2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Published 2011/11/212012/01/11 by G

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.

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).

Buick – The Verano is ugly. Enuff said.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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….

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

2010 Los Angeles Auto Show

Published 2010/11/222011/11/21 by G

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the LA Auto Show, courtesy of Audi. This year, unlike the previous one, has been filled with some pleasant surprises. There were some unusual absences from high-end players such as Ferrari and Lamborghini (they were usually found at the Concourse, but I didn’t see any time time around), but I personally felt that many of the mainstream brands plus Lotus did enough in their showcases to make up for it. Concept cars such as Mazda’s Shinari and Nissan’s Ellure provided a nice preview of what’s to come. Overall, I was most impressed with Lotus’s new product line and I really hope that their new direction will result in sustainable success. I know some of the purists out there are disappointed with the company straying from their roots, but I think that given their financial situation, they probably didn’t have much of a choice.

As usual, here is my rundown of what I found interesting at the show this year.

Porsche. Like always, you will find Porsche in that all-familiar room just to the right of the West Hall entrance. Notable rides are the Cayenne Hybrid, Speedster and the Cayman R, to name a few. Overall, strong showing.

Ford. The Explorer reminds me a lot of a Range Rover, which I’m not all that crazy about. The Focus ST is one sweet hatch that should easily smoke most of the competition and give the MS3 a run for it’s money. They were also running a $50 gift car promo for test driving a Ford, which I signed up for. I was planning to test drive the Edge anyway, so why not make $50 bucks out of that experience, right?

Lincoln. Despite Ford’s success with their core brand, Lincoln is in severe need for an overhaul. I did not like ANY of their cars. The marketing, the design, everything…just doesn’t work. The “shark-teeth” grill has to go too. Plus there really isn’t anything original here, just a bunch of pimped-up and re-badged Ford models which some may find difficult to love.

Mitsubishi has not made anything significant in quite some time and this year is no exception. They do have a mini EV, but I can’t see how folks would want something that small when they can opt for something like a Leaf or a Fit EV. Besides that, the Eclipse looks unchanged and there are better crossover options than the Outlander.

Volvo brought in a plug-in electric C30, but besides that, I didn’t see anything new. That isn’t a bad thing, I think Volvo has a very capable line-up with the newly redesign S60 and the XC60. Here is a random fact for you, the actual trunk space of the S60 is 4 cubic inches smaller than my wife’s Jetta Wolfsburg. That is pretty sad considering how much smaller the Jetta is compared to the S60.

Subaru showcased the new Impreza Concept and I love it! If Subaru doesn’t produce this (as is), they are insane. On a side note, I spent some time inside the Forester and I liked it better than the Outback. Afterwards, I went to TrueCar and optioned both vehicles and realize how much cheaper the Forester is compared to the Outback. Anyway, it looks like the Outback will be scratched from my shopping list on Round 3 of “Replacing the G“, which I will probably get to sometime next month or early next year.

Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler seems to have come a bit more prepared this year. As you know, I was pleasantly surprised by the Grand Cherokee’s redesign. I also took a liking to the new Charger which is vastly improved compared to the outgoing model. It seems more polished and it looks better in person than in pictures. I also climbed into the 3rd row seat of a Durango, which was actually adequate for someone around my size (5’10). I don’t think I would want to ride back there for more than a few hours though. For about $30k, you can get a base Durango with a 3rd row and a V6, which is in line with Honda’s Pilot and Toyota’s Highlander. Ironically, the Chryslers were underwhelming; the C300 looked almost unchanged and the 200 appeared underdeveloped, even in it’s sporty S trim.

Fiat brought tall, leggy models…err “product advisers” and the 500 into the show. This micromobile will only appeal to those shopping for a Smart car, which doesn’t apply to most of us. Surprisingly, these 6-foot “product advisers” actually fit inside these cars.

Nissan came ready to play this year and brought in some heavy hitters. The besides the usual fare (GT-R, Z, Rogue, Murano, Altima and Maxima), Nissan brought the Leaf, Juke, the convertible Murano and the Ellure concept, which produced many “oohs and ahhhs” from the crowd. The likelihood of ever getting a Nissan with “suicide” doors is probably zero, but it would be nice to see some of those design elements on future Altimas and Maximas.

