Some things never change. I always enjoy my annual trip to the Portland International Auto Show to see the latest vehicles up close and personal. Car shows are great because you can look at, touch, and sit in almost every make and model available without fighting off the salespeople you find on a dealer’s lot.
But as I walked around the show this year, I was painfully aware times are changing. The car is dying, folks. People just don’t buy them like they used to. They are becoming more of a niche vehicle rather than the dominating force of the transportation business. Cars (coupes/sedans) will be with us for years to come and may even return to the top of the heap someday, but as of now, they are getting their butts kicked by crossovers.
Let’s start out with this new Buick Lacrosse Avenir. It had a very nice interior, and should be a bargain for buyers looking for entry level luxury.
This seems to be what buyers are looking for these days, crossovers. The Chevrolet display, like almost everyone else’s, was heavy on the trucks and utility vehicles This is the full size Traverse.
This is the slightly smaller Equinox.
The Cruze Sedan with the RS option is a sharp looking car.
I love this photo of a dad letting his son sit in a new Corvette. It sums up why car shows are such fun, but this picture causes me ask so many questions. Will he buy the ‘Vette and have years of motoring adventures with his son and his new convertible? Will he eventually give the slightly worn out or non running car to the son? And will that son lovingly restore the Corvette to the condition we see here, and give it back to his dad on his 80th birthday? Or will dad buy a silver CRV or RAV 4 like everybody else, and the son will only vaguely remember that car when he is in his 40s.
Like it or not, this seems to be the vehicle most regular Americans aspire to own these days. I guess it makes sense. It’s the full size American station wagon on steroids, with a big engine, tons of room and power, and a bit excessive overall. Bigger still has to be better, so this must be a good one.
Kia showed off their new Stinger. This rear wheel drive sports sedan looks like it might be a hit. It’s getting great reviews and is priced less than its competitors.
Nissan still draws enthusiastic crowds to see the newest GTR even though it’s getting pretty long in the tooth.
The Portland show used to get some of the cool concept cars from the Detroit show that is usually held a few weeks earlier. This year Nissan showed us a Rogue with a fancy vinyl wrap and some goofy plastic doodads attached to its body. This makes me sad.
The Jeep display had their new Wrangler,of course. It looks the same to me, but Jeep fans these seem to be quite happy with the all new model.
The Jeep Cherokee is one of those polarizing vehicles that you either love or hate. I like them, and this one looked pretty good in bright blue with matte black accents.
This Chrysler 300 isn’t dramatically different than the one I shot at the same show in 2003. It is however a rare, affordable rear wheel drive sedan with an available V8. I have a feeling the days are numbered for cars like this.
I’ve never owned one, and I know I’m in the minority, but I’m really not a fan of the typical domestic V8. But I definitely understand that the engine is as American as apple pie, and that’s why it bothers me to see it disappear. The future is going to be powered by electric or gas/electric hybrids and while I’m sure at least some of those those cars will still be lots of fun, people are going to miss seeing one of these under the hood.
Working our way into the future is this Mini Countryman plug in hybrid. It’s sporty and efficient, going from 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds while still getting an EPA estimated 65 MPG.
This is a new Bullitt Mustang. You should buy one today and immediately park it in your garage. Try to drive it less than a hundred miles a year so you can sell it at a Barrett- Jackson auction in 2048. They make a whole bunch of other versions of the Mustang, if you actually like to drive just for fun.
A visit to the Honda display featured this nifty little Fit.
This is the 306 HP Honda Civic Type R. I once owned a 1981 Honda Civic that made considerably less power than that. It was also cheap enough that a guy who worked in a photo lab could afford a two-year old version of the car. My goodness, it’s amazing how times have changed.
Acura had one of their new NSXs there. I hear they don’t sell very well, but the Portland crowd seemed to like the car.
Maserati is trying to become a more mainstream manufacturer and I was surprised to see them move downstairs away from the luxury and European cars on the second floor where they usually have their display. This is the 2018 Gran Turismo. It has a naturally aspirated 454 HP V8 that revs to 7,500 RPM. That’s not exactly what I’d call a mainstream car.
The second floor of the Portland Convention Center featured the European and luxury brands.
This is the Volvo S90. I liked its subtle styling and Thor’s Hammer running lights. Like many of the cars at this year’s show, it was “plugged in” to display its running lights, digital dash and infotainment screens.
