Spent 8 hours at the D.C Show today. (Yeah...feet are a little sore).
This was a real show this year, especially by past D.C. standards. Not quite up yet to Detroit's levels, but for the first time here in D.C, a REAL show, not just a bunch of has-beens. Some things, like the Subaru BX9, Chrysler 300C SRT-8, MazdaSpeed 6, the new BMW 3-series, and the Corvette Z06, were still held back for Detroit, but overall, we sure can't complain compared to past shows here.

Many of you, I know, are wondering about the new GS. It was indeed there...a silver 2006 GS300 V6 rear-drive with gray leather interior and black walnut wood trim (which actually looked a lot like carbon-fiber...same color) and brushed metal trim. In addition to the little regular radar-beep back-up safety circles in the back bumper, like many other cars, it also had a small TV camera next to the rear license plate like on the Infiniti Q45 and many minivans and SUV's for a clear view backing up. The fit-and-finish on this car is awesome....even better than on the present GS. There is almost no front overhang at all...the front drops straight down in front of the wheels like on the BMW 3-series. It had the swivel left-and-right headlights going in and out of turns. The only thing about the car that really concerned me.....especially for you taller guys....is the very low roof. I was surprised at how low it really was.......aerodynamics was obviously a great concern on this car. Especially with a closed moonroof, this is not going to be a car for NBA guys. The Lexus people said that the AWD version (not displayed there) is still on schedule this spring. They more or less confirmed my earlier guess....that one of the reasons the in-line 3.0 6 was dropped was its incompatability with AWD. It has been replaced, of course, by the 3.0 V6. The GS430 V8 is also on schedule for its launch this spring also, according to them....no official word from them yet on an AWD 430. The other AWD news from the Lexus people there is that, according to them, it is planned as of now for the next-generation IS within two years. They did not have pictures of the new IS yet.....maybe they will be at Detroit.

OK....other new and concept vehicles displayed there of note.......

The Cadillac Sixteen, a 1000 HP concept with the V-16 engine.

The new Mitsubishi Evo R MR Edition.

The Ford GT. They had a black one there with no stripes.

The orange racing Lexus IS300 often seen in website pictures.

The new GTO with the hood scoops, new grille and the production 6.0 L 400 HP V8.

The new Mustang, both in V6 and GT versions. Gotta wait for Detroit for the Cobra, though. The base V6 version was a real disappointment, though......it was cheap, cheap, CHEAP inside. Some of the worst hardware I've seen on a modern car. Too bad for a car with such dynamite looks. The GT was MUCH better inside, and much more liveable.

The MazdaSpeed turbo 170 HP Miata.....a stunning burnt-copper-orange color even nicer than the copper on many Nissans.

A stretched four-door version ( yes, that's right, FOUR door ) version of the Chrysler Crossfire. Forgot what they called it, though.

The Land Rover LR3, a completely new design that takes the mid-size and price slot between the entry-level Freelander and the big Range Rover.

A Maybach 57....the first one ever publically displayed in the D.C. area.
Talk about an IMPRESSIVE interior.....WOW !



Without question, the biggest disappointments were the Saturns and the BMW's. Both companies, IMO, have REALLY gone to the dogs. The Saturns have become just plastic-bodied GM products now...they have completely lost their identity. The Ion was and still is a joke. The newest one....the Relay minivan, doesn't even have plastic panels anymore.

Much has been written and posted here on CL about the Chris Bangle BMW's. I really don't need to add much here, but the ones I saw today were almost an insult to your intelligence for their high sticker prices.....flimsy-feeling doors that clanked shut, poorly done paint, cheap-looking and feeling hardware, computerized EVERYTHING sticking out from the dash and steering wheel stalks, etc.... What a shame....just a couple of years ago the 528i, IMO, was one of the finest cars in the world. And....to really put the icing on the cake, right in the middle of the the BMW display area they had a jet-black 745i that cost almost $80,000. Some kid came up, tried to open the right rear door, and pulled the whole f - - - ing door handle assembly RIGHT OFF THE CAR onto the floor......leaving a big hole on the fender. They had patch the car up with bright-blue tape....they couldn't even reattach it ! People were coming by laughing.

As typical in recent years, both the Hyundai and Kia displays really impressed with what they offer for very low sticker prices, and how well those products are now built. I continue to be literally amazed how those two companies....Hyundai more than Kia.....have improved so explosively in just a short time. The Hyundais, IMO, were better in many areas than a lot of cars costing two and three times as much.
As far as single vehicles go, the Subaru Outback and Legacy, IMO, in some ways were the cream of the show. They both offer jewel-like quality and a Lexus-grade interior at a Subaru price. For the sticker price, I was more impressed, with them, for the price, than anything else currently on the market.....(even the Hyundais)..... and they are now in first place on my potential list for my next set of wheels.

Be back later this week for at least a couple of more rounds.....I'll let you know if there is any more interesting news. But, of course, most of the BIG news will be at Detroit.

