Auto Shows-Museums

LA Auto Show, 2013: dozens of global debuts await

Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, MINI, Porsche, Subaru and Volkswagen have all confirmed representation among more than 50 global debuts at the 2013 LA Auto Show, the first major car of the year for automakers’ new models and concepts. Founded in 1907, the LA Auto Show is the first major North American show of the season and it will be held Nov. 22-Dec. 1. Press Days will be Nov. 20-21. The debut line-up this year promises a mix of cutting-edge trends and innovations in today’s competitive automotive market. BMW has confirmed seven to eight debuts,including a yet-to-be-named global premiere. MINI will also present a strong showingwith the long-awaited global introduction of its brand-new MINI automobile. The LA Auto Show is

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John Lennon’s rare Ferrari and his first ticket to ride set for Bonhams auction

Nearly five decades since John Lennon received his first driver’s license and purchased his first car, a 1965 Ferrari 330GT, the former Beatle’s classic sports car will be featured at Bonhams auction July 12 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. Lennon, who owned the classic Ferrari for about three years, paid slightly more than $10,000 for the new right-hand driver Ferrari and drove it for about 20,000 miles. Now restored to its original status, the Ferrari is expected to sell for between $275,000-$340,00 as one of only 500 330GT of its type built. According to Bohhams, the car comes with its original DUL 4C registration, vast documentation of its history, including a correspondence with Lennon. Lennon bought the

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Small cars still mean big things for collectors, museums

After World War II, the troubled global economy prompted innovation in the auto industry. As a result, microcars, the original green cars, became all the rage. They were city cars, relied on for local commuting and for errands. They were cheap and used little fuel. As a description at the current display of microcars at the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento details, “Microcars were easy to park, simple to drive and mechanically similar to scooters in that they were seemingly in every city of the world.” Most of the original microcar manufacturers are gone now, but the idea has returned in recent years with the introduction of new cars and new models of old microcars like the smart fortwo, Scion

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LA Auto Show: Sexy models just wanna have fun at automakers' debuts

On the second day Media Day of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Green Car of the Year (Ford Fusion Hybrid) was the morning highlight. But with the emphasis on alternative fuel and engine technology, the women who work as models at auto shows around the country seemingly didn’t have much to do. There was a dance troop promoting different decades of Volkswagen. And there were two women who were having fun at the Buick unveilings. No one was around when I stepped to take their pictures and the taller of the two models said: “Doesn’t she look like my personal “mini-me?,” a reference to the character in the Austin Powers movies. And yes, she did. I asked one model

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LA Auto Show: James Bond, DB5 returns in Aston Martin showcase

With this year’s release of Skyfall and the 50th anniversary of the iconic James Bond movie series, Aston Martin has received increased exposure. The original 1964 DB5 returned from its heyday in Goldfinger and was featured and subsequently destroyed in the current film starring Daniel Craig. Of course, it was a specially made, one-third scale DB5 that was destroyed in one of the movie’s climatic scenes. The original Aston Martin was displayed as part of the Aston Martin showcase at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Because of its status in Goldfinger, the Aston Martin DB5 became one most famous cars in the world. According to Bond film lore, book author Ian Fleming had placed Bond in a DB Mark III

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LA Auto Show: Lincoln looks back before moving forward with new design

Lincoln is approaching its 100th anniversary (the company was founded in 1915), and the iconic carmaker is taking one of the most unique approaches at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It’s showcasing its past before it showcases its future. On the first of two media days on Nov. 28, Lincoln is presenting seven of its iconic cars, a 1956 Continental Mark II once owned by Elizabeth Taylor to a 1937 Zephyr to a 1932 Lincoln KB Lebaron. On second media day and when the show opens to the public Nov. 30, the vintage Lincolns will be replaced several MKZ models. “We have new design team and Lincoln is moving forward,” said a Lincoln spokesman. “We got rid of Mercury to

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Women of the L.A. Auto Show: Tradition of sexy models presenting cars continues

As the first major car show of the year (even though it’s held in November), the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show is not only showcasing several-dozen world and North American automotive debuts, it’s also continuing the tradition of displaying the cars with models. The automakers may not be willing to admit it, but the choice of models they choose to present their new products around the world may be as important as the cars presented. It all means one thing: pretty women. The history of the car show models is detailed in the 2008 book called “Sirens of Chrome” written by Margery Krevsky. The practice auto show models may be viewed as sexist by some. But the tradition is well

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2014 Ford Fiesta by the numbers: 1 liter, 3 cylinders, 40 mpg, 123 hp

The 2014 Ford Fiesta, which will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show, will feature the smallest engine sold in the United States a — a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder with EcoBoost. Currently available in Europe and described by one car review site as “tiny enough to fit into an airplane carry-on bag,” the new Ford Fiesta will go on sale in the U.S. at an yet-to-be announced date next year. According to a report on GreenCarReports.com, the new Fiesta will have 123 horsepower and 148 lb-ft. of peak torque at 1,400 rpm. Ford didn’t quote projected gas-mileage ratings, but it did say the 1.0-liter EcoBoost in the 2014 Fiesta would get the highest gas mileage rating “of any non-hybrid

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LA Auto Show: Honda, Subaru, Toyota among 12 carmakers in new green technology showcase