It was difficult to get a good picture of this BMW i8. Crowds of people kept walking in front of the car to touch the it’s matte black finish. While beautiful, I don’t think I would want a matte finished car. I still like a little gloss in my life.
Audi has an interesting lineup of cars these days. These two were quite good looking.
The new Lexus LC 500 is really beautiful despite all the crazy highlights on the car in this photo. Could that paint be too shiny?
The Lexus’s interior was warm and inviting. I don’t think I’d mind being stuck in Portland’s increasing traffic if I was in something like this.
In contrast, this is the interior of a luxury Range Rover. To me it looks like a dark and dreary place to spend so many hours behind the wheel. Once again this year, there were way too many vehicles that were painted silver with black interiors. Come on people; live your life in full color. Who wants to drive bland cars?
Another sign of the changing times was the “Tech Center.” This is where those futuristic electric cars and other alternative energy source cars were displayed. In past years this place would have been buzzing with activity. This year’s display was definitely more low key, as electric vehicles have become somewhat mainstream.
For example, the new Nissan leaf wasn’t shown in the Tech Center. It was with all the other Nissans displayed in the show. EV’s are now not to be hidden away with the quirky green cars, they can be presented right next to all the other cars in the lineup.
BMW chose to show their odd-looking i3 in the Tech Center while the sexy i8 joined the rest of their lineup in the main display.
The show always features motorcycles as well as cars. Let’s look at three ways to get a V-twin in 2018. The first is this Harley Davidson with its unique paint job.
If going fast in style is your thing, this Ducati 1299 Panigale should do nicely.
This Ducati Scrambler seems to combine the best of the other two bikes, and it’s the one I’d probably like the best. As Goldilocks said, “This one is just right.”
This is a Can-Am Maverick. If you could get one of these legally on the road with a slightly more street oriented tire, it could become the poor man’s Aerial Nomad. It could also be the Myers Manx of modern times. This looks like it would be great fun if it wasn’t limited to being a very expensive toy.
This is a big car show, but we are getting near the end. Speaking of big, is there anywhere else in the world besides the USA where people actually drive things like this?
Massive trucks like this need equally over the top lights. It must be daylight 24/7 in this 2017 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD.
I will finish my photo essay with one of the best things about the Portland Auto Show. It’s the chance to see the cars that you only see if you live among the 1%. Unlike most of the rest of the cars in the show, you don’t sit in or even touch these ones.
Unless I hit the lottery, I won’t have to concern myself about which Lamborghini I would choose here. They were both gorgeous.
I go to quite a few automotive events every year and my radar is always looking for cool cars, yet this was the first time I’ve seen a McLaren in person.
While normally I would always go for the convertible, when it comes to Rolls Royces, the new sedan was stunning in person. I’d seen photos and videos before I saw it here, but in person it’s a very impressive car.
On the other hand if you think you need or deserve a car like this I probably wouldn’t be very comfortable around you. I’m a Ford Escort wagon kind of guy.
As time goes on, the i3 seems more and more like the awkward prototype for the Chevy Bolt. Actually, the Bolt always seemed like a refinement of the i3 concept with normal doors and somewhat less quirky-for-its’-own-sake styling.
Speaking of Chevys, the Cruze RS in that blue is nice, I like the hatchback a bit better (fun fact, all manual Cruze hatchbacks are RSs, same with Sonics since the facelift).
Jeep was showing the new Wrangler – which is already at dealerships – and a prefacelift Cherokee.
I’m not a black-alloy-wheels fan but I do like the Honda Fit. Might as well get the base instead of a Sport since it doesn’t add back the rear sway bar removed from the gen 3. I wonder if it’s available as a dealer accessory.
Nissan needs more non-raised hatchbacks in their line. Their current design language looks better on the Leaf than anything else I’ve seen from them lately (the Note being a facelifted old car).
I guess we’re officially in the back half of the Mustang product cycle if the special editions are coming.
At least in photos, the Rolls’ look, particularly in German Leasing Silver, is best described as “Chrysler 300, only more so”.
EDIT – Nevermind, that’s a Compass next to the Cherokee.
The Auto Show just left us in Chicago. Is it the same touring exhibit?
Anyway, I used to LOVE going to these as a kid in the 1970s and 1980s. I think the last one I attended was the 1989 show.
