Consumer and Car Exam News # 26: News and notes from the O.C. Auto Show

News and notes from the O.C. Auto Show

The Orange County Auto Show wrapped up in early October, but The Car Exam has some relevant news and notes it wants to share:

1. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt:

Chevrolet Product Development Specialist Tricia Opper gave me a tour of the 2011 Chevrloet Volt, which The Car Exam has covered extensively in recent months--though I have yet to drive it (I have driven its direct competition, the Nissan Leaf, which I will review in an upcoming article). I asked Ms. Opper who will be the the typical Volt customer? She explains the Volt will be “Perfect for anyone. Nearly 80% [of all drivers] drive less than 40 miles to work.”




Combined with the fact that the Chevy Volt has a gasoline engine that kicks in after the lithium ion batteries lose their charge and can take the driver about another 300 miles, she might be on to something. As long as the driver has gas in the tank, "range anxiety" should not be a problem for people wanting to take trips longer than 25-50 miles, which is the range of the Volt batteries (depending upon driving conditions and the use of electrical accessories, of course).

What's the top speed of the Chevy Volt? Ms. Opper tells me it's 100 miles per hour, but "it's best to drive the speed limit"--I can't argue with her there! :)




2. Jaguar News:

Colleen, a Product Specialist for Jaguar showed me some new cars, including the XKR (which starts at $90,000 dollars), and the Jaguar XJ, which ranges in base price from $73,575 to $114,075. 510 hp Supercharged models are available for customers who have the need to move faster, and some features available on the XJ line include HD dashboard and Panoramic glass.




3. Land Rover News:

Dora, a Product Specialist for Land Rover showed me SUV's from their product line: the LR2 (which starts at $36,350)--Land Rover's smallest vehicle, the LR4 (base price: $48,500); the Range Rover Sport (base price $60,500), and the Range Rover HSE (base price: $79,700--but $95,500 for the supercharged model). Dora briefly spoke about the the upcoming 2012 Evoque model, which will be a very important addition for the Land Rover brand.




4. Notes from Motor Trend's Jonny Lieberman:

I had an opportunity to meet and chat with Motor Trend magazine's Jonny Lieberman, and he graciously showed me around the floor of the auto show. Here are some vehicles we spoke about:

A. The Cadillac XLS, the big sedan poised to replace both the DTS and the STS (there may be a hybrid model).

B. The return of the Volkswagen Phaeton to the U.S. market--will it work? Jonny says it sells well in Europe--it's an aspirational vehicle there, but it wasn't here in the United States. However, it does share a platform with the Bentley Continental. I'm not too optimistic about the expensive Phaeton.

C. Upcoming Cars to look for at the Detroit Auto Show: A new Lamborghini, the revised Bentley Continental, and the new Volvo S60.

D. Will the Fiat 500 be a viable car in the U.S. market? It can be. Also, Fiat plans to to bring vans and trucks to the U.S. market as well, so it looks like it is going to take full advantage of its affiliation with Chrysler.



5. The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

This is one sharp-looking Mustang--period. The legendary Boss 302 returns for the 2012 model year, and a reported 440-plus horsepower V8 engine on tap. The track model, the Laguna Seca Boss 302 was on display.








Its menacing, yet spectacular black paint with red trim looks absolutely terrific on the Mustang, and Ford shouldn't have any problem selling them--if the economy doesn't go into the tank any further, that is. The 2012 Mustang Boss 302 definitely looks like a winner.










Written by P. Scott © 2010, 2011