Honda brought the FC, which is actually leased in limited quantities right now. Not exactly a new car, but certainly unique. I tried to cozy up with the CrossTour since it’s such a good deal this month, but couldn’t. Somehow, this car has a tendency to attract empty-nesters so I was probably one of the youngest people anywhere near the CrossTour. A new Fit was introduced as a EV, which should compete nicely with the Leaf. I also tried to cozy up with a fully-loaded Pilot and I think I could see myself in one. Sure, its ugly, but the interior is not half bad. Hypothetically, I can imagine my family being a “Honda family”; with the wife rolling in an Accord. Me rolling in a Pilot and a pimped out CR-Z R hiding inside my garage. Aah! I can see it now…

Lotus. I actually had to wait in line to get into their showroom because there were just so many people wanting in. That actually proved to be a good thing because it allowed me to take pictures peacefully without folks walking in front of me, which allowed me to take decent shots of their entire line-up. As I mentioned before, I have high hopes that Lotus will prevail in bringing their brand more mainstream. When that happens, maybe this blog will be worth over $100k, then I will just sell it and buy one of those Esprits! Haahaa, yeah, right.

Hyundai’s newest redesign comes as the Elantra. Like the Sonata, the Elantra got a heavy makeover and the results are pleasing. The interior is redone in a very Sonata-esque fashion which should appeal to most folks. The compact sedan market is suddenly seeing HUGE competition with the Focus, Corolla, Cruze and the Elantra getting significant updates. Here’s hoping Honda doesn’t get left behind because the Civic is starting to look aged. I also got a chance to sit inside a Sonata Hybrid and it feels…exactly the same as the other ones. The Hybrid should be arriving in dealerships sometime in the first quarter of 2011.

Audi sent me a pair of tickets to the show this year via a Twitter promotion, so many thanks to the folks in Audi’s marketing/PR department. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a lot of Audi pictures for two reasons: a) way too crowded. b) nothing I haven’t already seen at the OC Auto Show in October.

Lexus brought the LFA, a re-badged/re-tuned Prius and their usual suspects. The LFA looks unchanged from the prototype pics I took a year or two ago, so seeing it again was anti-climactic. The Lexus “Prius” comes to us as the Lexus 250h, which according to some “First Drive” reports, isn’t all that exciting. Toyota used to hold a special place in my heart (my very first car was a hand-me-down ’80 Toyota Cressida), but not anymore. Cost-cutting has really killed the brand for me and I will not longer consider one, not even in luxury form. Of course, this isn’t really news to you guys.

Mercedes-Benz didn’t bring anything newsworthy to the table. I was hoping they would bring the 2012 ML and CLS, but I didn’t see them. It is very possible that I might have missed them because I was wrapped up with the latest incarnations of the E-Class (convertible & wagon).

BMW showed off the 6-series concept which I looks sharp and a very solid replacement for the existing 6. I also saw the newly redesign 5 and I feel that they did an admirable job with that one too. Less impressive was the X3 which doesn’t seem to offer anything extraordinary relative to the $700+ per month lease payment some of us have estimated (see discussions in BMW November 2010 lease rates post).

MINI introduced the Countryman, which is essentially a four-seat compact SUV. Yup, a MINI SUV…it’s like an oxymoron.

Buick. The LaCrosse is an excellent Lexus ES killer and the Regal is supposed at least put up a fight in a world dominated by the 3-series. So far reports say otherwise on the CXL, so GM introduces the Regal GS. A 2.0L Turbo four that pumps out 255hp and 295ft of torque. Sounds impressive, but I would much rather have the Pontiac G8 GT’s thundering V8 under my hood even at the expense of lower MPG. As for the fit-and-finish, the Regal looks classy and well-put together inside and out, but still, BMW has no reason to fear anyone not named Infiniti.

Mazda put on a serious show with the Shinari concept. If any of this sweet ride’s design elements ever cross over into the Mazda6 or perhaps the RX8, you will see one in my driveway.

Acura. With the exception of the TSX wagon, Acura did not have anything new to show this time around. Not even a concept. Upon closer inspection, I’ve come to realize I don’t want a TSX wagon. I don’t care for it’s styling, I much prefer the sedan.

Cadillac showed the ULC concept which is probably not likely to hit the streets. Besides that, there isn’t anything else that isn’t already on sale.

Infiniti finally decided to bring the Essence to LA. This concept created a nice buzz around the show, which a big crowd gathering around it to take pictures. If Nissan is as daring as I think they are, they should put this model into production so that it can compete against other high-end performance coupes.

