Winners & Losers at the L.A. Auto Show: Production Cars
There were some wild concept cars here at the L.A. Auto Show, but it’s the production cars that have the most impact on everyday car buyers. The models we saw are on sale now or will be next year, and some of them are extremely important to their makers’ bottom line. Mike Hanley and David Thomas took some time to dissect the winners and losers — plus a few cars they couldn’t agree on — in this photo blog.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster
DT - Winner: Pure sensuality in this British roadster. Though it’s more exotic than the Audi R8, I still prefer the German car. I wouldn’t turn down a ride in this, though; it turns heads standing still.
MH - Winner: You really have to see this car in person to appreciate its perfect proportions and sleek profile, so if you live near L.A., stop on by the convention center; I give it the nod for best in show.
Saturn Vue
DT - Winner: Definitely the big winner of the production cars. Compact SUVs are a hot segment, and this is the best of the new wave of GM products I’ve seen. The interior actually holds up to glowing press shots.
MH - Winner: With an attractive exterior, premium interior and wide range of powertrains (including a hybrid system), the 2008 Vue is well-positioned to challenge segment leaders like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.
Nissan Altima Coupe
DT - Winner: This one was a surprise and is a looker. Without driving the thing, it already looks head and shoulders above the Toyota Camry Solara and the Honda Accord and Pontiac G6 coupes.
MH - Winner: Nissan definitely did a good job differentiating this model from the sedan, and the interior looks pretty nice, too. This is the car for those who love the lines of the Infiniti G35 coupe but can’t stomach its $30,000-plus price tag.
Chrysler Sebring Convertible
DT - Loser: Even though the Sebring looks good as a convertible, the overall design still leaves me somewhat perplexed. When I see a Sebring sedan on the road it looks either just fine or horrendously ugly, depending on the exterior color.
MH - Winner: Most of the time you don’t have to think about what kind of top you want when you buy a convertible, but this one offers three different power roofs: vinyl, cloth or a retractable hardtop. It also has a usable backseat.
Land Rover LR2
DT - Winner: The interior is as plush as any in the Land Rover lineup, and the price is right. If the rear seats were easier to fold — and the cargo floor not so high — I’d consider buying this one myself to replace my aging SUV.
MH - Loser: There’s just a bit too much Ford Escape in the exterior shape for me, especially when you consider its near-$35,000 list price.
Audi TT Roadster
DT - Winner: How Audi created a masculine “chick car” I will never know. Guys won’t have to worry about their perceived manliness in this one.
MH - Winner: I like the edginess of the new TT, and it looks sharp with the top up. The piano-black insert in the large front grille is a nice touch.
Audi R8
DT - Winner: Of all the cars I saw, this is the one I want to take home. Of course, it’s not hard to love a $100,000-plus sports car, but this is one of the most stylish, yet still understated, exotics I’ve ever seen.
MH - Winner: The R8 reminds me of a pumped-up, “Monster Garage”-modified TT, but it brings Audi into the exotic sports car segment and is a halo car most automakers would love to have in their showrooms.
Buick Enclave
DT - Winner: It’s just like we thought it would be, and that’s a good thing. I’m still going to wait on a price tag and a drive before making a final judgment, but from the show floor I think it’s one of the most attractive large vehicles in a long time.
MH - Winner: Buick’s official spokesman is Tiger Woods, but until now the brand hasn’t had a model I could really see the golf superstar driving on a daily basis. That changes with the introduction of this distinctive crossover SUV.
Volvo C30
DT - Loser: It looks great, but the rear hatch reveals a tiny cargo compartment that is not at all practical. The VW GTI stows like a station wagon in comparison.
MH - Winner: The C30’s rear glass hatch is definitely unique, and its small size should be a boon for urban commuting. What it loses in utility to boxier hatchbacks it makes up for with its streamlined shape.
Nissan Sentra SE-R
DT - Loser: It sounds like it can perform, but it looks like a boring economy car — even with those 17-inch wheels and SE-R badges.
MH - Loser: Dave summed it up; the Sentra’s snub-nose styling lacks any sense of sportiness.
Ford Escape, Escape Hybrid
DT - Loser: Ford made the Escape better, but I don’t think it does enough to distinguish itself in the crowded field of small SUVs out there. The new Saturn Vue made the Escape look outdated after one day of public existence.
