When the auto show circuit invades the Jacob Javits Center, the main players are split into three sections. Level 3 features all the mainstream automakers, while Level 1 hosts trucks and smaller exhibits. The North Hall, which in previous years belonged solely to General Motors, features the likes of “the other guys,” like Fiat and Mitsubishi. Other organizations prop themselves up pretty much wherever they can fit.
Mercedes, of course, is not one of those smaller companies. Above is the luxury sedan of a luxury sedan – the S600 Maybach, which you may remember was more of its own brand some years ago. Today it “merely” exists as a $200,000 upper trim level.
If you want to show some additional love for Daimler products there is plenty of swag now available for you to purchase.
Mercedes probably doesn’t have their own brand of flamethrowers. However, the sheer amount of paraphernalia brings to mind this perpetually relevant scene from Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs.
On the other end of the spectrum we have the cheap and cheerful smart brand, with several different fortwo models showing off their unique paint schemes.
Is a small car like the smart fortwo appealing in an era of cheap gas? The answer, of course, is a resounding no, with the entire non-capitalized smart brand selling just over 2500 units in the first half of 2016.
It’s not hard to understand why a brand entirely based around one model of microcar is failing. Cheap gas aside, the competition, which I’m assuming is the subcompact and compact car segments, offers far more space, variety, and refinement for roughly the same price. There is also no fuel economy penalty for choosing something like a Focus or Mazda 3 hatchback over the fortwo either, as the smart only manages to eke out an EPA highway rating of 39mpg, either matching or trailing the aforementioned vehicles, which exist not one, but two segments above the smart. Trim level names like pure, passion, prime, and proxy certainly don’t help the situation either.
To single out the fortwo for its underachieving sales numbers is probably unfair, as nearly all electric and hybrid cars, along with their internal combustion counterparts, are suffering from declining sales. It’s highly unlikely that sedans, coupes, and their hybrid counterparts are going to completely fade away, but if a vehicle like the i8 doesn’t make a case for itself then its as good as gone.
Speaking of niche coupes, BMW had an M1 parked atop their section and above the other members of the M family of performance cars. Those empty tables suggest that you have to be a bona fide member of the bourgeoisie to even get within smelling range of the M1.
I didn’t expect to be enamored by the M2, but its attractive color, just-right size, and no-nonsense design really appealed to my tastes.
Acura hasn’t exactly been thriving as of late, with middling sales figures and ho-hum products. Since I’ve never been a fan of the “beak” or “shield” grille that debuted a number of years ago I’m going to agree with those pundits who said the design wouldn’t perform very well in the marketplace. Fortunately, the contemporary Acura front ends are far more restrained than they used to be.
In fact, we may have reached the apotheosis of the design with the new NSX.
The NSX and the i8 look a bit similar, which is just fine, since both are very attractive coupes.
Acura had to move on from its storied design language at some point, with the MDX being the first mainstream Acura to wear the new look.
Upon seeing the MDX I was immediately reminded of the grille on the current Taurus SHO.
Alfa Romeo is still very much a niche brand in the United States. Will the Giulia change that? It just might. Then again, we’re in the crossover era, and sales of luxury sedans have been sharply decreasing for a while now.
A cursory glance at the interior revealed a high quality cabin that fits right in with the competition.
If you’re looking for a more exciting color combination than beige, Alfa has you covered with this red and black interior package, which feels more in line with the sporting nature of the Giulia. As is common these days, the Giulia comes equipped with an electronic drive control system, in this application called the Alfa DNA Pro. The other dial controls the 8-inch touch screen.
Out back, the Alfa looks somewhat anonymous, with a design that brings to mind cars ranging from the Elantra to the Passat to the A5. Fortunately for the Giulia, it seems luxury automakers are currently content with slowing down the pace of exterior design change, as models like the BMW 3 series and Audi A4 retain their looks beyond one generation.
The 4C has been praised for its driving dynamics while getting criticized for a lack of any type of cargo space. Calling a sports car “pure” because it prioritizes its performance over literally everything else might seem superfluous, but in the case of the 4C that term is extremely apt.
Unfortunately I couldn’t get a better shot of the 33 Stradale, which is a shame, considering how rare they are. I’m surprised Alfa even brought one to the show.
Looks kind of like a Lotus from the back, doesn’t it?
With a 1,500 pound curb weight and a 230 horsepower V-8, the 33 Stradale was extremely quick for its time, with a 0-60 time of 5.5 seconds.
The Cadillac XT5 effectively replaces the SRX as the luxury brand’s sole crossover and is all new for 2017.
Cadillac’s Art & Science design language is starting to look a bit dated, but the Xt5 wears it well.
Sales of the Escalade have been pretty consistent over the last several years. This stands in contrast to other nameplates sporting a Cadillac badge that continue to suffer year-over-year declines.
