Belated New York Auto Show Wrap-up

Better late than never.  Here is my recap of the New York Auto Show. Why is this review so late? Because nothing newsworthy took place this year in New York!

The event coincided with the 50th birthday of the Mustang (which I already covered) but the debut of the 50th anniversary edition of the new Mustang was somewhat underwhelming. The limited edition Mustang will be available in two colors, white or blue, and has chrome accents, louvered-style rear side glass, and other retro-themed touches......not exactly earth shattering.

Chevrolet debuted the convertible version of the new Corvette Z06. Very nice....but nothing we couldn't have created in Photoshop with a high degree of accuracy. This also held true for the debut of the drop top variant of the BMW M4.

Chrysler showed of a slightly evolved Challenger and a redesigned Charger.  While the notion of a re-skinned Charger seemed exciting when you realized that aesthetically its just a really big Dart the buzz quickly faded. The Charger's new look instantly triggered a hot debate pertaining to the product's direction.

For something that was exciting to see. Alfa Romeo showed off the beatuful 4C as the brand's reintroduction to America. However, the return of Alfa to the US is becoming an exercise in 'I'll believe it when I see it.'  Alfa failed to do it last year (as originally planned/announced)  and the 4C returns in the midst of rumors of Alfa reneging on its Mazda Miata partnership, announcing an all rear-drive strategy, and struggling sales in Europe.

Don't get me wrong, the autoshow did feature debuts that were significant to the industry.  Such as new versions of the Camry, Outback, Sonata and Murano.....but who cares.

As a side note, the Beijing Auto Show took place at the same time as the New York event.  The Beijing show seemed to feature the awesomeness (and weirdness) the New York show was missing. For instance, Audi showed off a neat TT Off-Road Concept and BMW wowed with their BMW Vision Future Luxury concept.

While VW showed off the production version of the MK7 Golf R in New York they premiered the Golf R 400 Concept at the Beijing show, and here’s why it’s awesome: Powered by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged EA888 engine tweaked to produce 395 horsepower, it can reach 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph. Here’s why it’s double awesome: It’s going to be built!

Happy Earth Day!

How does Ford mark Earth Day.....by announcing that the 2015 Mustang will be a hybrid.  It will burn gas and rubber!  

Ford has announced that the 2015 Mustang GT will feature a standard electronic line-lock feature!  I love how the announcement and video released explain the practical aspect of line-lock for all the drag racers out there who need to heat up their tires for maximum traction at the drag strip.  Just like your buddy who swears he subscribes to Playboy for the articles......there is obviously an ulterior motive behind Ford's new feature.

Ford identified a marketing gimmick which will provide tons of press coverage and is inexpensive to package. Its not aimed at the science of drag racing, it aimed at the inner hoonigan in all of us. I guarantee you'll see more 2015 Mustangs doing brake-stands at your local cruise night than at the drag strip. I'm not even considering how many "Mustang line lock' videos that are going to flood YouTube! So what do I think about Ford's shady marketing move.....well done Ford!

Mustang Turns 50!

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Mustang debut at the 1964 World's Fair in New York!  Ford is doing its best to mark the occasion and is taking advantage of the fact that it coincides with the  New York Auto Show.....meaning the automotive media is already focused on New York.

Mustang display at the 1964 World's Fair

Ford has also placed a 2015 Mustang convertible on the observation deck of the Empire State Building to recreate one of many publicity stunts carried out half a century ago.

According to a statement released by Ford, the only way to get a car to the deck is to use the elevator of the 80-plus-year-old building. “No portable crane can reach the 86th floor observatory, and the spire towering above the relatively narrow deck makes helicopter delivery impossible," the statement says.

Since the building's elevator can't fit an entire Mustang, the car had to be cut into six elevator-friendly pieces. A team of workers then rebuilt the car on the building's observation deck; though, as the video below shows, the team did at least one practice run beforehand.

What is amazing is the amount of promotion Ford did back in 1964 to ensure the Mustang was a success (maybe the Edsel debacle was still fresh in everyone's mind).  I recently spoke to a friend who remembers when Ford loaned him a new Mustang for him to review and write about. He didn't work for Motor Trend or any other major trade magazine......he was a writer for his college paper. 

GM has even chimed in with a very fun press release:

So happy birthday Mustang.  We've had a few close calls (Ford Probe) but are happy you are here and looking forward to what the future holds.

How it all began:

Caffeine and Carburetors

Yesterday was the first Caffeine & Carburetors event of 2014.   Caffeine & Carburetors is a gathering of automotive enthusiasts that meets in New Canaan, Connecticut about six times a year.  The home base for the event is  Zumbach’s Gourmet Coffee. Doug Zumbach began hosting these gatherings in 1995. These Sundays start around 8 am to gather and enjoy a cup of coffee followed by a leisurely drive through the countryside.

This event is definitely gaining popularity. Between the buzz leading up to the event and being blessed with a sunny, crisp Spring day after a long cold winter over 700 cars turned out for a great automotive exhibition.  The town of New Canaan also did a great job to embrace and support the event.

So what makes Caffeine & Carburetors so special (compared to other shows and cruise nights)?  First of all the focus is enjoying the cars (i.e. driving). There are no sponsorships or awards. Furthermore, while C&C does have an an emphasis on foreign sports cars, everything in the automotive world is represented.   So you will come across everything from a Model A or 1920's Rolls Royce to the latest Ferrari or Lamborghini.

The remaining events for 2014 are scheduled for :

• May 4
• June 15
• September 7
• October 5
• November 2

Here are just a few photos I took from the event:

Dyson Porsche IMSA 962 (The first customer Porsche 962, chassis number 962-101)