The Los Angeles Auto Show for several years has been at the forefront of the automotive industry’s green car technology. The selection of the Green Car of the Year is a highlight of the year’s first major car show. Green and Advanced Technology Ride and Drive But this year, under a new category, approximately 25 vehicles from a dozen manufacturers will participate in the Green and Advanced Technology Ride & Drive. The program will offer a preview and media test drive sessions of the latest in-car innovations and fuel-efficient vehicles. The participating vehicles will represent the latest evolutions of electric, hybrid, clean diesel and fuel cell. The latest driver assist platforms featured will include front crash mitigation, adaptive cruise control,

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Acura to Subaru, BMW to Toyota among dozens of LA Auto Show world debuts

World debuts from Acura to Toyota and BMW to Subaru are among the nearly 50 vehicle unveilings at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the nearly two-week display of the automotive world’s best: electric vehicles to performance and luxury designs. Media days Nov. 28-29 will be followed by the public show, Nov. 30-Dec. 9, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The debut lineup also includes world firsts from U.S. manufacturers Chevrolet and Ford, as well as European automakers BMW, Fiat, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen. Asian carmaker debuts will also Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Nissan models. These debuts will highlight the latest in-car technologies, as well as continued fuel-efficiency with several hybrid, electric and alternative-fuel vehicles. Overall, there will be two

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Chevrolet Corvette, 2014: Out with the old, in with the new in January 2013

The seventh generation Chevrolet Corvette will be introduced Jan. 13 in Detroit, a few days prior to the North America International Auto Show, and will feature little from previous editions of the iconic sports car that debuted in 1953. The new Corvette will have only two parts from the sixth-generation Corvette — a cabin air filter and the rear latch for the removable roof panel. The current generation Corvette, or C6, was introduced as a 2005 model. As as tease to the 2014 Corvette, the automaker revealed the vehicle’s new crossed flags logo. The new logo was selected from more than 100 logo candidates. General Motors said production of the 2014 Corvette will begin in the third quarter of 2013.

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Concours on the Avenue, Carmel, 2012: Jaguar to Muscle Cars, Maserati to Mercedes-Benz

Concours on the Avenue is an ideal way to begin Monterey Auto Week. It’s low-key with a great mix of automobiles parked on Ocean Ave., and adjoining side streets for a one-day, judged show. The beauty of the show, this year, held Aug. 14, is the combination of the cars and their  engaging owners eager to discuss their vehicles w — Bugatti to Buick, Ferrari to Ford Pinto — with the public. And it’s hard to go wrong with a car show stationed in Carmel. The weather was in the mid-60s and the sunshine, as per Monterey Peninsula tradition and right on time, arrived in late morning. Bruce Aldrich publisher of I’mTahoeLive,com, filmed and edited the video below. James Raia,

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Monterey Auto Week showcases all things cars, Ferrari to Ford, Bugatti to Bentley

Monterey Auto Week is the unofficial name of all things automotive on the Monterey Peninsula during the month of August. The name doesn’t make sense because combined the car-related activities last for about two weeks. The Concours d’Elegance, of course, is the most well-known event during Monterey Auto Week, but my favorite celebration of cars for the last few years has been the Concours on the Avenue. It’s a free, full-day gathering on Ocean Ave. and several side streets in Carmel where a vast collection of automobiles, Bentley to Volkswagen, Ferrari to Porsche, are on display and judged. The beauty of the event is that unlike some of the other events during Monterey Auto Week, the cars are parked at

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Tour de France, 2012: Citroen exhibit showcases iconic French carmaker

Bugatti, Citroën, Peugeot and Renault are the current major French automakers. With the exception of Bugatti, French highways and country roads are often crowded with many models, new and old, from the other three carmakers. And also with the exception of Bugatti, I’ve driven new models of Citroën, Peugeot and Renault as rental cars in different years since I began attending the Tour de France in 1997. French cars, like other countries’ cars, have strengths and weaknesses, Yet, French cars often get criticized unfairly. While none of the carmakers’ vehicles I’ve driven could be described as performance cars, all three got me through three weeks and about 4,000 miles of driving, including some treacherous ordeals in the Pyrenees and the

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Dick Clark: rock & roll icon, purveyor of 1957 classic car museum

Dick Clark was synonymous with rock & roll. But like many celebrities, the host of American Bandstand who died April 17 of a heart attack at age 82, was an avid automobile collector. Of course, 1957 was an iconic year for the music, the man and the cars, most notably the ’57 Chevy. Clark had many cars in his collection, including the iconic ’57 Chevy Larkspur Blue drop top with a dual-barrel 283 V8 with a Continental kit. Clark’s collection was located in a museum called the 57 Heaven Museum in Branson, Missouri. It was part of one of Clark’s many businesses, the American Bandstand restaurant chain. The 57 Heaven Museum closed in 2009, and the cars were sold by

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Rhode Island, Chicago, Baltimore among February car show locations

Five major car shows are scheduled in North America in February beginning with the Northeast International Auto Show scheduled Feb 2-5 at the Rhode Island Convention in Providence, R.I. Automotive shows are also scheduled in Baltimore, Chicago, Iowa in Toronto during February. Dates, locations and websites of February car shows are listed below: February 2-5 Northeast Int’l Auto Show Rhode Island Convention Center Providence, R.I. www.ProvidenceAutoShow.com February 9-12 Motor Trend International Auto Show / Baltimore Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, MD www.AutoShowBaltimore.com February 10-19 Chicago Auto Show McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. www.chicagoautoshow.com February 10-12 Iowa-Illinois Regional Auto Show River Center Convention Center Davenport, IA www.quadcityautoshow.com February 17-26 Canadian International Auto Show Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Rogers Centre, Toronto, CANADA www.autoshow.ca

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