At this point it’s incredibly foolish to think any sedan can help a brand get back on its feet after an extended period of declining sales. Enter the CT6, the first full size rear wheel drive car from Cadillac in twenty years.
The CT6 rides on the Omega platform, an all new design that is likely going to underpin future crossovers from Cadillac. This is the product Cadillac deserves, but not the one it needs right now. To be fair, the CT6 looks good, even if Art and Science should be retired, as I mentioned before. It may not look like the car was swarmed with people based on the above picture but I can assure you that was the case, as you won’t see any interior shots due to the steady flow of older white dudes constantly entering and exiting the cabin. I’m curious how many of those onlookers will actually pluck down their hard earned money for a CT6.
I didn’t consciously put my pictures of Lincoln’s display directly after Cadillac as the route I walked at the show did that for me. But if I did organize my pictures in a more deliberate manner the two American luxury brands would still end up next to each other. Lincoln seems to have found its footing after many years of being neglected, while Cadillac appears to be losing sales amidst a reorganization that has produced dubious benefits for the brand.
There are two different approaches to developing luxury vehicles: the German way and everything else. Cadillac made the conscious decision to compete directly with Europe while Lincoln found inspiration in Lexus. The CT6 and Continental represent those choices perfectly.
The Omega Platform, which underpins the CT6, is designed for rear and all wheel drive and as of today will remain exclusive to Cadillac. Lincoln employs the CD4 platform for the Continental, which debuted in 2012 with the Fusion and is also used in the Edge, MKX, and MKZ. Contemporary Lincoln vehicles have yet to introduce a new platform before its Ford counterpart, and all of Lincoln’s unibody products are front or all wheel drive.
General Motors has invested far more money in Cadillac than Ford has with Lincoln. Was it money well spent? Cadillac currently has one crossover; the others are several years away from arriving at dealerships. Lincoln has a crossover in the compact, midsize, and full size segments, with a quasi stopgap vehicle in the Ford Explorer Platinum for those who don’t find the MKT attractive, which is currently 99.9 percent of the known universe.
Enter the Continental. Since Lincoln products directly use Ford platforms and powertrains, a failure of the brand would result in a minimal loss of investment for Ford. Some would say that is an inherent weakness with Lincoln, but I disagree. With the slow decline of the sedan, Ford’s use of existing platforms may even be the smarter decision, but time will tell.
Without a time travel machine we have no idea how the Continental will be received once it arrives in showrooms later this year. On digital paper though, it looks like it can hold its own against the likes of the CT6 and Volvo S90. Lincoln stretched the CD4 platform about four inches in total length and over five inches in wheelbase compared to the MKZ. That comes up a bit short with regards to the CT6 while the S90 is smaller in both dimensions.
The powertrain choices for the Lincoln are competitive, with the Continental having a much more powerful entry level engine in the 305 horsepower 3.7 liter V6. The Volvo and Cadillac each come standard with turbo fours, putting out 245 and 265 horsepower, respectively. Since Ford has recently put more emphasis on engine development, the Continental debuts with a six speed auto, while the others have eight speed units. At the top end the Lincoln uses an exclusive 3.0 liter twin turbo V6 which puts out 400 horsepower and 400 Ibs. of torque. This is almost exactly similar to the optional twin turbo V6 in the CT6, which makes 400 horsepower and 400 Ibs. torque. The Volvo trails the Americans, as its hybrid motor is rated at 316 horses and 300 Ibs. torque.
I think the Continental looks very good, and visually it holds its own against the CT6 due to Art & Science overstaying its welcome. The S90 loses out to the Lincoln only because its rear light package ruins an otherwise stellar design. What I don’t understand is why Lincoln decided a white Lincoln would be the best option when so many superior options are available. Does anyone else always picture the mid 60’s Continental in black like I do? I can’t be the only one. That screenshot from the official Continental page shows a plethora of superior options to white.
Color aside, the Continental does have a nice aura surrounding it, partially due to those slick electronic door latches. Did you hear about Lincoln offering complimentary loaner vehicles, paired with pick up and drop off service, on all their cars for the 2017 model year? I don’t think the introduction of this new feature and the expansive new program are a coincidence; customers aren’t going to be able to enter their car if the battery calls it quits. If the solution involves never setting foot in the dealership I doubt many people will complain.
Since the Continental is still several months away from its debut those electronic doors were programmed to remain shut. The Lincoln’s interior quality possibly trails the Cadillac, but ultimately comes out ahead as the CT6 cabin felt too imposing and claustrophobic. Neither American compares favorably to the S90, but its practically unfair to evaluate those cars to the Volvo, as its interior quality likely keeps some Mercedes executives up at night.
