Photos From the Washington Auto Show

Some good shots taken by Mathew at the regional Washington Auto Show in D.C.

Buick Encore is a small crossover

Chevrolet's new Impala looks sharp

Hyundai's Equus still draws a crowd

Lincoln MKC crossover

Lincoln's new MKZ sedan

Toyota's FT-BH is driving to the future.

Mathew rides past the beach and a Ford Escape

We Obsessively Podcast the Obsessive Coverage of the Detroit Auto Show

It takes a little time to get Mathew excited about the Detroit Auto Show, but I persevere. We talk about all the exciting -- and realistic -- production and concept vehicles that auto makers showed off. And the new gadgets and infotainment systems that are drawing buyers. We also go through Autoblog's list of concepts and pick out which ones are likely to reach the market.

The two concepts from Chevrolet -- the Tru 140s and the Code 130R -- are designed to appeal to young people. But as the WSJ reports and we've discussed lately -- young people don't care about new cars or driving much.

Smart was one of those brands that was to designed for young people, but has seen sales slip. Now the company is hoping a new concept and a focus on new markets can turn things around.

A Segway-like enclosed scooter called the C-1 from Lit Motors could be the kind of thing that does draw young buys. And it never tips over.

Finally, sharing cars, sharing rides, now comes sharing parking spaces. Yet another market is being created for personal spaces thanks to digital communication and smartphones.

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Seattle Auto Show: Big Branding Edition, With Logos

My son and I checked out the Seattle Auto Show this week to see some of the new cars on the market. I'm going to do a series of posts with photos to capture some interesting trends, cool stuff or amusing decisions.

Our second episode is dedicated to the efforts that auto makers are going to make sure you know what kind of car you are driving or seeing.

There was lots of branding on this Ford Mustang Boss 302

It's a Ferrari. Really. I've got the logo
on the wheel, the name on the brake caliper
and a giant logo on the fender.

And if you get to drive it,
the Ferrari prancing horse logo
will rub against the back of your head.

Seattle Auto Show: Gadgets, Joysticks and LEDs

My son and I checked out the Seattle Auto Show this week to see some of the new cars on the market. I'm going to do a series of posts with photos to capture some interesting trends, cool stuff or amusing decisions.

Our first episode is dedicated to the gadgets, joysticks and other high-tech features that can be found in cars and trucks on the market today:

I spent a long time playing with the gadgets in the Lexus CT200h F-Series, a sporty, small hatchback hybrid.

The Lexus CT 200h has a mouse/joystick to control
the infotainment system that is called
Lexus Remote Touch.

The screen in the
Lexus CT 200h
tilts and folds.

The Kia Optima is great looking inside and out, with a Saab-like dashboard
and lots of buttons on the steering wheel.
Also, two huge sunroofs. 

Volkswagen has this unique MDI socket
that requires a cable to work with either
iPods or USB devices. The cable appears
to be extremely expensive. A razzy for VW
on that one.

  

The Dodge Charger has a instrument panel with
an old school design and modern appearance.

The Dodge Charger has cup holders that can be
either heated or cooled. 

The Prius V -- the larger wagon-like model -- still sets
the standard for videogame-style controls.

The Jaguar XJ has a kick-plate in the front doorsill that is lighted
by a blue LED. The Hyundai Equus had the same thing.
Just so remember what kind of car you have. Of course,
the Hyundai's said Equus.

Fondness for the Frankfurt Auto Show

This week is the Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany, which is one of the biggest shows in the world. The show is held every other year, with the alternating year's car show held in Paris.

Frankfurt auto show in 2003

Obviously, the German car makers dominate the show with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen all introducing significant models and building massive displays in the sprawling, multi-building complex.

I had the pleasure to attend the show in 2003, when my wife and I were living in Belgium. It was a spectacular experience, except for the absurdly long time it took to get lunch at one of the frankfurter vendors.

This year's show will feature some 50 automakers and specialty builders unwrapping upwards of 100 new models during the press days. The NYTimes points out that the size and scope of the show illustrates that the auto industry has rebounded from the dark days of the global economic collapse. But as much as this European show is a big deal, the industry as whole has become much more global, with China. Eastern Europe and even Brazil factoring more into the landscape than ever before.

GTSOTR will be tweeting out interesting news that we find during this week and of course we'll discuss the new models and concepts in this week's podcast.