Volkswagen revamped the Eos and the Touareg which brings a sort of “uniformness” to the whole VW line. I personally dig it, so no complaints here. The Jetta SEL with Sports Pkg caught my eye and I found this package to be effective in making the Jetta look less “vanilla”. Unfortunately it doesn’t do much to the simplified interior. One has to wonder why this trim doesn’t come with a DSG.

The Rest. After about 4 and a half hours, I was so tired that I ended up skipping the rest of the manufacturers. Some for good reason (Toyota) and other because I had no choice. I don’t think I missed too much though. Maybe the Range Rover Evoque, but that’s about it.

If you haven’t made it to the show yet, go check it out! If you are in the market for a new car in the next 12 months, even more of a reason to go! Should you be on the fence about it or simple don’t live anywhere near downtown LA, here are some pics to wet your appetite. Enjoy!

LA Auto Show 2009

Published 2009/12/112010/11/04 by G

The 2009 Auto Show, overall, was worse than the 2008 show. That says a lot because the 2008 show wasn’t all that good either. However, considering the state of the industry in these economic times, one has to be surprised to even see an auto show these days. Before I get started with my list of highlights from the show, I’d like to point out that many manufacturers skipped out on this years show. Notable absentees include: Nissan/Infiniti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Saturn (obvious reasons) and Pontiac (even more obvious). The most surprising participant was Saab. Considering what’s going on with Saab right now, I wasn’t expecting them to be there at all. For all we know, their future may not extend past this holiday season. That would explain why the didn’t show their concept cars this year.

Now lets move on to my First Annual RwG Auto Show Awards! Remember these are personal opinions, which are open to debate. Chime in if you disagree!

Star(s) of the Show: I would have to give the Audi R8 Roadster and the Lexus LF-A the nod on this year’s show. Last year, the one that impressed me most was the Buick Riviera. This year, I didn’t even recall seeing it. Nevertheless, these two super cars are sexy and I wouldn’t mind having either one parked in my garage at some point in my life.

Runner-up: Fisker Karma/Sunset.

Concept of the Show: I would have to give this award to the Honda P-Nut. Probably the strangest yet unique vehicle on the show (The BMW Vision came a close 2nd). It’s got the “cute” factor as well, so it doesn’t hurt. It sits three, in a “McLaren F1” formation, featuring the driver middle, allowing passengers to have a lot of leg room. Clever. Ladies, be sure to wear pants when driving this thing because oncoming traffic and pedestrians can see EVERYTHING through the windshield. 😉

Runner-Up: Volvo S60.

Hybrid of the Show: Fisker Karma/Sunset and the Chevy Volt get the award for this category. The Karma/Sunset is cheaper than it looks; It has the looks of an exotic, but it comes in at under $100k. It also comes in two trims, Sedan and Coupe. Gotta Love It. The other winner, the Chevy Volt, should be selling for around $40k. It is a bit more expensive than the Prius, Insight, Civic and Fusion, but the fact that you can run it purely off the electric motor can potentially save you a load of money on gas over time (if you commute is less than 40 miles round trip). For me, I practically don’t have to pay for gas since my commute is 10 miles round trip. Added bonus? It doesn’t look like a pod (think Prius/Insight).

Runner-up: Ford Fusion.

Surprise of the Show: Buick LaCrosse/Hyundai Genesis. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, GM and Hyundai…And yes, I remember what I’ve said about Hyundais and GMs. But these two sedans look and feel better than I ever expected. The Buick was elegant and fairly well built. Materials where plush and the didn’t carry the typical cheapness found in earlier GMs. The same can be said about the Genesis sedan. I sat in the backseat and was VERY impressed with the quality of materials. The leather was soft and cushy, plus there was a TON of legroom. The only question I have now is, “how do they handle on the road?”.

Runner-Up: Hyundai Sonata.

WTF of the Show: Every show has a “WTF” car that just looks weird or makes you wonder what the designer was drinking/smoking when designing the car. This year’s award goes to the Porsche Panamera. I know there are a lot of concept cars that give off the “WTF” aura as well, but the thing about the Panamera that beats them all is that this vehicle is production-ready. Seriously? A 4-door Porsche hatchback?? Its like a flattened, stretched and lowered Cayenne or something. Really bizarre. What’s really funny is that there were these folks commenting about how “gorgeous” this car was and what not (dude peeking into the cockpit in the 2nd pic; the one with the flannel shirt. You know, your “typical” Porsche buyer. LOL.), so I guess they didn’t mess up that bad. But then again, there were some people out there that really loved their Pontiac Azteks too.