Rear seat audio and climate controls are important for livery drivers, but I question how much use the system will see with regular retail customers.
The Navigator concept is a big, brash luxury truck, which is exactly how it should look, with a powder blue that makes the color choice of the nearby Continental even more egregious. Perhaps that was by design.
All of the auto blogs believe the gullwing doors will not make it into the production model and I’m inclined to believe them, as the doors would add significant cost and complexity to the redesign. Then again, it would distinguish the Navigator from the Escalade in a very visible manner. Ford recently paid quite a bit of money to acquire a launch edition Tesla Model X, which many surmise was destined to be torn down so its electric drivetrain could be studied. I have my doubts, because there is no unique battery or transmission in the X; its propulsion system is largely a carryover from the S. The only difference are those gull wings doors, and Ford rushing to get their hands on one as quickly as possible makes sense if they want to get the new Navigator – with trick doors – to dealer showrooms as soon as possible.
All of Lincoln’s recent concept vehicles have hewed very closely to their final production model, so I wouldn’t be too surprised to see the new Navigator debut with looks nearly identical to this prototype.
The current Navigator is solely available with the same twin turbo 3.5 liter V6 also used in the F-150 and Expedition. It already makes a healthy 380 horsepower and 460 Ibs. ft. of torque, which means we may not see any power upgrade when it makes its move to the next gen model. I’d be surprised if Ford’s new 10-speed transmission remains absent from the new truck.
Even though the Navigator sells in small amounts, there is still a lot of interest in the nameplate, at least if we’re only using the car show attendees as a barometer. This was one of the more crowded displays at the show.
I’m always baffled by Infiniti. They’re both everywhere and nowhere, with attractive designs that for some reason make me go “meh.” Maybe I just don’t like the brand?
Or is it because there are no Infiniti dealers in my area? Here’s a bit of trivia for you: following I-87, there is only one Infiniti dealer from the Tappan Zee bridge to the Canadian border. That’s kind of weird.
Despite my lack of enthusiasm for this particular luxury brand, I do like the Q60. Work on that dealer network Nissan!
Speaking of companies that are definitely working on expanding: Genesis. We’ve seen a lot of brands go belly up recently, and some of those brands deserved to die. Still, its nice to see some new blood entering the fray, even if its just Hyundai flexing its muscles a bit.
The New York concept is striking and definitely sets itself apart from the competition. I’m excited to see what Hyundai will conjure up for the brand.
Genesis consists only of sedans for now, but I imagine that will change soon. Regardless, the former Genesis will occupy showroom space with what you see above: the range topping G90. Hyundai clearly wants the new brand to gain some recognition, as this was not at the Genesis section but instead within visual range of the entrance.
Pretty much every Subaru model sells in numbers that must make the executives in Wolfsburg jealous. Remember when Subaru was a small, humble automotive outfit? Today, the opposite is true; combined, Volkswagen and Audi failed to outsell the quirky Japanese brand by approximately 20,000 units for calendar year 2015.
The Impreza has never been known for having killer looks. Over the last ten years the best looking Impreza variant oscillates between the sedan or the hatchback, depending on the era.
This time I’d say Subaru finally nailed the formula and designed an attractive Impreza in both forms.
The sedan’s profile isn’t drop dead gorgeous, but calling an Impreza good looking is a massive achievement compared to the four door Subaru released a decade ago. That thing was hideous.
2016 marks the end of the Scion experiment. Ironically, sales are up considerably from last year, no doubt due to the arrival of the Mazda 2 based iA and the iM, itself a Corolla hatchback.
I remember the first year Scion appeared in New York. They brought a certain vibe to the show, with their flashy concepts and ear busting sound systems. The youth oriented lineup definitely stood out from the competition, with the tC appealing to my 18 year old self.
This xA gets an almost Prowler-like makeover.
Lowered wheels and multiple subwoofers were always a staple of Scion; this xB is no different.
The subwoofer insanity continues.
If Skynet ever rises up against humanity, it may need to conscript some cars into its army. This sinister tC certainly looks like its on the hunt for John Conner.
With the official demise of Scion right around the corner, the iA, iM, and FR-S will arrive in showrooms with a Toyota badge for the 2017 model year. The iA becomes the Yaris iA, and the iM transitions to Corolla iM. The FR-S will soon be called the Toyota 86, which is the name used globally. I imagine the “i” naming scheme will disappear once the next generation of the Yaris and Corolla arrive at dealerships several years from now.
Overall I’d say Toyota’s requiem for the Scion division worked really well. It was a classy sendoff to an interesting period of Toyota’s history. Fitting then, that the last Scion picture features a future vehicle concept that shows what could have been.
Fiat’s 124 Spider impressed nearly all the big auto magazines and websites, and why shouldn’t it? It’s a Miata with Italian flair.