MH - Loser: The Escape’s rugged front end should give it some road presence like the Dodge Nitro, but that’s not enough when so much is still like the prior model.
Kia Rondo
DT - Loser: I just don’t understand the point of this car. There’s no way anyone of adult age could fit in the third row, yet that optional third row seems like the big selling point. I also don’t think it will be that appealing to the young 20-somethings it’s supposedly made for.
MH - Winner: I like the tall wagon looks of the Rondo, and its interior quality seemed decent on an initial inspection. The optional third-row seat is indeed small, but it’s no worse than the ones other automakers cram into compact SUVs
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The Vue is no doubt good-looking. However, without seeing it in person, I wonder if it's not another GM case of badge engineering. Is it really different from the Suzuki XL-7, the Chevy Equinox, and/or Pontiac Torrent?
I hope that they are distinctively different and it's not another case of Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Oldsmobile Bravada, Buick Ranier, GMC Envoy, Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7 - basically all the same vehicles.
"Most of the time you don’t have to think about what kind of top you want when you buy a convertible, but this one offers three different power roofs: vinyl, cloth or a retractable hardtop. It also has a usable backseat."
Its a winner because it offers different roof options? Usable backseat? Hardly novel.
A convertible needs styling. This one looks like the unattractive sedan with its roof chopped off. Thirfty Miami Airport will be very interested......
"There’s just a bit too much Ford Escape in the exterior shape for me, especially when you consider its near-$35,000 list price."
I can't see any Ford Escape except for the fact that both are boxy small SUVs. I see much more LR3 and premium SUV. What proportion of consumers will relate this to Ford and especially the Escape? very, very few. There not even on the same platform...
Otherwise great post guys.
"Is it really different from the Suzuki XL-7, the Chevy Equinox, and/or Pontiac Torrent?"
For starters its a completely different platform based off the Chevrolet Captiva and Opel Antara in Europe......styling is also completely different.
WHERE ARE THE COMPREHENSIVE GALLERIES?
NO INTERIOR SHOTS?
Tor,
Thanks for the info on the Vue. I'm pleased to read that it's a totally different vehicle. GM has always done an excellent job of creating different vehicles with Saturn. I thought that GM may have been digressing when they built the Auro on the same platform as the G6.
Johon,
Click on the vehicle names to see more photos.
JOHON,
You can also go to the main Cars.com page for full reports and more live photos
http://www.cars.com/go/features/autoshows/coverageIndexI.jsp?autoshow=Los+Angeles&autoshowyear=2007
At first look I thought the LR2 was the new Ford Escape. No doubt LR dealers will have a hard time moving them at a mid 30k price, however if they brought it down to the very low 30's with rebates (which I expect they will do) I think they could compete.
"For starters its a completely different platform based off the Chevrolet Captiva and Opel Antara in Europe......styling is also completely different."
Again, it's based on the GM Daewoo engineered Chevrolet S3X and Korean-market Daewoo Winstorm. If you go to the link below, you'll notice that it's based on the Theta platform, just like the Equinox, current Vue, and XL-7..
http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/paris_2004/0411_sx3/
http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Chevrolet_news.html?id=3990&highlightws=GM%20Daewoo
It doesn't make it a bad vehicle, and I'm in no way bashing GM for taking advantage of its global design and engineering capability. I'm just saying, let's not pretend it's something it's not.
The Ford Escape is yet another mistake from Ford. Why did they bother - it is a boring box.
"Again, it's based on the GM Daewoo engineered Chevrolet S3X and Korean-market Daewoo Winstorm"
I know, but Opel is also carrying a version of this. Its the first Daewoo product Opel carries. And this gives the 'European' made more credence - although it is a Daewoo. For example, Opel would never put out a Opel Aveo.
Tor--
The Sebring convertible looks better than the sedan in person, and it's a winner in my book for doing something innovative in the convertible segment: offering a choice of tops at various prices to fit a buyer's budget and needs.
HELLO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH IS THIS HOT NICE CAR ITS SILVER NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE I LOVE THAT CAR IT IS AWESOME HOW MUCH IS IT PLEASE PUT PRICE UP