1206_audi_a7

2012-13 Audi Lease Rates – June 2012

Got RS5 numbers this month. 2013 A4/A5/S5 numbers replace 2012 A4 numbers. Surprisingly enough, both 2012 and 2013 models are getting loyalty cash rebates this month. Not a lot of sales data available on the 2013 models since they just came out, so I was very tempted to go with factory invoice minus loyalty cash. However, this may be unrealistic since this is a 2013, so I decided to go with $500 over invoice (ala BMW) minus loyalty cash. Not pretty, but I think the attractiveness (or lack thereof) of this deal is mainly due to the weak residual (for a 2013 model) and somewhat higher MF. Of course, the sale price could use some discounting too, but it’s brand spanking new so don’t expect too much in of a break there.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2013 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
MSRP – $35,495
Sale Price – $33,263 ($1000 loyalty cash applied)
Monthly – $453+ tax
RWG Rating – 81.6

Support my site by getting your “no obligation” quotes from:
TrueCar
CarsDirect.com


2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00071 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00051 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00051 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A7 PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00124 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A8 SEDAN 4.2
36 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00053 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q5 2.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00134 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00144 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L TDI PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00142 Base Rate

2012 AUDI TT 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00014 Base Rate

2013 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00152 Base Rate

2013 AUDI A5 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00174 Base Rate

2013 AUDI A5 2.0T CONVERTIBLE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00135 Base Rate

2013 AUDI S4 PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00141 Base Rate

2013 AUDI S5 COUPE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00161 Base Rate

2013 AUDI S5 CONVERTIBLE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00136 Base Rate

2013 AUDI RS5 COUPE
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00175 Base Rate

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2012 Audi Lease Rates – May 2012

Booo! Confirmed the $1500 was not applicable to leases…However, you can still use it if you don’t use Audi Financial Services to finance the lease. You won’t have access to the $750 though since that’s only through AFS. Sorry about that folks! I got everyone excited over a great lease and it turned out the biggest incentive of all didn’t really apply to leases. There is a silver lining though! It looks like there is a $1000 in conquest cash available on the A4 CVT model. Again, my apologies for getting everyone all excited about leasing an Audi. I do think the numbers have improved though, so that’s a start. Still a lot of 2012 left for things to get better!

You will NOT see me say this often, so pay attention. Audi has revised their lease rates for May and as expected, the residual values and money factors have dropped. Here’s where things get interesting…Looking at the Audi A4 Quattro Premium, there is $1500 in loyalty cash PLUS $750 in lease cash that is available. If you are an existing Audi customer, there is a lot of potential here!

Using TrueCar data, I am getting a whopping 93.0 RWG rating on the A4 Premium Quattro. Of course, the catch is that you need to qualify for that fat $1500 loyalty cash. Amazingly enough, this is the first time in five months that I can actually recommend an Audi lease. Shocking, I know.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
MSRP – $35,475
Sale Price – $32,959 ($750 lease cash applied)
Monthly – $416+ tax
RWG Rating – 93.0

Support my site by getting your “no obligation” quotes from:
TrueCar
CarsDirect.com


2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00071 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00026 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00085 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T CONVERTIBLE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00038 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00051 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00051 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A7 PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00051 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A8 SEDAN
36 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00053 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q5 2.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00134 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00144 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L TDI PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00142 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S4 PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00044 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 COUPE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00081 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 CONVERTIBLE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00086 Base Rate

2012 AUDI TT 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00014 Base Rate

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2012 Audi Lease Rates – April 2012

No change from last month. Incentives remain the same as well. There really isn’t much to say about Audis. I don’t really find their lease programs all that attractive right now so it’s tough to recommend as a lease. Sure, there is lease cash and loyalty cash available for retail purchases, but I think the residual is too low and the average sale price isn’t aggressive enough to turn a lease into a great deal. I’m not holding out a lot of hope for great Audi leases this month. However, if you are planning to lease an Audi this month, please drop in and leave a comment about the quotes you are getting. I am interested in seeing what kind of numbers you are getting.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
MSRP – $35,475
Sale Price – $33,593 ($750 loyalty lease cash applied)
Monthly – $453+ tax
RWG Rating – 81.5

Support my site by getting your “no obligation” quotes from:
TrueCar
Edmunds.com
CarsDirect.com


2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00089 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00080 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00122 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T CONVERTIBLE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00075 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00070 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00070 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A7 PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00143 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A8 SEDAN
36 Month – Residual 44% of MSRP – .00057 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q5 2.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00136 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00162 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L TDI PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00160 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S4 PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00062 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 COUPE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00099 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 CONVERTIBLE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00104 Base Rate

2012 AUDI TT 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00034 Base Rate

1203_audi_rims

2012 Audi Lease Rates – March 2012

It seems all Audi’s got a drop in residual value (1-2%). They also received a MF adjustment to compensate for the loss in residual. There is one exception, the Q7 got a slight bump on the MF. Not I understand the logic there.