This particular Spider gets a nice looking two tone paint job.
Here is a more toned down version of the Spider, with a lively blue and tasteful wheels.
This year the Mitsubishi section seemed especially barren, with the Mirage easily taking the trophy for loneliest vehicle in the Javits Center. This sedan is definitely a 2015 model year as the car took a break for 2016.
And here is the 2017 Mirage in all its glory, being looked at by absolutely no one else.
Level 1 of the Javits Center hosts all the trucks and commercial vehicles, among other things. Most notable was the redesigned 2017 Super Duty lineup. This redesign follows the F-15o in featuring an aluminum body and strengthened steel frame.
The cab of the Super Duty is now the same one used in the F-150. I thought using the cab of the F-150 would make the Super Duty look awkward, but that was not the case, and I highly doubt customers will notice the change.
If you’re mobility impaired, I imagine your automotive choices are quite limited. This Explorer “MKV” by BraunAbility increases the options out there, and a quick visit to the company website demonstrates why you might want to pick the Ford: all the other choices are minivans. I wonder if we’ll see a Transit Connect version in the future.
Aftermarket companies bring a number of exotic vehicles to the show for advertisement purposes and this year was no different in featuring a diverse collection spread throughout the Javits Center. This owner tweaked his or her NSX in a manner that doesn’t ruin the good looks of the Acura, which is always a good thing.
The Vintage Automobile Museum Of New Jersey decided to display a number of their vehicles at the show, a collection which included this DeLorean.
This strange vehicle is dubbed the “Extra Terrestrial Vehicle Space Car” and was appropriately sitting next to the DeLorean. Apparently this thing is based off a 1987 body and sits on the frame of a 2006 Chevy Aveo. Regardless of its underpinnings, this contraption definitely looks like a vehicle plucked straight from the 2015 Hill Valley that Marty traveled to in Back To The Future II.
This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is far more appealing.
The Detroit Electric was produced from 1907-1939. The name has since been resurrected and will be featured on a new electric vehicle based on the Lotus Elise chassis, just like the Tesla Roadster.
This 1937 Packard Super Eight seven passenger limo can still carry people in style.
Even though the cars featured in Grease were a bit newer than this 1940 Ford Coupe, I don’t think it would have looked out of place in the movie.
Would the 1931 Model A fit in as well?
This Cadillac looks nearly identical to the vehicle featured below so I don’t have specific information about it.
The 1911 Hupmobile Model 20 was destined for failure simply due to its horrible name, but this specific example is notable for its 46,000 mile journey around the world, which began in 1910 and lasted for eighteen months.
I imagine all of us would rather own this 1961 Chrysler 300G.
Or maybe this 1956 Bel Air?
No doubt the USMC’s Murcielago is desirable, but any other owner would get it repainted to something a little more fitting for civilian life.
I’ve never actually watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a musical with the least appealing name ever. Regardless, this replica looked quite good and attracted a surprising amount of onlookers.
Tony Garofalo, the retired NYPD officer who dropped an eye-popping $100,00 to create the replica, was sitting right there! I decided against asking him any questions as he was in the middle of his lunch, so this article about his project will have to do. Maybe he’ll be there next year.
Related Reading:
Auto Show Future Classics: 2016 Denver Auto Show by Jim Klein
2016 New York Auto Show, Part 2
Hupmobile was around for 31 years; it was founded by Robert Craig Hupp. Supposedly, the car featured on the inverse of the older $10 bills was supposed to be a Hupmobile.
Call me an old fuddy-duddy, but the only new thing here that quickens my pulse is the F-250 (although I think the fender emblem looks like it says F-350).
Braun branching away from minivans is smart. The Explorer makes a lot of sense. Also smart is it appears the ramp may be rubber covered metal – helps reduce the banging and clanging.
I’m thrilled that Ford has finally returned to using the same cabs on their HD trucks as their half-tons, like GM and Ram*. Besides the cost savings with a shared cab, the current Super Duty cab design, which dated back to 1999, was great when it came out, but has since become very outdated. The SuperCab windows were still the old-style pop-out vent windows, and the doors didn’t open as far as newer designs.
*GM and Ram trucks even share the beds between 1500s and HDs, but the new Super Duty bed is slightly different than the F-150 bed–the easiest difference to spot is how the bedsides are actually shorter (notice that the top of the bed on the F-350 doesn’t come up to the bottom of the window).
I agree, it’s good to see them realigning themselves with light duty pickups. I never did understand why they went to the expense to have differentiation, when the prior ones (I’m thinking 1996 and back) were physically identical, save the suspension.
It will be interesting to see if/when Ford brings a V6 to the 3/4 ton lineup.
