to $4.00.

I could not help myself,and sat on the Town Car (no Vics were displayed) and Gran Marquis,and as in the past,the latter is the one which atracts me;and I find its front grille better looking.And,it happened last year,and again this year it was the same:due to any reason ,they ran out of the Town Car's brochure.That amazes even me!!

Also saw the other concepts,and unlike Chrysler,other manufacturers actually do give info on their show cars.To me that is a better policy.Honda Step Bus - now,that is something to think about.

GM? This is making me tired:enphasys on front drives,Corvette and their endless range of trucks.To me,even their publicized models looked boring!! And,I got many brochures that states how their Vehicles are good for the Envoriment;Hibrid,Clean Cars were also quite advertized and I end up with several Brochures on them.Now,something I approve: both Ford and GM do give info on their large trucks (F-650 on) and the representant of the Blue Oval was not capable to tell me how to get a brochure for their Interceptor.

Mercedes did not had any paper brochures for their vehicles (via www,you know) and there were never one for their Maybach.Also,I know that for a while,and did it again:on the Lexus stand,you take the avaliable brochures,and ask for the one (big ones) of their Model Ranges.Their rep will get that for you,these are not displayed.I got content with the L and I lines.
On the Aston Martin display,when I told that I will ask for a brochure via www,he made me come in their closed stand and gave me a thick one.He explained that if he will be handling that,as happened with Ferrarri,they will ran out quickly of.

I run out of it with mixed emotions.I mean,very few models that I liked and for me,as stated before,this show seem to have fewer exibits.Something that called my attention was the Wrangler 4-door.It did since its Introduction,for I know that in the early 1960's,on the CJ6 platform - longer - in Brazil,there was a 2-door and 4-door version of,and the latter was ,as the Wrangler,a 4-door Convertible.Avanti was advertised in the Brochure,but never saw its stand.A shame.Never went to the basement - acessories,the like.

There was a CHP Explorer being exibited(I did not pay attention;I thought was that).The Excursion may be gone,but the Expedition seem as large!!

Well,that is,basically it.Some brochures on on-coming 2008 models as well.