Chicago Auto Show Discussion and Impressions

[RichardJensen]

but I see TONS of them in my Suburban wonderland so it's hard to see them as anything other than a mom-mobile

Yeah, but you don't live in the real world. You live in suburban Detroit.

 

At least not 'the real world' as far as cars are concerned.

[Swizco]

maybe off-topic but

I've been meaning to ask if the Lincoln Concept C is there

(also was it at NAIAS?)

 

I didn't spend a whole lot of time at the Lincoln booth - just swung by quickly to see the MKX (which looks much better in person). I didn't see it featured prominently, but they might have had it tucked into a corner somewhere.

[BORG]

maybe off-topic but

I've been meaning to ask if the Lincoln Concept C is there

(also was it at NAIAS?)

 

No, that was 2009. Ford had no concepts on display, which is a first for Ford since the 70's I believe.

[dante hicks]

I understand the Flex is appealing to a much different demo, but I see TONS of them in my suburban wonderland so it's hard to see them as anything other than a mom-mobile (especially when the majority of them are in their basic trim).

 

Anything that seats more than 5 is a mom-mobile.

[mustang_sallad]

I'm thinking that the 12v battery also might be required to "light off" the main battery, particularly at lower ambient temps were LiON output goes between "sucks" to "nonexistant".

 

please see attached photo of li-ion powered snowmobile at a research base at the top of the greenland plateau. Li-ion performs WAY better than lead acid in cold weather.

 

The TC has a DCDC converter which converts high DC voltage to 12V DC on its own (this snowmobile has one of those too), but the battery might be necessary (1) to help buffer out peak loads, and (2) to allow 12V accessories to run for a while without powering up the main battery, more or less like in a regular car.

[Extreme4x4]

Anything that seats more than 5 is a mom-mobile.

 

Wow !!! My '08 F250 CrewCab 4x4 V10 Lariat is a "mom-mobile."

 

Cool.

 

I guess we need to tell all of those contractors about that.

 

Disclaimer: Yes, I have the center seat/console, in the front.

[rmc523]

Anything that seats more than 5 is a mom-mobile.

 

 

Well, I guess I have a "mom-mobile" then - a pretty awesome looking one though:

 

[Swizco]

Well, I guess I have a "mom-mobile" then - a pretty awesome looking one though:

 

 

I don't care what anyone else says. That is a GREAT looking ride!

 

Ecoboost?

[Edstock]

Palm trees . . . no snow (sigh).

[rmc523]

I don't care what anyone else says. That is a GREAT looking ride!

 

Ecoboost?

 

Well thank you - no, no EcoBoost, it's a 2009 (pre-EcoBoost, and Light Ice Blue was dropped for 2010) - it does have CGS exhaust and intake, though:

 

http://www.fordflex.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2070

http://www.fordflex.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2044&sid=03f9a160ec22c5f15c439eb7ba2d6298

 

Palm trees . . . no snow (sigh).

 

Well, this picture was from the summer, but the "palm trees" and "no snow" comments do still apply now....

 

 

 

 

---

 

And shoot, I veered the thread back toward a Flex...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What'd you think of the Karma?

[630land]

Was at show today:

 

Ford display was packed and the Flexes were getting lots of attention. Almost as much as the Mustangs, maybe.

The Fiesta looks great and may get some Focus trade-ins. One was open and the inside is a bit smaller than a Focus, but not a whole lot.

 

Lincoln had no Town Car on the floor, for the first time ever. Guess what? No one cared! The display was crowded and it was alot younger. Also no Grand Marquis, but plenty of Mariners and Milans. Overheard a few saying they like Mariner, no one complaining about no Panthers.

[mettech]

 

 

 

IMHO:

 

The 2011 Edge is going to be a huge winner. The interior dash is excellent.

 

Pictures does not do justice to the 2012 Focus. Sales will be off the charts.

Ford should use models like Chrysler/Fiat does.