I guess maybe they thought the body for the ’97 F-150/light-duty F-250 wasn’t “tough” enough. But I have to wonder what a “jellybean” F-350 dually crew cab would’ve looked like.
I have to admit, I really like the NSX. I think that the design is pretty cool, but I also like how it smartly moves away from trying to be the original design having to conform new standards, and instead just goes off and makes its own thing. (Unlike the new Ford GT, which I think looks really bad because of how the old styling cues don’t translate well into a more modern an aerodynamic shape.)
I do think the XT5 is okay, I’ve seen some around San Diego and they don’t look terrible for the most part. If nothing else, it’s a huge step up from the SRX in my opinion. I’ve yet to see the CT6 in person, but I am glad that Cadillac is serious about trying to make a luxury car that sticks closer to the old school Cadillac rather than try and fail to compete with BMW. (I recognize that what Cadillac is making now is more BMW than BMW, but let’s be real, brand snobbery will always win more times than not. BMW still has it, Cadillac doesn’t) . I am interested in how big a sales success it will be, but I do like the concept behind the CT6, even if the Arts and Science look is a bit tired. I still hate the Escalade, though I did see one in white one time, and it didn’t actually look terrible. (I feel so dirty for saying that)
When I heard that Lincoln was making a new Continental, I thought that it was a smart move for the company to bring back it’s famous nameplate. Then I looked at it, and I was disappointed. I think from the side and the back, the Continental looks alright, damn good even. But the front of that car is hideous. I am a self professed Grille snob, the grille of a car is very important, and it can either make or break a design. The Continental’s grille is just terrible, it’s way too big, the shape resembles a vacuum cleaner nozzle, and on the whole it kills the design completely. I was one of the few people that like the Split wing grille of the current models, and if this is the new direction that Lincoln is going in, I doubt I’ll be interested in their models anytime soon. Speaking, of I despise the concept of the new Navigator. The Lincoln Navigator is a guilty pleasure for me, it’s my favorite Luxury SUV, even though it’s the same concept as the Escalade. But this new one looks more like a giant whale than the current MKT, and as for those gullwing doors appearing on the car? Yeah right, Mercedes can get away with that on the SLS because the SLS is a niche vehicle that was made to a higher price than the other cars, but I doubt that Lincoln is going to be able to keep the costs down on the Navigator with those big, stupid looking gullwing doors attached on it.
I will admit the 124 Spyder looks good. It’s not my bag personally as I’m not a roadster guy, but this is a pretty nice shape that looks promising for FIAT. If anything I do like it more than the MX-5 (Though I blame that on the fanatical worship around the MX-5 more than I do the styling, though that certainly has always left me cold)
I actually completely have the opposite view re NSX and Ford GT. The Ford GT is exactly how a modern NSX SHOULD be to me- super lightweight, V6 powered, long and low, just like the original. And the styling is stunning to me on the Ford, it’s not retro, but it’s the first car I remember since the early 90s whose styling has actually WOWed me to the point of looking at every nook and cranny in the way I did a Ferrari F40 when I was 5. It completely took the wind out out of the NSX’s sails when it debuted too, which should be no surprise because anyone paying attention knew exactly what it would look like and be powered by circa 2008-2009, which even then was fairly predictable and plain. Audi R8ish
I agree w/ Joseph, the Acura NSX is so much better looking than the Ford GT. The NSX is a stunning design while the Ford looks like a committee job done not very well.
LIke the original, the NSX will age well, the Ford GT – not so much.
The Alfa Giulia looked good to me when I first learned of it, but seeing it now the front end looks so blocky and blunted I hate it, it’s like the ’15 Mustang. Stupid ped safety standards. I don’t think it will do anything for the brand’s health, you can’t throw a dart on the street and not hit a sports sedan now a days, and the Alfa isn’t anything special in comparison other than the storied name in the hearts and minds of a rapidly declining audience. Admittidly pretty much status quo for Alfa sedans for the last 30+ years though.
The NSX = Blah. Looks exactly the same as it did TEN YEARS AGO when Acura first started teasing it. I am so sick of that car already and I haven’t even seen one in person yet, and as far as it’s technology, yawn. Give me the lightweight first gen over the tech nerd overweight hybrid crap. This car is going to look as positively ancient 3 years from now as an iPhone 1.
The Continental – No Suicide doors = don’t bother. It looks like a bigger 2006 Zephyr, boxy and edgy in the way Lincoln styling was before it went for the ill received cookie cutter catfish look. And ironically the facelifted MKZ basically looks identical to the Continental… and it’s the same platform… I don’t actually mind the Ford platform roots, but there’s nothing particularly stunning, daring or distinctive to give it purpose. Lincoln just seems to be in this perpetual state of half measures because they don’t want to risk rapid death of the marque by trying something not established by the Germans/Lexus, all the while despite seemingly knowing the true inevitability of it. The 61 Continental was a true make or break risk for the brand, and Lincoln exists to this day coasting on the success that car had, and that’s what Lincoln truly needs if they want to survive long term.
