Mac Gordon's LA Auto Show Highlights
from Mac Gordon
LOS ANGELES, CA November 18, 2013; A surprising bevy of technical firsts have been debuted at the LA show in the downtown Convention Center.
To wit:
Acura has unveiled the RCX premium sedan. It includes jewel eyed LED headlights , all-wheel steering and a suggested list price of a record $54,450.
Cadillac has adorned its XTS with new 410hp twin turbo, plus 8-way power-adjustable seats with memory, heated front seats and heated steering wheel and AWD.
Longtime segment leader Lexus has embellished the iS sedan as a "BMW fighter" complete with 18-inch wheels, a stiffer suspension and a revamped interior, a new multi-link rear suspension and a new 8-speed AT twinned with 306 hp V-6.
Not to be outdone, Maserati has stayed ahead of its sumptuous curves with an “all-new” Quattroporte, available with a 523 hp V-8 or a 404 hp V-6, “intelligent” AWD and a list price of $102,500 – a 6-figure bargain in the “supersedan” segment dominated by Porsche, Maserati, Bentley et al.
Show-car–of-the-year Corvette Stingray
7th generation Corvette – “low light and lean” still 460 hp, 465 lbs of torque and 29 mpg highway. It’s a genuine show stealer 60 years after GM president Ed Cole brought it to Chevrolet showrooms.
BMW M6 Gran Coupe – introduces twin power Turbo V-8 rated at 560 hp – BMW’s luxury segment 2014 i8 gem is in the the race to lead the electric luxury segment and stave off Tesla Model S and forthcoming Model X.
Audi TDI is a clean-diesel-leader in industry’s chase of environmental derbies, electric or diesel.