I’m going to switch gears this month and switch my sample calculation to the A4 (instead of the A3). In SoCal, TrueCar indicates a sale price of about 3% off MSRP before any incentives are applied. Audi is offering customer cash in a variety of ways:

  1. $1500 loyalty cash for retail purchases.
  2. $1000 new owner cash. I think this is similar to a conquest cash…restrictions do apply.
  3. $750 loyalty cash for leases.

On a different note, you can get 1.9% financing on the A4 up to 5 years. The lease MF is practically the same 0.00080 x 2400 = 1.92% so there isn’t much of an advantage to buy.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
MSRP – $35,475
Sale Price – $33,593 ($750 loyalty lease cash applied)
Monthly – $453+ tax
RWG Rating – 81.5

Support my site by getting your “no obligation” quotes from:
TrueCar
Edmunds.com
CarsDirect.com


2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00089 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00080 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00122 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T CONVERTIBLE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00075 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00070 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00070 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A7 PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00143 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A8 SEDAN
36 Month – Residual 44% of MSRP – .00057 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q5 2.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00136 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00162 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L TDI PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00160 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S4 PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00062 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 COUPE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00099 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 CONVERTIBLE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00104 Base Rate

2012 AUDI TT 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00034 Base Rate

1202_audi_a7

2012 Audi Lease Rates – February 2012

There is no change to Audi numbers this month. If you haven’t noticed the pattern, it seems lease rates change every other month in most cases. There have been a few times where numbers either changed monthly or bi-monthly, but it’s been monthly every other month. Expect lease rates to change in March.

I don’t have any recommendations for Audi’s this month because they just don’t look very attractive. Without any incentives, you are looking at anywhere from 0% off MSRP to about 3%, depending on the model. If you factor in the lukewarm lease numbers, you pretty much get a below average lease. Alternatively, there are decent 60-month financing rates available for select models, such as 1.9% for the A3.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
MSRP – $31,725
Sale Price – $29,802 ($1000 loyalty cash applied)
Monthly – $411+ tax
RWG Rating – 80.7

Support my site by getting your “no obligation” quotes from:
TrueCar
Edmunds.com
CarsDirect.com


2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00126 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00098 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00140 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T CONVERTIBLE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00120 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00089 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00089 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A7 PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00161 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A8 SEDAN
36 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00077 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q5 2.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00155 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00155 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L TDI PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00154 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S4 PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00080 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 COUPE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00117 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 CONVERTIBLE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00122 Base Rate

2012 AUDI TT 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00053 Base Rate

1201_audi_s6

2012 Audi Lease Rates – January 2012

As usual, Audi dropped the residual and money factor for this month. I haven’t seen an Audi lease I liked, but the A3 always look promising, but usually ends up disappointing. There are two major issues with Audi leases. 1) The combination of sale price, residual and money factor rarely aligns properly in order to provide you with an outstanding lease. 2) Audi does not like it when you trade in your car to non-Audi dealers before lease expires, so the payoff is inflated in order to discourage that practice.

Anyway, moving on to my sample calculation below, the A3 last month yielded a 83.1 RWG rating. This month, the rating drops to 80.7, making it very unattractive. I’m not seeing any incentives on Edmunds right now, but doesn’t mean there aren’t any. I recommend checking the Edmunds Incentives page often because sometimes it just hasn’t been updated yet.

Please note that I am not saying that you shouldn’t lease an Audi. My job here it to let you know that if you are looking for a deal, Audis probably aren’t what you should be driving. However, if you love Audis and will settle for nothing less, make sure you nail a competitive sale price, pick a model that has low money factor and high residual, and opt for MSDs if your state allows them.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
MSRP – $31,725
Sale Price – $29,802
Monthly – $411+ tax
RWG Rating – 80.7

Support my site by getting your “no obligation” quotes from:
Edmunds.com
CarsDirect.com


2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00126 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00098 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00140 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T CONVERTIBLE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00120 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00089 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00089 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A7 PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00161 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A8 SEDAN
36 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00077 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q5 2.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00155 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00155 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L TDI PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00154 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S4 PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00080 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 COUPE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00117 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 CONVERTIBLE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00122 Base Rate

2012 AUDI TT 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00053 Base Rate

1112_audi_s7

2012 Audi Lease Rates – December 2011

November lease rates carry over into December. The loyalty lease cash is still available. Please check Edmunds’ page for more information. If you plan to buy, there’s a separate cash incentive you may qualify for. Overall, Audi leases suck. They suck so bad that I can’t, in good conscience, recommend leasing one. On the other hand, I have no problems recommending them as purchases since they throw a good incentives at them plus there’s 1.9% financing available for most models.


Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
MSRP – $31,725
Sale Price – $29,202 (*$500 loyalty lease cash)
Monthly – $394+ tax
RWG Rating – 83.1

Support my site by getting your “no obligation” quotes from:

TrueCar.com


2012 AUDI A3 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00144 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A4 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00133 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T COUPE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00158 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A5 2.0T CONVERTIBLE QUATTRO PREMIUM AT
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00138 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00108 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A6 3.0L QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00108 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A7 PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00161 Base Rate

2012 AUDI A8 SEDAN
36 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00097 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q5 2.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00157 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00172 Base Rate

2012 AUDI Q7 3.0L TDI PREMIUM
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00172 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S4 PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00137 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 COUPE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00146 Base Rate

2012 AUDI S5 CONVERTIBLE PREMIUM PLUS AT
36 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00140 Base Rate

2012 AUDI TT 2.0T QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00071 Base Rate

1111_jaguar_xc16

2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Last year, the Lotus Esprit blew me away. This year, my vote for “Car of the Show” at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show has to be the Jaguar XC16. I’ve examined the car from all angles and I cannot find one in which this car looks awkward. If I could mix and match cars, I would take the GT-R in XC16 clothing. That would be my ideal dream car.

Moving on…This year’s Auto Show did not have as many concepts as last year. It felt a little bit more “toned down”, possibly due to the economy. Despite this, it wasn’t a bad show. I didn’t get to spend as much time as I wanted to, but that was fine because much of what was at the LA show was also at the OC show. There were just a little more “high end” cars, but that’s about it.

Here is a quick run down of what was at the show and a few highlights

Acura – Nothing new. Their lineup was quite stale at the OC Show and it remained that way two months later at the LA Show.

Audi – A6/S6 and the A7/S7 were the new rides this year.

Audi S7 Audi S6

BMW – They showed off the iSeries which you probably have seen in most enthusiast websites/magazines. I also took some pictures of the concept a few years back. From what I understand, the i8 is supposed to make it to production with few changes (I am certain the glass doors are gone).

BMW i8 BMW i3

Buick – The Verano is ugly. Enuff said.

Buick Verano Buick Verano

Cadillac – Showed up the Ciel, which was featured at Pebble Beach and the Converj, which was at a previous auto show some years back. I believe the Converj will be either an electric or hybrid car and will have performance that matches it’s aggressive looks. Possible the next CTS-V? Perhaps.

Cadillac Converj Cadillac Converj Cadillac Converj Cadillac Ciel Cadillac Ciel

Chevrolet – I think you’ve seen enough Cruzes, Camaros, Coverttes and Volts to last you a while. NEXT!

Chrysler – As I was saying on the OC Show post. The 300 is one American sedan I would consider driving. Beats speaker system is truly insane for one that comes factory installed. I felt so gansta sitting in the backseat as the speakers were blaring Dr Dre tunes.

Chrysler 300 Chrysler 300

Dodge – Super Bee Charger in the House! The car looks mean! The HEMI looks meaner. Overall, I’m very happy to see Chrysler cars improving in such as short time. Now, I would like to see Chrysler pull a Volvo and start introducing some sweet leases for us.

Dodge Charger Super Bee Dodge Charger Super Bee Dodge Charger Super Bee

Ford – The Escape was really the only “new” car to be introduced. It didn’t exactly wow me, but I can see it stealing some of the CR-Vs dominance (you will see what I mean when you see pics of the production-ready CR-V).

Ford Escape Ford Escape

Honda – What a let down! The production-ready CR-V looks gutless! And if it drives anything like the old model, it’s performance will be gutless too! Check out the interior! Can we say weak sauce? Can’t wait to see what Consumer Reports does to the CR-V on their next review.

Honda CR-V Honda CR-V Honda CR-V

Hyundai – The Azera really wow’ed me. After talking to the product adviser and sitting in the car for a good 5-10 minutes, I came away impressed. The leather is soft and supple. The interior is well put together. The center stack follows the same overall layout found in most new Hyundais, but has a noticeably more “upscale” feel. The estimated MSRP is going to be in the low $30,000s, with most experts estimating it to be around $32,000. Everything, including Nav, comes standard. The only possible option (from what I am hearing) is the panoramic moonroof and maybe the window shaders, although those could be standard too. If you thought the Buick LaCrosse was the Lexus ES killer, think again.