It was a classy sendoff to an BORING period of Toyota’s history
Fixed. 😀
That’s right, I’m going to keep on fighting that uphill battle! Scion existed to push the naughty fun cars Toyota makes to a misfit corner of a dealership lest Camorolla buyers lured by CR think immature cars like that will erode quality… They’ll just think those Scion things are captive models! …I for one think ditching that brand was the single best move Toyota has made in the last 20 years, and it deserves not a classy sendoff, but a viking funeral. The show organizers should have sent Toyota badges to all current Scion owners, in trade for their Scion badges, put them in a box, and blow them up Disco Demolition style in a grand event! Now that would be a sendoff!
Funny you mention the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang title’s appeal. My parents showed me that movie that movie at about the same time I saw Mary Poppins, The Love Bug and the like, I would have been Kindergarten aged. Well I was playing during recess singing the title song and immediately a teacher angrily grabbed my arm and yanked me into the principal’s office who then called my Mom “Do you know where your son learned such foul language” … “he’s been chanting *cough* Shitty Shitty Bang Bang to other children!” My mom actually had to go to Blockbuster video, rent it, and show it and play the singing scene’s for my principal to get me out of detention for it. Ridiculous.
Benny Hill played the toy maker in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a role much different than what he is usually remembered for.
Fantastic movie.
Ford was credited with production assistance in the film. Choreography was by the same folks who did Mary Poppins & The Sound of Music.
Those goofy spies sneaked in a few double-entrendres, way over my head at the time I saw it in the theater.
I drive by a Cadillac dealer every day, and still can’t tell the difference between the CTS and CT6. OK, the CT6 is larger, and I know there are slight differences between their lights, but in real life, I have trouble telling them apart.
Worse yet – I rarely ever see either on the road. (I’m currently in western PA, but I don’t see many more back home in New England, either.) I’d like to see Cadillac do well, but it looks like they will have to rely on their SUV and CUV products.
A shame, since I absolutely loved the CTS’s styling the first time I saw the ’14.
Of course I love the CT6 – is anyone surprised? – although I can appreciate the rear end, much like the CTS, could be a little bolder. After all, the front ends of both cars are beautifully sculpted. I think the rear is a little more resolved on the CT6 though, and neither is bad… just not as bold as they could be. I love the CT6 interior and I’m glad Cadillac is toning down the use of piano black, something I’ve never been very fond of even if it looks nice at times.
Great send-off for Scion. Toyota didn’t have to do it but I’m glad they did.
Now, the Continental. You make some excellent points about Ford and GM’s different approaches with their luxury brands. Ford’s is undoubtedly the more profitable one in the short-term, GM is very much playing the long game. I don’t believe in some of the doom and gloom I’ve been hearing about Cadillac and it’s refreshing to see GM actually plan ahead. It will take time to grow the brand but it will be worth it. GM needs to just not get lazy like they have done in the past (DTS) when they’ve been reinventing Cadillac. While Cadillac has been making a splash with its Art & Science cars, Lincoln seems to have steadily been growing and growing. Many enthusiasts mourned the loss of the LS and what it stood for, and the subsequent arrival of the thinly redesigned Fords known as MKX, MKS, MKT and so on. But Ford has built upon them and seems to be on the cusp of success with Lincoln. Maybe someone can dig up some sales figures and see if my feelings are right?
Now, the newest Lincolns are more differentiated from Fords even if they still ride on shared platforms. Lincoln seems to be getting a unique engine or two, and then there’s Black Label which is just an excellent luxury brand idea. Also nice to see Lincoln carve out a luxury niche for refined, comfortable luxury rather than try (and possibly fail) to best BMW at the handling game. Cadillac at least has RWD platforms to work with and they have made some cars with fantastic dynamics, and Lincoln just can’t compete in that sphere. But quiet luxury, like Volvo? It could work.
I’m very curious to see how Cadillac and Lincoln’s trajectories continue. I want them both to succeed immensely!
I think Lincoln would do well to do quiet luxury like Lincoln, not Lexus or Volvo or whoever else. Quiet luxury was Lincoln’s game way before Lexus even existed or Volvo was making any sort of luxury cars.
It’s true though, Lincoln is doing well not to try to compete in the “sports sedan” market anyway as was said, there are plenty of them out there already. I also would bet most people driving them do so for the badge rather than whatever handling dynamics they might have anyway. I think there is a market for updated quiet luxury, especially at price points far under an S class.