 

Buick looks like the best GM division. Regal will be a hit.

 

Cadillac XTS is the best looking concept car at the show.

 

Ford had the best show display. Lots of things to do and see. Ford also gave away a lot of money with gas cards and test drives.

 

I liked Lincoln's "spaceship" display they had for the MKS.

You could walk pass the Mercury display and not know it.

 

My favorite car was the Fisker Karma. Looked like a 4-door '68/70 Vett.

[AGR]

That proposed new Indycar(gray car lower right) is hideous...as an Indycar. It would look cool at Bonneville, though.

[rmc523]

 

 

 

 

Ford should use models like Chrysler/Fiat does.

 

Well, unlike Chrysler, Ford actually has vehicles worth looking at....

[2b2]

...Pictures does not do justice to the 2012 Focus...

OH DEAR!! tho ^ that's impossible for me to imagine considering how much I love it from pix, guess when I see it in person...

 

...I might "embarrass" myself

[630land]

My teen and pre-teen nieces/nephew used to love the 'Bumble bee Camaro' at Auto Shows, until they saw the new Cobra Mustang! Or as 6 y/o nephew called it the 'Mustang Snake'.

[theDuff]

Just got back. All in all, we had a very good time. Our room at the Hyatt was excellant. They upgraded us to a suite for no extra charge which was awesome!

 

One huge complaint about the Ford display though. NO FOCUS HATCH!!! I asked the first guy I saw with a Ford shirt on if it was there or not since I didn't see it next to the sedan. He said they aren't making a Focus hatch, just a Fiesta hatch. The people they hire to represent them at these shows are just idiots. I said to him, no, they had one at Detroit. "Oh, well I haven't seen it." The guy at the 6.7 cutaway was the same way. He was asking me questions about it. C'mon!

 

Is there another show happening at the same time? I wonder where the hatch is? The Focus was the primary reason we went this year and I was really look forward to figuring out which body style I was going to covet for the next year.

 

Wifey loved the new Edge. The interior is light years ahead of what we have now. The front end is pleasing, yet still as frumpy looking as the current model. I definately wouldn't kick it out of the garage! So, next year I might be looking at two new car payments. Yikes!

[theDuff]

Sat in a Fiesta sedan. I was fairly impressed. Kinda dissapointed about the lack of a center arm rest. Oh well. It felt just as large as the current model Focus inside, even the back seat. Everything looked to be of higher quality then the current Focus though: soft touch dash top, switch gear, seats were more comfortable. The sedan isn't nearly as homely as it looks in pictures either, but I do prefer the styling of the hatch (which the doors were locked on ).

[2b2]

...Is there another show happening at the same time? I wonder where the hatch is?...

Yup, Toronto, the Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS)

& considering that Canadians aren't hatch-o-phobic, it could be there

but IDK

Edited February 17, 2010 by 2b2

[aneekr]

Ford had the best show display. Lots of things to do and see. Ford also gave away a lot of money with gas cards and test drives.

Agreed! The $50 Ford offered showgoers just to test drive a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicle is a fantastic offer for something I'd do anyway.

 

Chicago's is easily the best auto show in NA for consumers. Oh, and Connie's Pizza at McCormick Place was YUM.

Edited February 18, 2010 by aneekr

[mettech]

Agreed! The $50 Ford offered showgoers just to test drive a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicle is a fantastic offer for something I'd do anyway.

 

Chicago's is easily the best auto show in NA for consumers. Oh, and Connie's Pizza at McCormick Place was YUM.

 

 

Agree.

 

Been to Detroit and New York auto shows... Chicago's is easy access and a lot more room.

[Sizzler]

My teen and pre-teen nieces/nephew used to love the 'Bumble bee Camaro' at Auto Shows, until they saw the new Cobra Mustang! Or as 6 y/o nephew called it the 'Mustang Snake'.

