2014 L.A. Auto Show . . .

[LongRanger]

. . . you missed this...it was blue at the show but I think this is pretty nice...not only nice, I would say elegant! . . .

Hey, Lars . . .

No doubt --- Porsches are gorgeous to look at

And no one complains about these cars being slow, poorly built, or even hard to live with


But the same is true of a LOTTA cars . . .


. . . which is what's so disappointing, for me


What makes a 991 different? . . . and --- more especially . . . worth the BATH the New Owners will take putting their names on the titles to these?

Is this something that you'd be willing lose $2k - $3k /month on? . . . on top of any payments, insurance, maintenance, etc?


Not me

[LongRanger]

Lincoln

Not really a brand I track, but --- this one doesn't even look 'Murican, any more, either. I thought it was Korean

REALLY big sunroof there --- like . . . big enough for a Pope to poke through. I mean --- it's the whole flippin' roof! Plus? ---- REALLY tinted windows, too. Looks like whatever money they spent on that 'roof . . . they took outta the trunk lid budget. My sock drawers are bigger

I'd always worry that any 'roof that big/elaborate would fail at some point --- like . . . after the warranty expired. As for the tinted windows, well . . . I'd prolly just roll 'em down

Wish it had 'windwings'

[LongRanger]

More Lincoln . . .

Hmm. Latte metallic, maybe? Not that bad-looking . . . for a bus. And why do Automakers keep teasing with those handle-less doors? Jeez, I mean . . . they've been making keyless opening trunklids for forever --- I don't even know where they hide the 'manual' releases anymore, so . . . I have to use the button! I mean --- I'm ready, already?

'Nother monster sunroof, too, looks like

Not much crowd-action, going on. Prolly draw a bigger crowd if they stuck it over in the Porsche Room . . .

. . . or hired a coupla Pirelli girls

[LongRanger]

Ford Mustang Shelby GT-350

I'm sure they'll sell every one that they can make. Prolly goes like stink, too. But it sure would be nice to see something that doesn't take its design cues from a re-bodied Falcon they built 50 years ago. Or maybe something that weighs less than 2 tons with a driver + a tank o' gas. Criminy-Christmas. I know these cars are cheaper than anything even-remotely comparable, offered by anyone else --- but . . .

. . . why does this car have to be so stupid?

Big motors, big tires, big exhaust --- huge horsepower . . . and so what? 50k miles from now --- when all the plastics 've started unraveling, and the suspension's clapped-out . . . this'll be just another tire-roasting, gas-swilling excuse for some high school drop-out to deliver pizza. Is there anything here to fall in love with? Or is this just another noisy toy to use/abuse --- until the Next One comes along . . . and then this gets thrown --- sorry . . . re-sold

I can see/hear a fresh batch o' donuts getting laid down already

[LongRanger]

More GT350 . . .

Another thread . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...50-Rides-Again


The Really Ironic Thing is . . .

. . . the only people who can afford something like this . . .



. . . are prolly old enough to know better

[LongRanger]

'65 Shelby GT350

When it came time for me to buy my First Collector-type car . . . this was Plan A

Actually, it was a '66. '65s were already un-findable/-affordable --- back when I was looking . . . circa 1980

Not exactly a Thing of Beauty, but these 're Runners. ~2800 lbs + ~300 hp = small/potent/fun. Interesting piece to drive. Low-back buckets have almost no support, thin steering wheel has all kindsa slack, with no power steering. Think truck. Shifter wasn't memorable, just the brakes. Semi-metallic pads --- drums in back . . . that just plain don't work when cold. Engine sound/response defines the term 'bark.' Whole car shook, even at idle. And, like the brakes, throttle takes a ridiculous amount of pressure to even move --- which is a very good thing because the car moves off quickly . . . super torquey/punchy motor --- especially for 'small' block. (The one I drove had quad Webers) Noise was kinda overwhelming. I mean, I could feel the exhaust pulses passing underneath me. Two-fisted driving, definitely

I love hearing people whine about no IRS in this car. Thing is so stiff, I can't imagine what the benefits would be. Shelby himself built/drove/tested an IRS set-up, Back Then . . . and said it wasn't worth it. Detroit Locker rear-end that's there is out of a Galaxie, as I recall

Loud/awful/wonderful

[LongRanger]

More Shelby GT350 . . .


What would a flat-plane cranked V8 do . . .


. . . in a 2800 lb car?


Put it Another Way

How much horsepower does a thousand pounds cost?

[LongRanger]

And just where did they put that thousand lbs, anyway? . . .

[LongRanger]

Kia GT4 Stinger . . .

Lotta names to stick on notta lotta car. This is a 'show car' so --- I'm not getting any hopes up . . . but w/ 300 hp inside this Little Buggy . . . betcha it flies

Not much to critique here, style-wise. I do kinda like the 'see-through' A-pillar. The Rest = . . . . yaaaaaawn!

[LongRanger]

More Stinger . . .

When I first saw this? --- thought it was a Volvo. Slick-enough, I suppose . . . but could do without the little fillip over the front wheels. Smooth is as smooth does, I always say. And I'm gettin' kinda sick o' LED headlights, too. Sure-sure --- nice-'n-bright + all that . . . 'till you have to replace one = $$$. And these look like they'll last about two seconds in any Target parking lot --- given the likely demographic of any prospective purchassor

Pretty little car, some nifty details


Then again, any pizza delivery guy 'll make a whole-lot-less noise w/ this, too, so . . .