It’s interesting, too, how they sell cars these days. With all the internet resources available to people today, is it really necessary to “sell” a car? Isn’t it just a model/price issue now? People already know what they want, they just have to find out which dealer is willing to offer the best deal.
And call me old-fashioned but I still like sedans. Yes, there are nice looking SUV/CUVs, too, but I still prefer a nice four-door car.
I went (Chicago) on Tuesday, and saw many of the same cars, with others not represented here. That could simply be because Tim didn’t shoot them, though. I was doing research for a project at work, so I didn’t really shoot much that would make for a CC post. I’ll stick a few here that did catch my eye as an appendix to Tim’s post.
“It’s got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it’s got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It’s a model made before catalytic converters so it’ll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what?”
“Use of unnecessary violence in apprehension of the Blues Brothers . . . has been approved.”
Toyota concept.
Carroll Shelby is rolling in his grave…
One for Paul. It’s a restaurant now.
They were raffling off this 1973 Mustang convertible for some worthy cause or another.
Here, Bob, hold my beer. I’ve got a great idea for the grill on the LF-1 concept…
We need a palate cleanser after that Lexus.
It is easy to forget how dramatically low the Continental was in the 1940s until we see one with some people standing around it.
Nice shots. I didn’t see any of these at the Portland show. I wouldn’t be surprised though if much of both shows were the same.
This weekend the annual auto show is also in Jacksonville, FL. I moved back here 7 years ago and have only gone twice, it’s depressing to look at a car I would like to own but won’t be able to until it’s ready for the second or third owner.
I agree, manufacturers need to broaden the selection of colors, but folks like silver because it is easier to clean, and black because it makes you look like you have a ton of money…even when you are driving a low level Kia.
Did the Portland show have any provisions for test drives? At the Jacksonville show Chevy, Dodge, Toyota and Fiat had test drives available to ticket holders.
BTW, the Fit SPORT is basically an appearance package, and many of its “features” can be added by a dealer to the LX model.
If the Jacksonville car show had included motorcycles I might have gone.
Chevy, Toyota, Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, and I think Hyundai had test drives stations. I test drove the Colorado ZR2 and then Ford’s Ecosport. Also, Honda has a Gasoline Electric Hybrid in the parking garage that I was allowed to test drive.
I agree that the autoshow can be depressing since I cannot afford the vehicles, that Chevy Brotruck is hideous, and some vehicles are ugly.
I still think the 2001 Bullitt Mustang was the best executed Bullitt edition, i don’t care how fast or dynamic the new one is, the 01 captured the little details better, from the seat patterns to the dressed down exterior bits the regular GT was stuck with at the time. The new one looks like any other new Mustang, just painted green(which looks off) with nondescript black wheels that look nothing like torque thrusts in shape. The 08 was similarly disappointing, but in its defense it got decontented last minute, in early press shots it had more interior details and even a bespoke intake manifold (like the 01), and at least the retro S197 bodystyle was right, and the wheels were torque thrustish(still not as defined as the 01 though), and the color seemed dead on too.
This has always been a nostalgia edition model, but the 01 was cool to people who had never even heard of the movie, I was 12 when it debuted, every one of my friends dug it. This one though just seems to be more of a blatant a baby boomer cash grab.
“Car shows are great because you can look at, touch, and sit in almost every make” and “almost” includes Porsche which you have pictured first up. At least at the Houston show, along with BMW and of course the exotics, these cars are locked. Curious to see Jaguar off in a corner and kids sitting in them taking selfies.
Nice, well written article. I went that Weds. with my daughter. She gets tickets for that “pre-show” fundraiser, so I went to the wine and dine event. Downside was “daddy, remember this is a semi formal event. Sport coat and tie will probably be OK.” Not very often I’ll do that.
Speaking of not very often, I don’t think I’ve ever seen two Mclarens at the same place, at the same time. The Subaru Ascent was there, and is very deceptive. At first glance, it looks like an Outback. When you stand back and study it, then compare the size to an actual Outback nearby, you realize it’s an Outback at about 120% scale. My guess is Subaru will sell a ton of these, even at the $35K-$45K price tags they’re quoting. Golden retrievers are still optional.
My daughter was primarily interested in seeing the new pickups. From the standpoint of sales volume and profits, they are the most important products at the show. She’s leaning towards this… but she’s had a strong preference for this brand already (she’s on her 4th one).