Runner Up: Jeep Lower Forty. Mini Concept.

Here is the full gallery of pics I took at the show. The goods, the bads and the uglies.

2010 Lincoln MKS Lease Rates – October 2009

Published 2009/10/232012/01/31 by G

My Take: It’s not every day I post an American made vehicle’s lease rates, so enjoy it while you can. How does it look? So-so. It’s not terrible, but it certainly isn’t going to make me get out of my seat and go test drive one. I’m baffled as to how Ford is in better shape than GM and Chrysler. Their products really aren’t all that great. During the OC Auto Show, I roamed around the Ford section and came away very disappointed. The quality of the materials is so-so. Lots of plastic used, the design still doesn’t look uniform (i.e. their cars felt like they where designed by different departments). One of the biggest tests I conduct with cars is the “door slam” test. Some cars feel hollow, while others have a very solid “thud” sound when you close it. I like the solid “thud” sound in my cars. To top things off, just look at the picture in this post! This Lincoln looks like its got teeth and it’s going to eat me.

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2010 Lincoln MKS

2010 Lincoln MKS AWD
36-month | 15k miles | residual 54% | .00145 base money factor

2010 Lincoln MKS 2WD
39-month | 15k miles | residual 46% | .00093 base money factor

2009 OC Auto Show

Published 2009/10/192010/11/04 by G

I was on hand at the OC Auto Show this weekend browsing through the latest and greatest from a handful of manufacturers. It was somewhat disappointing to see that some big name brands didn’t show up, but then again I can’t really blame them. Come November, the Los Angeles Auto Show should be in town, so there isn’t much of a spending that kind of money to promote your vehicles twice in the same market. Nevertheless, the OC Auto Show was solid because it was not too crowded and I got to hope into practically every single car. Hopefully, you took advantage of the free ticket I posted on the previous OC Auto Show post. I ended up realizing that the ticket was only FREE for Thursday and Friday. For Saturday and Sunday, it gives you a 50% discount for up to 4 tickets; still a pretty good deal.

For those who have never been to the OC Auto Show, this is a much smaller venue compared to the LA Auto Show. The most notable absentee was Mercedes Benz. I found that to be somewhat strange considering BMW, Audi, Infiniti and Lexus put up some seriously strong showings there. Now the highlight of the show was probably Saturday’s Hawaiian Tropic Bikini contest. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, the crowd had gotten pretty big and it was hard to see much of anything. I also happened to be with my wife, which pretty much explains why I didn’t get to see anything as well. Nevertheless, I did bump into some rather attractive booth girls and there were a few bikini models did roam around the show taking pictures with attendees.

Now lets go back to the cars shall we! 🙂

Acura: The fellows from Japan had the usual lineup, TSX, TL, RL, RDX and the MDX. They also brought in the production ready model of the ZDX, which looks looks like an oversizedd futuristic sports car with 4 doors and a big trunk. My biggest complaint? The color. Why on earth would you debut a production ready vehicle in a crappy brown color?! Great car, crap color.

Audi: Audi brought in all of their cars in glossy white and left the LED lights on to add to the COOL factor. Too bad they put the price tag on these cars too. Talk about sticker shock! One of the most surprising things about the A5 is the trunk space, its freaking HUGE for a coupe.

BMW: The BMW section was a bit bland. I didn’t spend much time there, but I did get the wife into a M3 and she loved the supple leather seats. Her direct words “wow, the leather feels nice”.

Buick: Buick showed off the new Lacrosse and that’s about it. It looks very Lexus-like. Why not just buy a Lexus?

Cadillac: They showed up the CTS trims and their new concept coupe, the Converj. They had this lady presenting the vehicle and talking about design philosophy, etc…then she asks “Do you have any questions? Like when its coming out or how much it will cost? Well it’s not coming out, so there’s no price for it”.

Chevy: Chevy brought out the big guns by displaying a full-sized version of Bumblebee of the Transformers. They even brought in an Autobot-branded Camaro to post next to it. Then my wife and I stood next to them and posted with them. LOL. It was quite entertaining. GM also brought out some of their high-end Corvettes and Camaros and displayed the Stingray Concept; VERY awesome looking as you can see.

