Suzuki P.X. concept
Los Angeles aficionados of the automobile poured into the L.A. Auto Show on January 6-15 to view the latest car and truck offerings from automakers and customizers. The new vehicles got top billing and the lion's share of the exhibit halls at the Staples Center, while customizers and vendors pitched their wares to eager crowds in the bazaar-like atmosphere of Kentia Hall downstairs from the main halls.
The Los Angeles show lacks the off-Broadway majesty of the Detroit Auto Show (officially known as the North American International Auto Show). The automakers' booths dominate the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit like a wing of B-52s in a municipal airport hangar. Their exhibits in downtown Los Angeles, however, sprawled inside the Los Angeles Convention Center like the low-lying suburban L.A. skyline.
The L.A. show is certainly popular. It attracted over one million onlookers this year, which is a typical attendance. Numbers like that don't surprise. Around 10 million denizens live in an area of approximately 4,000 square miles in Los Angeles County. And let's not forget the OC, which borders L.A. County to the southeast, where 3 million people live. Then there are San Bernardino County, Ventura County...all brimming with people who harbor a legendary love for the automobile (and the cozy hatred that comes with familiarity). That and the geographically dispersed nature of the population and relatively high wealth have created a fertile field in which America's car culture has flourished.
And, boy, does it flourish...like a weed. Millions of automobiles jam onto 21,000 miles of roads in Los Angeles County. The upside is that all these cars need to be replaced. We often overheard people make remarks about the vehicles on display at the show in ways that betrayed their desire to buy, or at least dream of buying, whatever it is that the car manufac-turers had to offer.
So, what did they have to offer? Fifty manufacturers displayed 1,000 vehicles. Of the 35 vehicles that debuted, 30 were exclusive to the L.A. show. (Check below for a list of the debuts.) As for concepts, there was one that really resonated with the crowd. That was the Chevrolet Camaro. We are a truck and SUV magazine, however, so we won't say much more about it except that it looks suh-weeet. Among the concepts introduced for the first time in North America, and that are more relevant to us, were the Suzuki P.X. (a minivan that looks so intriguing and out there that it might just make the minivan cool again), Hyundai NEOS 3 luxury crossover, Saab 9-5 Aero BioPower crossover (it burns E85 ethanol-gasoline fuel in a modified 260hp and 258 lb-ft 2.3L turbocharged engine that gains 20 and 25 percent more horsepower and torque, respectively, than the gas-only engine), and Toyota F3R (a minivan that's also an extension of the home entertainment environment). Not new but still refreshing were the Ford Fairlane people-mover (almost a minivan and not quite an SUV), Jeep Gladiator pickup (retro-ishly appealing), Jeep Hurricane (out of this world off-roader), and Chevrolet Cheyenne (sleek and chopped).
Vehicle debuts included the Audi Q7 crossover; the Chevrolet Tahoe (new platform, high hopes) and its cousin the GMC Yukon XL; the Chevrolet Suburban (latest version of Chevy's flagship SUV); the Chrysler Aspen (the first SUV from that brand), which was unveiled at Detroit and L.A.; and the supercharged Saleen S331 Sport Truck variation of the Ford F-150 pickup (it packs a 450hp engine, racing suspension, and aggressive aerodynamics).