My (really lazy) "Review" of the L.A Auto Show....

[K-A]

Sorry guys, no pics, but feel free to post any of the plethora of pics coming in from said show by other people. Just wanted to give an opinion of some of the cars I was looking forward to in my current tired state.... Random selections off the top of my head:

-6'er GC: BEAUTIFUL!! Very classic beauty. Much leaner and more classy than in the pictures (which look kind of bloated). WOW. But it seemed my friends didn't think much of it, and it didn't have all that much attention during my moments around it.

-Silver F10 with M-Pack: My first F10 M-Pack up close, and DAMN!! BEAUTIFUL!! I'm in a bit of "buyers remorse" for the moment. Very classy, elegant, and sporty with the kit. The interior is richer than rich, and very serene. This car is designed for my tastes, while the W212 has challenged it (and beat it, hence my falling in love with it). Funnily enough, both of my friends (unsolicited) thought I was crazy, and thought it looked a bit bland and full.... One thought the "pushed in"/flat front grille was so bad, it reminded him of a current gen Dodge Charger (not the first time I've heard that).....

-NEW Gen Dodge Charger: Very cool, still rough around the edges, but a big improvement, and tickles my very prominent Muscle-Car fancy.

-New CLS: Cool, but I was upset that they only had the Matte CLS63 on the rotating platform. It just isn't representing of what the "normal" CLS will look like. I really don't enjoy the ascending character line, but from what I saw, it looks like a winner all in all.

-W212 Blue E63: Beautiful, and very popular amongst the attendees (probably one of the more popular Benzes on their display). All the W212's looked good, and having them so close to the F10, I kept walking back and forth. Seemed out of the 3 of us, I was oddly enough the only one who thought the F10 was of hard competition. One of my friends said: If you want luxury and elegance, the Bimmer is the choice.... If you want something Sporty looking and dynamic, the Benz is the choice".... He then paused, and said: "WOW!! I can't believe I just said that... How the roles have reversed". I'm a car enthusiast first, and a "My Car" enthusiast second, so I'll admit, if someone offered me a 535i with M-Pack as a direct swap for my W212, with the payments/term staying the same, I'd definitely give it a chance in terms of thinking long and hard.

-A7: Looks good, not really a bad angle, as the pics suggest. Not something I'd buy, or lust after, as the shape/character/hatchback isn't my thing, but a nice car. Even the A4's when equipped right were looking nice enough to me.

-New Porsche Cayenne: Underwhelming. A clean design, proportionally right, friendly on the eyes, better than the original, but a bit to "generic", I just don't get much of a specialty character from it, or the design, as I'd expect from Porsche. Interior is very nice, and well done though (LOTS of buttons though). I think they did a good job, as the clientele will love the understatedness, mixed with the Porsche brand and certain design elements. It'll also age well, as it is gimmick and fuss free.

-Rolls Royce Ghost: One of my favorite cars, but I have to admit, lacks a certain "something" in person. Sheetmetal work is a bit un-special, and it lacks a certain presence. All in all, it's a little "meh", for something that costs so much.

-Aston Martin Rapide: Very nice, superb sheetmetal and design work.... Yet something about it doesn't get me thinking "dream car". Still super hot.

-Jaguar XJ: Been there before, and nice, but just not all toooo special up close IMO. The interior is the ONLY one at the show that got us "ooh/ahh"'ing, and had a "wow effect". However, we all agreed that all that bling is a bit gaudy, and the environment might get a bit old and tiresome after a while. This is why the German Teutonic balance is so quintessential for the ultimate Luxury Car living space.

-Side note: F01 and F10 interiors are so similar, it's a laughing matter. Doing this will certainly hurt the F01.

-They Dyno'd a specialty Mustang (I think "Boss") right in front of us.... Very cool, sounded wicked, and put down 444HP to the wheels!

-New Jeep Grand Cherokee: Getting such rave reviews, and seems to be a big favorite in its class. Funny thing is, its formula to such success is being a "Mercedes" through and through.

-New Jetta: Clean, boring, nice, dull. Will age well, and be perfectly anonymous, yet retain its element of "prestige" in its class, due to the badge and German engineering. The interior is TERRIBLY cheap, TERRIBLE. I read about the decontenting, cost cutting, and cheap materials, but DAMN. The plastics in the Jetta were about the worst of any car in the show, incredibly hard, hollow, thing, and chintzy.

-Hyundai Sonata: Not my thing, but damn nice for its class (not saying much, but saying enough for Hyundai). The sheetmetal design work is very Mercedes-esque.... Very sculpted.

-Hyundai Equus: Ugly, but nice interior for its class. Lots of cheap areas where it doesn't stack up to the German attention to detail. Too many areas with chintzy plastics, which you'd never find in even a Benz C-Class. To anyone who doesn't have these detail oriented capabilities, they'll see all the popping smoke, and they'll think of it as a "poor mans Maybach" (as some guy in the back seat said).

-Infinite M: VERY nice interior, I was very impressed. Comfy, well designed, cozy, luxurious. Good showing by them. Exterior isn't my personal thing all so much, but it's nice, and deserves to be rewarded with some attention.

-BMW X3: Not of much interest to me, but I remember some bantering about the interior quality.... I will say, IMO, it felt a bit cheap, but for what it is, and what its price range I'm assuming is, and being a little SUV, maybe it's appropriate.

-Chevrolet Cruz: Great little car for the price, all around. I'd say best in class.