Chrysler: Yawn…

Dodge: Double Yawn…

Ford: Probably the biggest disappointment for me was 2010 the Ford Taurus. That center console is freaking MASSIVE! I felt claustrophobic in there and that’s a pretty big car. Not only that, the plastic interior panels reminded me of BouncewithB’s company car, the Dodge Nitro. I could literally PUSH some panels in exposing huge gaps between them. You won’t see that in an Audi A6. I spent about 5 minutes sitting next to this British guy inside the Taurus and all we did was whine about how Ford has disappointed us yet again.

GMC: Nothing too exciting, just the usual suspects.

Honda: The only “exciting thing” was their hydrogen powered car that I’ve seen three times already.

Hyundai: Wife really liked the Genesis Coupe and proceeded to diss my G37 as having a “BIG BUTT” compared to the Genesis. How RUDE!

Infiniti: Wife, again tried to make me feel good by telling me the Moonlight White on the EX35 is much better looking than the Ivory Pearl on my G37. Gotta love her. 🙂

Lexus: New HS looks like a bigger more expensive high-tech Prius. Sat in the IS-F and I have to say that that car feels way too cheap inside for a Lexus.

Mazda: I noticed all 2010 model have the massive fish-lip that the 2009-2010 Mazda3 and Mazda6 came out with; yup, that includes the RX8.

Mercedes Benz: A no-show. Lame.

MINI: Sat inside the Clubman with the wife at the wheel. She proceeded to feel claustrophobic (like I was in the Taurus) and jumped out. Looks like we’re not getting a MINI after the TSX.

Nissan: I don’t think I made it there.

Subaru: Took a few pics of the STi. Good looking hatchback if I do say so myself.

VW: The new Golf / GTI are out and they look much better in my opinion. I would probably consider a 4-door GTI as my weekend car since its compact yet has more cargo room than my G37. I spent some time looking at the Tiguan as well. My folks recently picked one up so I wanted to see what it was like. Its not the most luxurious car out there, but its well-built and has a nice interior.

Volvo: The new S60 and the C30 looked better in person. Their new crossover SUV XC60 looks wicked with dark tinted glass. I still wouldn’t lease one yet since I still remember my sister’s horror stories about her S70 back in the day.

Anyway, I would go on and on about the show, but I’m sure you guys want to see the pictures, so here you go!

January 2009 DO NOT LEASE List

Published 2009/01/142012/01/31 by G

UPDATED January 23rd, 2009 – Here’s January 2009’s DO NOT LEASE list. My initial observation for this January 09 is that most cars are leasing WORSE than last year. This is clearly directly affected by the credit crunch and the poor economic conditions the world is facing. It is likely that automakers may be cutting back on their lease promotions, so don’t be too surprised to see this list grow as the months progress. What qualifies a car on this list? Simple, the residual value needs to be dip well below 50% over 36 months, the money factor needs to be higher than .00200 or 4.8% APR and cash rebates are either nonexistant or only available to a select few. Check this list often because I will be adding more models as I encounter more and more crappy lease rates.

2009 Infiniti M35

2009 Infiniti M35
24 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00053 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 38% of MSRP – .00203 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 29% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate

2009 Infiniti M35 AWD
24 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00060 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 39% of MSRP – .00203 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 30% of MSRP – .00271 Base Rate

* This one was a rough one to list here due to the low money factor. Unfortunately, the residual is just too poor to recommend.

2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS

2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS Tiptronic
24 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 33% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 26% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate

* Two bads don’t make a good.

2009 Acura MDX

2009 Acura MDX
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 34% of MSRP – .00310 Base Rate

2009 Acura MDX Sport
24 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 37% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 31% of MSRP – .00310 Base Rate

2009 Acura MDX Sport w/RES
24 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 37% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 31% of MSRP – .00310 Base Rate

2009 Acura MDX Tech w/RES
24 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 39% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 32% of MSRP – .00310 Base Rate

2009 Acura MDX Tech
24 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 39% of MSRP – .00300 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 32% of MSRP – .00310 Base Rate

* No lease support here, move on.

2009 Toyota Highlander

2009 Toyota Highlander 4WD
24 Month – Residual 60% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 37% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

2009 Toyota Highlander 4WD Limited
24 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 34% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

2009 Toyota Highlander 4WD Sport
24 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 35% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

* No lease support here either.