And GM may have started it, but Ford is really leaning in to the idea of rich colours in vehicle interiors. Love the Black Label Lincolns like the “Rhapsody” theme…
Or the Chalet theme…
Or the Indulgence theme MKC and MKX…
Oooh, nice!
Well. Lincoln is almost the last existing luxury brand offering a wide range of colors. All other luxury brands only have limited color in inventories ( Cadillac is very limited to black, German luxury brands are very limited to black, white and gray, Lexus is limited to one or two colors more than what’s available on German luxury cars ) and only Lincoln can be regularly seen in beige, different shades of blue, green, burgundy, brown etc. I still remember the time when Mercedes offered more than three common different colors but it doesn’t happen often since the ’90s.
Incorrect. Cadillac has offered blue interiors lately, black/saffron, various shades of beige and brown, black/red and grays, along with multiple different types of wood as well as aluminium trim.
Just to show I’m not a complete Luddite, I rather like some of the funky futuristic taillight designs we’re seeing lately. Lincoln and Volvo have been doing some nice work in that area and the taillights are my favorite part of the new Civic sedan.
I’d have to see the new Giulia in the metal to make up my mind, but it seems to have turned out pretty well. It might be the first new Alfa Romeo design I’ve actually liked since the 159. (I hate the MiTo and Giulietta and the 4C rates a pronounced shrug.) If memory serves, it’s on the same platform as the current Dodge Dart, which I think is an attractive sedan, although I seem to be in the minority on that.
I’m meh about the NSX. I still have enormous affection for the original, even though it sort of outstayed its welcome. Familiar as the concept is becoming, I’m dubious about being able to identify it in the wild without reading the badges. I also suspect I’ll be inevitable disappointed by the mechanicals. A part of me still wants to see Honda shake off its lethargy and come up with something technologically exciting, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. In some parallel universe, Honda probably replaced the original NSX back around 2004 with something like the BMW i8, but that obviously didn’t happen here.
The Genesis concept is interesting — it looks like a more attractive interpretation of the Porsche Panamera. Not really my thing, but I appreciate that there appear to be some cohesive themes developing rather than just a jumble of current cliches.
Aside from the EPA numbers, I think one of the downfalls of the smart fortwo is that it wants premium fuel, which is a turnoff to the sort of buyer who likes the look and thinks it seems like a cute little city car. That really drives home the fact that you could get a similarly economical, cheaper-to-run B- or C-segment car with actual cargo and passenger space for similar money.
I too like the look of the Dodge Dart as well. I think it’s a very nice design, and my Dad was considering one for a new car. Unfortunately, that got busted when my mom and I went car shopping and the minute I sat in it, the top of my head was pretty much against the headliner because of how low the roof was. Much like the current 200, if the Dart had the reliability to match it’s looks, I think it would be a much greater sales success than it is.
Nope Aaron, the Giulia is on an all-new rear-wheel-drive platform. The Dart rides on a derivative of the Giulietta’s platform. The MiTo is on a different platform still, shared with the Fiat Punto, a platform left over from the GM-Fiat tie-up.
I don’t imagine the MiTo or Giulietta will be around much longer.
Ahh, thanks for clarifying that. I haven’t been following the latest news, clearly.
Returning to RWD is probably a good sign. An awful lot of executive class Alfas (since at least the 164) have been compromised by FWD. People complain about modern cars being too lacking in character, but game, rev-happy V-6 power married to squirmy torque steer was a personality trait I’d be happy to kiss goodbye.
I’m definitely a bit of a Luddite but I also agree that the taillight designs coming out now are a whole lot more interesting to look at than 10 or 20 years ago. I noticed for a while seemingly every new car had spade shaped lenses circa 2005, with big baron trunklids (think Town car or Maxima as a few examples), so I’m relieved to see some of more out there designs today, taillights just by the nature of being bright red attention grabbers should look a little out there, just as 60s Fords did with those cool jet turbines.
Still resisting headlights though! Bring back sealed beams or at least rectangle shaped glass lenses! No LED strips! Get off my lawn!
The smart car is not really made for the US. There are several down here in the little Mexican village where I live. They are eminently practical here in a five hundred year old village with narrow streets and tight corners. Seeing a Chevy pickup having to back up three time to make it around a corner in town makes the smart seem really smart. Also, since the top speed limit in town is 24 mph, the small engine is no problem. The low mpg is not a problem either, since most days see me driving less than five miles. I fill the tank every month, whether I need to or not. When it is time for another car, I just might get a smart, if I can talk the wife into it.
Chitty Chitty bang bang the original by Count Zoborowski was madness on wheels a huge aircraft engine shoehorned into a Mercedes car and named after a WW1 flying corps ribald song, Nothing like the Disney creation. Are you sure that flamed sedan is a A Ford? it looks like a B 18 model to me, the best cars were in the last few frames I’m afraid the moderns hold little interest nowdays.
