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I spent most of the last few days resizing and uploading 260 photos, so I'm later than I said I'd be, but at least it's up before the end of the week. Not all of the photos are great, but I always feel rushed at this show. Okay, that and I'm not the best photographer. I promise to get more practice before next year.
Quick thoughts: The NYIAS still gets very little respect. It's at the end of the season, arriving in spring just before the actual release of these cars, so there's little new or major reveals. On top of that, despite being one of the wealthiest areas in the world, it's one of the least showy in terms of automobile ownership. This makes it painfully unsurprising to find out that Ferrari no longer has a booth, and the only 2 models (both 430's) were by 3rd parties. In fact, all exotics were in the main lobby, where you don't have to pay to wander around. I suppose that's nice for the public, but it seems to counteract to the need to raise revenue.
This lack of respect bleeds into the actual exhibits, where certain cars that are advertised either show for only one day, or don't show up at all. Case in point: BMW's X6M and X5M. The X6M was there in blazing red; the X5M was completely absent, despite the website stating it would be on hand. Instead, we get the X6 Hybrid, something no one mentioned anywhere beforehand. Not bad, but not what I was expecting.
I also noticed a major trend between brands and even nations. It concerns visibility and build quality. The stereotype of poor interiors in the US still holds true, which I guess means it's not a stereotype. Compared to similar models (or even lesser models) from Europe and Japan, the American auto industry still has a long way to go. I'll go into more details later, but while everything is better across the board, it still feels like Fisher-Price compared to your average Volskwagen or Acura, neither of which are really premium brands (certainly not by price).
Visibility was astoundingly different between the continents. The Germans seem to understand there is a need to see while still retaining a strong frame, the Japanese (and Koreans) are a bit behind, but you could easily be mistaken for thinking the Americans are going to rely on radar to prevent accidents. "Maginot Line pillbox" immediately came to mind when sitting in the Camaro. Horrific. I'm not that tall, in fact, I'm below-average height; but jacking up the seat pressed my head to the roof and I still didn't feel comfortable in the Camaro. The rest of the US cars fared no better, either due to the raised window line (in a bizzare impression of 'sportiness') or massive A- and C-pillars (the pursuit of safety by adding mass).
So on with the show. The cars are in alphabetical order, rather than how I shot them. I set a course for myself using the floorplans, zig-zagging my way through the place to minimize the impact on my poor feet. I don't comment on every car, but I sure didn't have trouble adding my opinion....
Quick thoughts: The NYIAS still gets very little respect. It's at the end of the season, arriving in spring just before the actual release of these cars, so there's little new or major reveals. On top of that, despite being one of the wealthiest areas in the world, it's one of the least showy in terms of automobile ownership. This makes it painfully unsurprising to find out that Ferrari no longer has a booth, and the only 2 models (both 430's) were by 3rd parties. In fact, all exotics were in the main lobby, where you don't have to pay to wander around. I suppose that's nice for the public, but it seems to counteract to the need to raise revenue.
This lack of respect bleeds into the actual exhibits, where certain cars that are advertised either show for only one day, or don't show up at all. Case in point: BMW's X6M and X5M. The X6M was there in blazing red; the X5M was completely absent, despite the website stating it would be on hand. Instead, we get the X6 Hybrid, something no one mentioned anywhere beforehand. Not bad, but not what I was expecting.
I also noticed a major trend between brands and even nations. It concerns visibility and build quality. The stereotype of poor interiors in the US still holds true, which I guess means it's not a stereotype. Compared to similar models (or even lesser models) from Europe and Japan, the American auto industry still has a long way to go. I'll go into more details later, but while everything is better across the board, it still feels like Fisher-Price compared to your average Volskwagen or Acura, neither of which are really premium brands (certainly not by price).
Visibility was astoundingly different between the continents. The Germans seem to understand there is a need to see while still retaining a strong frame, the Japanese (and Koreans) are a bit behind, but you could easily be mistaken for thinking the Americans are going to rely on radar to prevent accidents. "Maginot Line pillbox" immediately came to mind when sitting in the Camaro. Horrific. I'm not that tall, in fact, I'm below-average height; but jacking up the seat pressed my head to the roof and I still didn't feel comfortable in the Camaro. The rest of the US cars fared no better, either due to the raised window line (in a bizzare impression of 'sportiness') or massive A- and C-pillars (the pursuit of safety by adding mass).
So on with the show. The cars are in alphabetical order, rather than how I shot them. I set a course for myself using the floorplans, zig-zagging my way through the place to minimize the impact on my poor feet. I don't comment on every car, but I sure didn't have trouble adding my opinion....
Most original and most striking designs in the entire building.