2009 Lincoln MKX

2009 Lincoln MKX 2WD
24 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00521 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00444 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 39% of MSRP – .00431 Base Rate

2009 Lincoln MKX AWD
24 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00521 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00444 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00431 Base Rate

* Not exactly surprising since this is coming from Ford Credit.

2009 Infiniti QX56

2009 Infiniti QX56 2WD
24 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 39% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 30% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 23% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate

2009 Infiniti QX56 AWD
24 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 39% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 31% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 24% of MSRP – .00325 Base Rate

* 39% residual after 3 years…wow.

2009 BMW X3

2009 BMW X3 xDrive 3.0i
24 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 33% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 28% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

* Wow this SUV used to be a great lease candidate a few months ago, what happened here BMWFS?

2009 BMW X6

2009 BMW X6 xDrive 3.5i
24 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 44% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 36% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 30% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

2009 BMW X6 xDrive 5.0i
24 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 34% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 29% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

* BUY BUY BUY BUY. Don’t Lease. I can’t stress this enough

2009 BMW M3

2009 BMW M3
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 38% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 31% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

2009 BMW M3 Coupe
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 33% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

2009 BMW M3 Convertible
24 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 36% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 30% of MSRP – .00285 Base Rate

* You could go with down to 10k miles per year, but the whole point of leasing this car is to drive it, right?

2009 Audi A3 3.2 S-Line quattro

2009 Audi A3 3.2 S-Line quattro
24 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00383 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00383 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 39% of MSRP – .00403 Base Rate

* 46% residual and .00383 mf? HAH!

2009 Audi S4 Cabriolet

2009 Audi S4 Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00388 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00388 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00408 Base Rate

* residual is border-line here, nothing a “12k miles/year” lease can’t fix…but that MF needs some hefty support.

2009 Audi A5/S5

2009 Audi A5 6-Speed Coupe
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00318 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00318 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00408 Base Rate

2009 Audi A5 Tiptronic Coupe
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00318 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00318 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00408 Base Rate

2009 Audi S5 6-Speed Coupe
24 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00388 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00388 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00408 Base Rate

2009 Audi S5 Tiptronic Coupe
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00318 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00318 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00408 Base Rate

* Wasn’t a good lease last year, still isn’t this year.

2009 Audi A8/S8/R8

2009 Audi A8 quattro
24 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00219 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 38% of MSRP – .00219 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 31% of MSRP – .00405 Base Rate

2009 Audi A8 L quattro
24 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00240 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 38% of MSRP – .00240 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 31% of MSRP – .00405 Base Rate

2009 Audi A8 L W12 quattro
24 Month – Residual 38% of MSRP – .00575 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 31% of MSRP – .00575 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 24% of MSRP – .00595 Base Rate

2009 Audi S8
24 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 35% of MSRP – .00405 Base Rate

2009 Audi R8 6-speed
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00434 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00434 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00454 Base Rate
** This is a special 10K mi/year **

2009 Audi R8 R tronic
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00434 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00434 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00454 Base Rate
** This is a special 10K mi/year **

* Just buy the car, you are paying for most if it within 48 months anyway.

2009 Audi Q7 3.6

2009 Audi Q7 3.6 Base
24 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 35% of MSRP – .00426 Base Rate

2009 Audi Q7 3.6 Premium
24 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 44% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 37% of MSRP – .00426 Base Rate

2009 Audi Q7 3.6 Premium Plus
24 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 36% of MSRP – .00426 Base Rate

2009 Audi Q7 3.6 Prestige
24 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00056 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 34% of MSRP – .00426 Base Rate

2009 Audi Q7 4.2 Prestige
24 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00221 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00221 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 33% of MSRP – .00426 Base Rate

* I actually like the money factor here, but the residual makes it hard to lease. Another BUY candidate.