 

yeah, mustang might appeal to a little kid. But they had it parked right next to the pickup trucks, which is where it belongs. What a giant. And yet, inside, low overhead, tight knee space and a really really STUPID radio control layout. I have yet to understand why they put the tuning dial as far away from the driver as possible. I tune way more than I adjust the volume, and I only turn it on once per trip. At least GM stacks volume and tuner controls one over the other on the driver's side of the radio.

 

I looked at the Mustang, and then trotted the mile over to the Camaro. Camaro had a way longer line waiting to test/sit. Once inside, seat went much farther back on its track than the Mustang's, and head room meant I'd have to use sunglasses or the visors instead of just relying on the low roof line to shade my eyes. What was awesome about the Camaro though is the knee room. I realize that the Mustang is designed for women, who buy most of them, and they might appreciate the Mustang's locked knee cramping, but men might appreciate the room to spread out a bit in the cockpit. Of course, women DO buy most Mustangs, and they voted with their pocketbooks the last time Camaro was up against Mustang, so we'll see. Obviously, they won't care about all of the head room either, or the leg room....did I mention that, of the cars at the show at least, Camaro's interiors were much better? And don't get me started on that "Warrior Princess" Mustang convertible. The decals were soooooo obviously decals, not even trying to appear to have been anything except decals.

 

As for the rest of the show, it seemed that Toyota's space (booked before the recent recalls) was the largest, and right across the aisle from Ford, and populated with a seemingly large group of interested shoppers. Ford and GM (and Suburu) were really the only exhibitors showing "engineering" in the form of engines, engine parts and components, and exploded hybrid drive systems...

 

Jaguar was just boring if you can believe it. Not a single open hood, and just blob after blob of locked cars. Someone should read VW the riot act for their trip hazard of a display (ramp with trip edge across the lane of foot traffic) in front of their "final" 2010 Bug convertible (no, I didn't almost trip, but only because I was warned in advance by the steady line of people stumbling in front of me...).

 

Just seemed like everyone brought their most boring vehicles and left the excitement home. All in all a low-key show.

[Extreme4x4]

Congratulations on being the only human being, on planet earth, who thinks the Camaro has a better interior than the Mustang.

 

Every single review has talked about the LACK of headroom in the Camaro, and how small it is inside.

 

Frankly, if I had the choice between the standard looking head unit in the Mustang, vs the "large shnoz" look of the Camaro, I will take the Mustang every time.

 

We get it............... you don't like the Mustang.

 

BTW, the percentage of female V6 Mustang buyers has historically been about the same as the percentage of female V6 Camaro buyers. However, I guess the fact that some women buy Mustangs, somehow diminishes their phalic extension aspect. Too bad for you. However, the last I checked, my money was the same color as my husbands money.

Edited February 21, 2010 by Extreme4x4

[RichardJensen]

Of course the Camaro's seat went farther back.

 

That's because it's a chopped and channeled SEDAN.

 

Also explains why the thing is a looks like a pig, handles like a pig, and is a pig in the weight department as well.

[rmc523]

I looked at the Mustang, and then trotted the mile over to the Camaro. Camaro had a way longer line waiting to test/sit. Once inside, seat went much farther back on its track than the Mustang's, and head room meant I'd have to use sunglasses or the visors instead of just relying on the low roof line to shade my eyes. What was awesome about the Camaro though is the knee room. I realize that the Mustang is designed for women, who buy most of them, and they might appreciate the Mustang's locked knee cramping, but men might appreciate the room to spread out a bit in the cockpit. Of course, women DO buy most Mustangs, and they voted with their pocketbooks the last time Camaro was up against Mustang, so we'll see. Obviously, they won't care about all of the head room either, or the leg room....did I mention that, of the cars at the show at least, Camaro's interiors were much better? And don't get me started on that "Warrior Princess" Mustang convertible. The decals were soooooo obviously decals, not even trying to appear to have been anything except decals.

 

 

:throwup: I don't see how anyone could like the Camaro's interior, but to each his own...