2008 L.A. Auto Show – Wrap-up

Los Angeles, California – The mood at this year's L.A. Show is as sombre as the brownish smog covering the L.A. basin this week.

Between every presentation, the quiet conversation among the media and industry types isn’t the usual  banter of “What’s the coolest car?” or “Can you believe they’ll ever actually make that thing?”

Nope.

Minds are all on The Three Amigos in Washington, D.C. this week, and the repercussions if one of the Detroit Three go down.

11:20 a.m. – Honda -  As a way to show that its FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle isn’t a one-trick pony, the Japanese automaker showed the FC Sport three-seat sports car.

The fuel stacks that where mounted amidships in the Clarity have been pushed to the rear. And regardless of its quasi-Lamborghini Gallardo looks, trust me, this is a pure concept, and not the next NSX super car that’s due for Detroit in January.

11:50 a.m. - Ford – Like Nissan, Ford is offering both mean and green here in L.A.

In response to upstart American muscle cars from Dodge (Challenger) and The General (next spring’s Camaro), Ford has refreshed its five-year-old Mustang.

The highlights include a new, more luxurious interior that removes it from the Toys R Us bin, and larger wheels, retuned suspension and increased horsepower that Ford says was “developed from engineering experience on the race track and from special editions including the Mustang Bullitt.”

More important to Ford’s bottom-line is the new Fusion family sedan. Also updated inside and out for 2010, it gets a gas-electric hybrid option for the first time. And Ford expects its green Fusion Hybrid to get better fuel economy than the Toyota Camry Hybrid’s 5.7L/100 km. No really.

1: 55 p.m. Hyundai – The Korean automaker brought to L.A. its HED-5 i-Mode six-passenger crossover concept it first showed in Geneva last spring.

But this time, under its hood is the world debut of a new turbocharged gasoline 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine with direct injection that Hyundai promises 15-20 per cent fuel economy increase compared with a standard 2.0L four-banger. Dubbed Theta Turbo GDI, expect the new engine in a Hyundai is some kind by 2010. And apparently, a production version of the crossover has been “green lighted.”

We had expected to see a Sonata Hybrid concept here on the west coast. But instead Hyundai just showed a mockup of its drivetrain, called Hybrid Blue Drive. It combines a 30 kW / 151 lb-ft motor/generator into a six-speed automatic transmission (kind of like the GM/BMW/Daimler two-mode system) and is expected in the next gen Sonata in 2010.

Er, that’s it for the important stuff. Sure. There were a trio of new convertibles from Infiniti, Bentley and Lamborghini. But more importantly, I’m off to drive the new electric Mini…

2008 L.A. Auto Show – Mid-morning update

Los Angeles, California – After watching the Detroit Three CEOs pitch the U.S. Congress for financial aid live on CNN from my hotel room, I headed over to the L.A. Convention Center (right beside the NHL’s Kings’ home, the Staples Center) for the start of a day’s worth of dog and pony shows:

9:40 am - Nissan – Although both cars have been splashed all over the Web, Nissan kicked off the show by debuting its ying and yang 370 Zed sports car and boxy subcompact Cube.

While some midlife styling refreshes look like forced compromises, in the metal, the new Zed looks great. Its shortened wheelbase and flared fenders adds some emotion to the last model’s mechanical heftiness.

You already know how I feel about the last Japanese-market Cube. This latest generation is the first to be sold in Canada, starting next year.

I really liked the last model's pure geometric forms. Not sure of the current on is as successful, especially the heavy handed Cyborg-like front end.

Can you see yourself making a Cube your nest set of family wheels?

10:10 am – BMW – Gas-only? Gasoline-electric? Diesel? Electric? Seemingly, the only propulsion type BMW didn’t show here was nuclear.

The North American debuts of the 7 Series hybrid, 335d turbo diesel and world debut of the all-electric Mini E showed the German automaker's drivetrain depth in the automaker's largest market in the world.

10:45 - Volkswagen - After pushing its roadster concept to January’s Detroit show (think poor-man’s Porsche Boxster), Vee-Dub-Ya’s biggest news was the introduction of a clean diesel in its mid-size Touareg SUV. 

This 3.0-litre, 222 hp engine will also go on sale early next year in the Audi Q7.