2009 Audi Q7 3.6

2009 Audi TT 2.0T Premium Coupe
24 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00251 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00251 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T Premium Plus Coupe
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00251 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00251 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T Prestige Coupe
24 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00251 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00251 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T quattro Premium Coupe
24 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00272 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00272 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T quattro Premium Plus Coupe
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00272 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00272 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T quattro Prestige Coupe
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00272 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00272 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 3.2L quattro Premium Plus Coupe
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00257 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00257 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 3.2L quattro Prestige Coupe
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00257 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00257 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T Premium Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00238 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00238 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T Premium Plus Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00238 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00238 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T Prestige Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00238 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00238 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T quattro Premium Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 51% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 44% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T quattro Premium Plus Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 2.0T quattro Prestige Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 3.2L quattro Premium Plus Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00228 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 49% of MSRP – .00228 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TT 3.2L quattro Prestige Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00228 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00228 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TTS 3.2L quattro Premium Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00278 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00278 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TTS 3.2L quattro Premium Plus Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00278 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00278 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 41% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TTS 3.2L quattro Prestige Cabriolet
24 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00278 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00278 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TTS 3.2L quattro Premium Coupe
24 Month – Residual 57% of MSRP – .00227 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 50% of MSRP – .00227 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TTS 3.2L quattro Premium Plus Coupe
24 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00227 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00227 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 40% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

2009 Audi TTS 3.2L quattro Prestige Coupe
24 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00227 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00227 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 39% of MSRP – .00415 Base Rate

* I personally find the TT to be too much money for what you actually get. But that’s just me.

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2009 Top Safety Pick Awards by IIHS

Published 2008/12/03 by G

From IIHS

How vehicles are evaluated: The Institute’s frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle’s overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures recorded on a Hybrid III dummy in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.

Side evaluations are based on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on two instrumented SID-IIs dummies, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle’s structural performance during the impact.

Rear crash protection is rated according to a two-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry — the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man. Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph. Seats without good or acceptable geometry are rated poor overall because they can’t be positioned to protect many people.

ALL 72 WINNERS

Large cars
Acura RL
Audi A6
Cadillac CTS
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Mercury Sable
Toyota Avalon
Volvo S80

Midsize cars
Acura TL, TSX
Audi A3, A4
BMW 3 series 4-door models
Ford Fusion with optional electronic stability control
Honda Accord 4-door models
Mercedes C class
Mercury Milan with optional electronic stability control
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy
Volkswagen Jetta, Passat

Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volkswagen Eos
Volvo C70

Small cars
Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control
Mitsubishi Lancer with optional electronic stability control
Scion xB
Subaru Impreza with optional electronic stability control
Toyota Corolla with optional electronic stability control
Volkswagen Rabbit

Minicar
Honda Fit with optional electronic stability control

Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Large SUVs
Audi Q7
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Saturn Outlook

Midsize SUVs
Acura MDX, RDX
BMW X3, X5
Ford Edge, Flex, Taurus X
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe, Veracruz
Infiniti EX35
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Nissan Murano
Saturn VUE
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota FJ Cruiser, Highlander
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Ford Escape
Honda CR-V, Element
Mazda Tribute
Mercury Mariner
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan

Large pickups
Ford F-150
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra

Small pickup
Toyota Tacoma

Shamefully, my G37 didn’t make the cut, but it made it into the “ALSO RANS” list:

ALSO-RANS
These 26 vehicles earn good ratings in front and side crash tests. They have ESC, standard or optional. They would be 2009 Top Safety Pick winners if their seat/head restraints also earn good ratings:

Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler Sebring, Sebring convertible, Town & Country
Dodge Avenger, Grand Caravan
Infiniti G35, M35
Kia Amanti
Lexus ES, GS,IS
Mazda CX-7, CX-9
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor
Nissan Altima, Pathfinder, Quest, Xterra
Saturn AURA
Smart Fortwo
Toyota 4Runner, Camry, Prius, Sienna

Something sad to note here, no Chrysler cars made it to the top of the list. I’m starting to feel like Chrysler is one automaker that probably doesn’t need the bailout since they build such “average” cars.

September 2008 Lease Rate for 09 Lincoln MKS

Published 2008/09/122012/01/31 by G

My Take: I did this more out of curiosity more than anything else. The MF is fairly low here and the residual is “so-so”. So what’s the problem? This car is way overpriced. Can you imagine a Lincoln MKS, STOCK, going for $40k? Yeah, I can’t either.

MKS Sedan AWD, Stock
MSRP $40,355
Invoice $37,219
Standard inception fees + tax not included
Residuals posted are for 15K miles/year.

2009 Lincoln MKS Sedan AWD
24 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00052 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00052 Base Rate

24mo Payment: $524 at invoice, $656 at MSRP
36mo Payment: $470 at invoice, $559 at MSRP

2009 Lincoln MKS Sedan
24 Month – Residual 62% of MSRP – .00052 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 52% of MSRP – .00052 Base Rate

Rates provided by Tarry Shebesta from Leasecompare.com

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