Hyundai Azera Hyundai Azera Hyundai Azera Hyundai Azera

Infiniti – The JX35 was introduced as a 7-passenger SUV. Not impressed. It looks like a weak attempt at cloning the Toyota Highlander which can be had for thousands less (if you don’t care about having quality interior materials). I’d be surprised if they sell more JX’s than EX’s. I would have liked to see a concept version of the new G-Coupe based off the Essence. That would have been fun to see.

Infiniti JX35 Infiniti JX35 Infiniti JX35

Jaguar – XC16 all the way. This car is a beaut! If they would have given it a better sounding name instead of the typical “Letters + Numbers”, I’d name my kid after it. “Come here XC16!” just doesn’t have nice ring to it.

Jaguar XC16 Jaguar XC16 Jaguar XC16 Jaguar XC16 Jaguar XC16

Jeep – New Compass and Patriot look like baby GCs, except the proportions are all wrong. I know Jeeps are meant to be rugged, but they could have done a little more to the interior. In contrast, you can see the GC looks nice inside and out. Even the storage area looks high end with fancy chrome touches.

Jeep Compass Jeep Grand Cherokee Jeep Grand Cherokee Jeep Grand Cherokee Jeep Patriot

Kia – GT concept looks cool, but not as sexy as the XC16. It does show a lot of promise and possibly a glimpse of things to come. Michelle Wie gets a custom Kia Soul! I highly doubt she would be caught dead in one. Them Rappin’/Dancin’ Hamsters, on the other hand, are a hoot. They give the Soul some street cred. Definitely cooler than rolling in a cardboard box, toaster or dryer.

Michelle Wie Kia Soul Kia GT Kia GT Kia GT Kia GT Kia GT

Land Rover – Not much to say here. Doubt any of these rides will ever make it into production, but they are fun to look at.  They almost feel like they will transform into a robot at any moment.

Land Rover Concept Land Rover Concept

Lexus – More LF-A. *Yawn*

Lincoln – *Crickets*

Mazda – The CX5 actually look pretty good. You can totally see the styling cues of the Shinari concept on the front fascia. I really hope this crossover does well and gives the CR-V and Escape a run for their money.

Mazda CX5 Mazda CX5 Mazda CX5 Mazda CX5

Mercedes-Benz – I’ve pretty much seen all of the “new” models on the street or in previous Auto Shows with the exception of the C63 Black Edition. This thing rocks. It’s like Europe’s answer to the mean-looking American car!

Mercedez-Benz C63 Black Edition Mercedez-Benz C63 Black Edition Mercedez-Benz C63 Black Edition

MINI – See OC Auto Show…

Mitsubishi – I didn’t bother stopping by…actually, I don’t recall seeing them at the show. Maybe I stopped caring…

Nissan – Last year they had the Ellure. This year they had…NOTHING!

Porsche – Showed off their Panamera Hybrid and the usual 911s, Cayennes, Boxters and Caymans.

Porsche Panamera Porsche Panamera Hybrid

Scion – FR-S was in the house this year and it looks great! For those that have not been following the FR-S, expect about 200hp and a $24k price tag once it’s released. I don’t expect the production model to look too different unless Toyota decides to cheapen the experience some more. If the price is reasonable, this could very well be sitting in my driveway on day.

Scion FR-S Scion FR-S Scion FR-S

Subaru – Just like the FR-S, the BRZ should be priced and spec’ed at around the same range. There is talk of a STi trim, but I haven’t seen any details on that just yet. Originally, I thought the BRZ was the clear winner in the “looks” department, but after seeing them both in person, I have to go with the Scion.

Subaru BRZ Subaru BRZ Subaru BRZ

Volvo – Same cars as last year. Same cars as this year’s OC show. Nothing new to report.

VW – A Beetle R was on display and it still looks girly. Hood vents and quad-exhaust pipes do tone down the estrogen somewhat though. For the record, I don’t have a problem with the Beetle looking girly. It’s just that VW is trying so hard to market the Beetle as being more “unisex” and I just don’t think its happening. Maybe if they dropped a huge supercharger hood scoop? Nah….

Volkswagen Beetle R Volkswagen Beetle R Volkswagen Beetle R

Others – Here you will find some pics I took of the more “unusual” cars.

XD XD XD Morgan Aero Morgan Aero Morgan Aero Lotus Evora Lotus Evora