-Land Rover Evoque's: Not my things, and they are clearly directed for Pop Culture youth. They'll be annoying before I know it, and look like gussied up Fords, but they seem to be perhaps the most alluring in class, and will probably have the best interior in class.

Can't think of anything else worth mentioning (plethora of SUV's, Green Cars, Pickups, Econ Cars, etc.), I'll add as I remember, and feel free to add to this long running stream of consciousness....

 

[klier]

Very nice read man, thanks!

As for that 'how the roles are reversed' part for W212 vs F10.... that's not the driving I hope you mean..

 

[K-A]

Very nice read man, thanks!

As for that 'how the roles are reversed' part for W212 vs F10.... that's not the driving I hope you mean..

No prob! I wish I took pics, but I just thought that so many people will take better pics than I would have, there's no need to bother, lol. And you can find these cars all over the Web anyways.

No, definitely not driving (my friend hasn't even driven either), he was just talking about the cars appearances and characters. He just tripped himself out as he made what was a genuine comment to him (after we got out of the second of the two cars), and once it registered, he was like "what the hell, I can't believe how oddly reversed this is".

 

[Zafiro]

W212 is a love or hate thing, it seems.
I have friends who always like MB over BMW. But with the new E-class they have problems with the design. In fact they think F10 looks prettier. Admitting a thing like that isn't easy for them
But yesterday one of them said to me, "the new e-class is getting prettier for everyday". Its like he is forcing himself to like the new E-class

 

[K-A]

W212 is a love or hate thing, it seems.
I have friends who always like MB over BMW. But with the new E-class they have problems with the design. In fact they think F10 looks prettier. Admitting a thing like that isn't easy for them
But yesterday one of them said to me, "the new e-class is getting prettier for everyday". Its like he is forcing himself to like the new E-class

I absolutely hated the W212 when it first came out. Be it for honest reasons, or politics, being that I owned the W211, it'll never be too clear. It indeed is more of a love it/hate it thing. It's much like the E60 before it, it's a more progressive design, has quirks, and will either shock people into loving it initially, or hating it. As it ages, I have a feeling the "shock wearing off" will actually help it, as it did the E60, as people will just acclimate to it, and understand it, and eventually, accept, or love, etc. it.... Or of course, stick to their original assertions and continue to resent it, or not find it for them.

However, I also find a lot of anti-W212'ers really coming around as they see more on the road, as that's really where the car sines (heck, I was one of them, in a major way ).

The F10 is something you know you'll like, or if it "bores" you, it probably will continue to do so. One thing I don't think it'll do, is get anyone kicking and screaming against it. And I don't think it'll convert people from haters to lovers, or vice versa, as often as the W212 will.

As for which ages better to the publics and enthusiasts perception, THIS will be interesting. I will say, that my history, and dramatic changing of opinions of the W212 keeps the car in a very interesting, and constantly intriguing light to me. The F10 is a design I just "got" from the beginning. Like I said, I feel as if BMW designed this car to my tasted, more or less, with the exception of maybe just a couple of areas. I absolutely was captivated by the silver on black M-Pack 550i, I don't care what my friends say.

 

[Zafiro]

My friends never like E60 but finally they are on my side and it feels good ..........

Swedish premiere of X3 today. I was out partying yesterday so taking my car to visit the dealer isnt a good thing. Does X3 looks good in your eyes?

 

[K-A]

Yeah, it looked good. I'm not a big mini-SUV fan, so I'm kind of the last person to really give a good .02 here. But it looked proper, not awkward, not too small, etc. I actually didn't know if it was the current one, or the new one, but I figured it out quick enough. The interior was definitely less than what's featured in the Bimmer Sedans, but I'm sure it's fine for its segment perhaps.

It's nicer than the GLK IMO, and looks less of a "Cute Mini SUV" than it, which is a look that I can't stand.

 

[LaArtist]

Yep i have friends who hated the W212 aswell..
But lately they have said..damn that car is nice.. looks like its cut from a solid block of metal..



Maybe it needs some time to grow on people..

 

[K-A]

True. I've had my car in the company of many premium cars, and to be honest, I don't think any look more fresh, or more hot. It really has a "diamond in the rough" look on the road, as it just out-dynamics about anything. It's a familiar, but progressive design.... I dub it: "FutureRetro", as it has elements of both. It could be a funky mix to some, and a grower to others, and a love-at-first-sight to some, of course. Obviously I've received many compliments, but my favorite was my friend pulling up in his Aston Martin V8 Vantage when he saw me randomly going to my car, and honking up a storm.... Then later repeatedly telling how "beautiful" of a car mine is.

I think a lot of enthusiasts get vocal toward these kinds of controversial approaches, but the masses seem to silently approve in.... Well, mass. According to me and any Forums I went on (aside from the obvious), the E60 was a massive failure.... Yet you go on the road, and the thing is popular as hell, and getting tons more attention than the (IMO much nicer) W211. The W212 is hugely popular in the consumer and "regular folk" market obviously, and they just don't care to make enough noise about it.

Anyway, it's a great look, and has the most confident and "carved from iron" look that I've seen yet, i.e: Bonafide Mercedes. And like I said, it was challenging to me too. While the F10 picked up where the W211 left off.... Something designed for my comfort zone. I feel like I understand the F10's design from the get-go (for the most part), and the W212 had to battle my comfortable tastes, and break them down.