(no clue why that’s sideways)
Wow, FCA really made the front end generic looking, it looks more like a Tundra than a Ram as we know it
It seems almost like that was the goal ever since they made “Ram” a separate brand and took the Dodge name off them.
IMO it would’ve made more sense to go in the other direction and keep Dodge as a brand name for ALL (but not only) the trucks with only the 1500-3500 pickups being Dodge Ram, and the Ram name not used on the medium-duties or any Fiat-based vans.
“Cars (coupes/sedans) will be with us for years to come and may even return to the top of the heap someday, but as of now, they are getting their butts kicked by crossovers.” Where do 5-door hatchbacks come in?
Lily and I just encountered someone with a week-old Tesla Model 3. It looks great in person, especially the dashboard, which is a clean expanse of wood with just a big tablet screen in the middle. Without a peek at the front end I found it hard to tell apart from the Model S.
I asked Lily what she thought of replacing our 2010 Prius with a Model 3 in a year or two. She asked if it has as much space in the back as our Prius hatchback. We like to put the back seat down and fill it with stuff when we go to the coast. It’s also good for big items like a trip to the home improvement store. Or when we bring the dogs with us we keep the seat up and put them in the back. They can see out the rear windows just fine. Don’t want the dogs in the back seat since they shed so much. Lily said the Prius hatchback is “like our truck”.
Tesla’s Model 3 is a 4-door sedan with trunks front and rear. I looked it up, the rear trunk has 12 cu. ft. of space, the front trunk just 3, totaling 15 cu. ft. Our 2010 Prius has 22 cu. ft. under the hatchback with the seats up, and 40 with seats down. There’s just no comparison. I’ve just realized the Model 3 is not a practical Prius replacement.
But the pure electric Chevy Bolt could be. It’s a hatchback, with 17 cu. ft. seats up and 57 seats down, quite a bit bigger than the Prius, far more than the Model 3. (Bolt photo below.) I’m not crazy excited about any Chevy like I am about any Tesla, but the fact is a Bolt hatchback with 238 mile range could replace the Prius, and the 220 mile range Tesla Model 3 could not.
I wonder why Tesla built the Model 3 without a hatchback. Model S has one. Anyway, hatchbacks are great all-around vehicles without the extra bulk of a crossover.
I love hatch backs and consider them cars rather than CUV’s. I am in no position to afford a new electric car, but I think it’s powertrain of the future. I would buy a Bolt in a heartbeat if I could afford one, and could charge it easily.
I’m not a fan of a lot of the Model 3’s details either. Too much Apple thinking – pursuit of a minimalist aesthetic to the point where real simplicity is sacrificed to achieve it.
The dashboard air vents’ direction is controlled through the touchscreen, which means they can’t be adjusted purely by feel – plus there have to be servos to move the directional guides, and software to control them, all because the industry-standard solution would’ve cluttered the interior with a row of nubs along the vent which could be aligned to be perfectly equidistant in brochure glamor shots but never, ever would be in real life…but would still be a more elegant, “minimal” way to control face-level air flow, easier to operate by feel and with far fewer failure points.
Likewise, Tesla is forcing out an OTA update to pop the glovebox open after a crash; it too is controlled through the touchscreen and in the event of breakage there’s no way to retrieve your insurance papers…
Your 1981 Honda Civic was probably smaller than a Fit. And by the way no matter how they redecorate the Fit it is still a very space efficient and useful car with crap NVH and ride.
Broaden your vision! Look at the really new changes on their way! The plug-in hybrid is here, with 20-30 miles of electric travel and hybrid-efficiency after that, with multiple examples in the $20-$30k range that finally make this a sensible alternative, if you can’t stand your gasoline motor for commuting any longer!
Kia has the Niro, in both hybrid and plug-in electric (PHEV) forms; Hyundai has the Ioniq sedan with the same two configurations plus the ‘blue’ all electric. Toyota is touring the Mirai, it’s fuel-cell-powered vehicle (which some here criticize but I think that finally getting a mass-produced fuel cell has the potential for a lot of change in our environment).
Mitsubishi has a PHEV version of the Outlander, Honda the Clarity, Volvo the XC60 T8 PHEV.
Or did they only bring these fine cars to the DC show last month?
I think the coming changes are going to be great. I look forward to owning a used electric car in the future. If my current car can last another 4 years, my next car may very well be electric.