Definitely a Model A, said it on the plaque.
Chitty wasn’t a Disney production, but by the same Italian who did James Bond films (Albert Broccoli), and based on a book by Bond’s creator Ian Fleming, written for his son. They still got in some lingerie fan service, though.
Yet it has the later 32 grille and V8 badge none of which were ever on As, stranger and stranger. Yes and I read the Fleming books as a child, the film doesnt resemble them at all.
The one thing I don’t like about some modern designs is the weird headlight/running light shapes we’re seeing. Especially the ones with vertical running lights coming down from the main headlight cluster. They look like the main light melted and overflowed down the fender.
Also, the vertical running lights violate what used to be a cardinal rule of car design – strong vertical accents form a barrier to the eyes’ appreciation of the flow of a design, and make the car seem shorter/narrower, adding to the perception of height. Very careful design can pull this off without making the result look ungainly, but that’s not what we’re seeing here.
Basically, the designers are trying too hard. We’ve gone from angry kitchen appliances to mobile cartoons.
Great article and some thoughtful comments.
I am not surprised by the dwindling Smart sales. On reading this I realize that the few I used to running around Dallas seem to have completely disappeared. To me the only true virtue of a Smart is city-curb parking, something virtually no one does in
AmericaDallas.I, like Matt, thought that Scion was a great idea for Toyota- a playground for their designers and engineers. Apparently the dull gray-haired men in their gray suits have failed to see the value in that, just as they failed to recognize the worth of their short-lived F-1 program.
I like to hope that Honda on the other hand is finally waking from the stupor it’s been in since the 90’s. I also like to hope that the executive responsible for the beak-look has retired. The NSX fails to excite me for reasons I can’t pinpoint. Maybe if they put in a hybrid power plant (like Porsche’s 918) based on their F-1 engine there will be a reason to care if I ever see one. Otherwise….yawn.
Cadillac, Lincoln, and Genesis: I actually like the look of the CT-6 in a Bladerunner sort of way, but a: I just had to check the name to type this; b: I don’t trust GM quality and resale enough to blast me out of my 5-series; c: I’d be more tempted to take a chance on the Genesis if I were to decide on a 24 month “for the hell of it lease”. The Lincoln Continental is just a Ford with a nose job, and one that needs another nose job at that.
Alfa Romeo? Now there’s definite candidate for a fun lease except that Alfa has dragged their Italian-shoe-clad feet so long that they will miss my buying window for three years and I doubt the car will still be around in 3 years. Yeah, yeah I could probably get one by the end of the year, but I really don’t want to explain 505 Hp to my insurance agent. I’m more a 300 hp guy.
Finally – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a very cool toy, but I can’t stop asking myself, “where does a NYC cop get $100 K to pump into a custom built car?”
“where does a NYC cop get $100 K to pump into a custom built car?”
Serpico immediately pops into mind.
After 5.5 years, NYPD cops typically make six figures, including overtime. The top overtime earner in the NYPD made $82 just in overtime alone in 2014. Does that put things in perspective?
You know, I wasn’t being serious.
I wouldn’t say Lincoln has the inspirations from Lexus, because Lexus is the one finding the inspirations from Lincoln, like 1988 Lincoln Continental as the inspiration for all Lexus ES the years following. Lincoln just picked up the old way again.
Very nice tour! I’ve been so busy this spring and summer, I have no time to visit other car sites, so it’s nice to keep up with the current crop right here at CC.Thanks, Ed.
Thanks for the great review; this was the next best thing to being there.
Of all the cars, I’m most impressed with the Continental. The design proves that not every new car has to look like it has anger management issues. If I were in the market for an upscale car this year, I would definitely consider one.
I agree about the white color for the show car being an odd choice, but ironically I usually associate the mid-’60s Continentals with white… in fact I think they’re one of the few cars that looks better in lighter colors, with the clean, uncluttered but elegant lines being more prominent. That said, I agree that the 2017 Continental would make a better impression in another hue. Still, it’s a good design.
And I appreciated you seeking out the unloved Mirage!
“not every new car has to look like it has anger management issues”
Talk about angry- that Alfa looks like it’s ready to kick somebody’s butt.
The reason noone visited the Mitsubishi exhibit is that word got around that the cars on display were Mirages, so people just assumed that they weren’t really there.
I went to the Portland auto show a couple of years ago. It was Saturday, the place (Oregon Convention Center) was packed, except for the VW booth. You could have heard a pin drop in that display. Fitting, I thought, and it spoke volumes. Products about as exciting as a Smart car. My countertop pizza oven has more personality.
Due to vacation and being slammed at work I finally got to read your review – great job! Regarding the Continental, perhaps silver or navy blue would have worked better – always classy colors on luxury cars.