[stovt001]

I spent most of the day at the Auto Show on Saturday. I'll post my thoughts on other cars in the "Other Cars" forum (obviously) but here's my thoughts on the three pony cars:

First up was the new Mustang at the Ford stand. Surprisingly, they had new redesigned models that they allowed the public to sit in. These were finished models, and I have to say the interior materials were quite nice. This really is one area Ford is pulling ahead of GM on. Exterior design was very sexy. Interior design was nice and a little stylish, but on balance nothing too special. Mechanically, well it is still the antiquated blunt instrument that has been criticized to death. I listened to the presentation hoping they would ask if anyone had any questions, so I could ask them to compare the engines and suspension to the new Camaro. Sadly, they knew someone would ask so they took no questions at all. I did start comparing the two cars with other people in the crowd, and one person said "psh, sure, if GM doesn't run out of money before they make a Camaro" which is a true point, but still does nothing to argue against the Camaro being a vastly superior car.

Over to the Camaro, well let me just say, if you've only seen this car in pictures, you don't know half the story. Pictures can't do it justice. You see the Camaro in person, and you're in the presence of automotive greatness, the result of a product team that did not seek to merely beat the competition, but to design a truly great car. To me, it looked smaller in person than it does in pictures. Not smaller as in "whoa that's puny" but smaller as in "that is one lean, mean, performance machine". I wasn't much moved by the pictures of Camaro Black, but in person that is one awesome car. It looks simply amazing. One of the presenters noticed my Camaro shirt and I also applauded his spiel (yes, I am a fanboy and I proudly admit it) and he asked if I had any questions, so I asked if I could sit in it. It was worth a shot. He said they weren't production cars and were assembled with non-production materials, so they couldn't hold up to people getting in and out of them, so they were off limits to guests, period. So there's further proof that the materials the Edmunds editor complained about are NOT the final materials. Fear not. Anyway I'm looking for stuff to sell because I must have my Camaro now, not in a few years. True greatness.

Then over to the Challenger - I could not have been more disappointed. IT. WAS. NOT. ANY. GOOD. Oh sure the exterior styling is good, but sit inside it and you feel like you were in a car that was designed to exemplify the word "generic". Parts bin does not even begin to describe it. And it feels HUGE! It makes my 1970 Cutlass feel like a Smart Car. After a minute in the driver's seat I was almost comatose.

One final note relating to other cars: I sat in numerous performance cars with Recaro seats, and the Camaro really needs to offer a Recaro option. If/when we get a Z28, it MUST have Recaros. One in particular with leather sides and suede seating surfaces held you in place like a cat on velcro. Very nice.