New York Auto Show Makes News Again
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From Mac Gordon
New York NY April 27, 2014; Always a newsmaker since opening in the early 1900s at the Madison Square Garden, the New York Show had pluses for two Cadillac's-the electric range-extended ELR Coupe; Lexus GS (Lexus's first turbo); BMW 535iM Sport; Dodge Charger; Buick Enclave (10-speaker sound system); Cadillac CTS sedan; Nissan Murano; and Jeep Cherokee (featuring an exclusive 9-speed transmission and still yielding 31 mpg highway; finally Porsche's Macan, and Audi's 2015 step-up model.
A double blow in the competitive area has greeted foreign automakers with the New York Show.
Volkswagen has finally marketed its diesel Jetta turbo, the first diesel to be produced by a U.S.-based automaker and the only one with a UAW-recognized union work council.
At the same time, three of the four leading luxury brands have advertised “firsts” in electric-power ranges: Lexus GS, (306 hp), Cadillac ELR Coupe, among them, touting segment-leading Cadillac CTS sedan.
Lexus swings the bat from the top of the “performance ad war, claiming more horsepower than BMW, Audi, Porsche or Mercedes-Benz-Infiniti notwithstanding!
This year’s 50-year award, involving such icons as the birth of Ford’s Mustang sports-coupe, as the Mustang was introduced, a caravan of new Mustang’s led 4 celebrities from the World’s Fair in Queen’s New York, and were driven by Ford Motor President Lee Iacocca, Fair chief of staff and Henry Ford II (“Hank the Deuce”) forecast that the “pony car” Mustang wold be the Chevy Corvette for years to come. During these years, Mustang thrived but as a stock car only. Corvetted sales and duel with Mustang were never to be!
SAVING THE NEATEST FOR LAST:
Nissan's and Hyundai/Kia's midyear styling cues; Ford's hybrid leap across board with charging stations soon for every brand, dealer and parking place.
Mary Barra's aplomb in handling congressional testimony on GM ignition flubs and her executive shakeup unlike any other in GM history, new CEO Mary T. Barra unseated two more senior male executives 04-15, its V-Ps for human resources and the other in global communications and public policy, Melissa Howell. The recent executive changes by Ms. Barra were in addition to changes made in the technical area, the one most familiar to her, starter and ignition engineering, global engine operations, emissions testing and mpg averaging.
Hand'sFree is here! Gracias for Land Rover's breakthrough! First market car with hands-free driving, a Range Rover, whose drivers can wave for cars to be parked, lights to be lit, brakes to be applied and gears to be shifted via a driver's instruction menu as a vehicle is being moved or parked. The hands-off “breakthrough” but may face legal obstacles in several states, this technology has also been tested by Toyota and Honda,with Google's help.
News in auto electrification which can be used by all e-vehicles, a park over charger plate that works automatically.
Ventura Boulevard's sparkling Dealer Row in West LA featuring sparkling Audi, VW, Mercedes, BMW and Lotus exhibits