 

1st congrats on 4k posts. 2nd, great write-up.

 

Thanks - finally got an answer why this was done

 

Thanks.
I also forgot to add that the new Mini Cooper convertible, Mini Cooper John Works version, Pontiac Solstice roadster, Mercedes SL / SLK McClaren, and a $440,000 Porsche Carrera GT were also there. But Porsche could have at least brought the new Boxster....they are saving it for Detroit.

 

what do you think about the cooper convertible?? so far, i've been lucky with driving a 04 beemer without any problems YET. my cousin in D.C., who owns a jetta turbo, i believe an 2001 or 2002, has shelled out 6000 buks this year along.

 

Mmarshall, thanks for the great write up, very informative and even somewhat humorous!

What can you tell me about the Solstice? Has all this time in automobile limbo proven to be effective for it? I've been really impressed with the looks and what I've read about it. How's it stack up to the competition?

James

 

I'm sure that's partly why, but the 330xi is awd.

 

 

Yeah, O.L.T....that's one area where you guys are WAY ahead of me. At present I don't have the computer skills or the ability ( or maybe the equipment ) to send and post the kind of pictures you guys do. My expertise just doesn't lie in that area....scanning, pasting, etc.......
I'm sorry if you find that inadquate but at present that is all I am able to do.

 

I looked at one rather closely...a blue one. It has a rather interesting droptop. It goes back in two positions.The first folds the roof about halfway back.....where it covers just the rear seats, so you get basically a sunroof-effect up front. Then, if desired, it goes back all the way and folds up, accordion-style, more or less like the Beetle Convertible. The rear seat is quite wide for such a small convertible.....showing the efficiency of the bold-back top......two average-size adults can fit, width-wise, but there is an acute shortage of leg room with the front seat adjusted for tall drivers; not surprising in such a small car. So, even with the width, consider it basically a two-seater.
Other than that, it's pretty much like a regular Mini inside. Same controls, center-mount speedo, instruments, ergonomics, etc....unlike the much flashier and chromed John Works version interior (which was also there). Obviously I could not test-drive one there to determine the convertible body rigidity and cowl-flex level (always a concern with drop-tops), but the auto-magazine tests I have read say that, being a state-of-the-art convertible, they have done a good job in this area.

I would caution you in a few areas, however, if you are thinking of buying one. First, at present there are only 75 BMW dealerships in the country that handle Minis (according to the reps there). Second, there is a huge demand for almost any kind of Mini and an acute lack of supply, so, like the Toyota Prius, there are waiting lines and markups at dealerships.....forget about any kind of a discount....and the convertible, of course, will run several thousand more than similiar hardtops due to its complexity. Third, while these cars have fantastic go-cart-style agility and handling, the penalty, of course, is a STIFF ride....even more so the in high-performance S and John Works versions. (They did not say whether we will see a John Works convertible). Fourth, while Minis rate extremely high in customer satisfaction, they also have had a poor reliability record according to both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power.

If you do decide to bite the bullet and get one, though, it sure looks like a fun car on a nice sunny day and a winding road.

 

Thanks.

As for the Solstice, I've seen pictures, of course, but in person I was really struck by how small it was.....roughly the same length as the Miata and the S2000 and maybe just slightly wider. The pictures of it made it look larger then it actually is. So, like those two, it will likely be rather cramped for tall or wide people ( like me...6' 2" and 280 lbs ). Inside, like several other brand-new GM cars, it did show a little better level of fit-and-finish, with the same newer-style GM round chrome-ringed gauges. As you know.....better fit-and-finish is something LONG overdue in GM cars. Like almost all of the other concept cars and new displays, this one was done up in silver....don't remember what the inside color was.

As far as looks go, it is not a bad-looking car by roadster standards. I'm not quite as thrilled with the styling as you are, but it DOES look better, IMO, than some other roadsters, especially the BMW Z3 and Z4 and the Audi TT, which I have never liked.

The Pontiac people there said it is still due for a launch in the fall of this year.....so you won't see it in dealerships for awhile.

 

Thanks for the write up Mmarshall. Yup, I saw one on the road with the top retracted half way. It looked really fun. It's such a shame that reliability again came inbetween and became the bad guy.

 

Tough when you can't attach them!

 

So you witnessed the HIDEOUS cloth interior with "MUSTANG" embolized all over the fabric?

Didn't I say Ford would screw the pre-production model back to the 1980's before it hit production?

At any rate - at least the exterior build quality has gotten noticably better with this next-generation Mustang. Check it out. It's honestly built better than the Ford Five-Hundred.

Which is pathetic.

M.

 

Well, bitkahuna...like I said in my post, I have neither a digital camera nor the computer skills needed for scanning, pasting, and posting. My passion is cars, not computers. I try to do good auto write-ups instead.

So.....beat me over the head.......I'm not perfect.