I spotted a NEW (insert make/model) today!

imidazol97

GM had a "safety salute" when dimming headlights a few years back. When switching between brights to dims, the lights would do an extra blink to draw attention to the dimming.

rockshocka1

I know the LEDs on Audis turn off when the turnsignal is used.

I had read somewhere on these forums, maybe a blog, a similiar statement with regard to the S5. That the DRLs shut off on whatever side the blinker being used is on.

I can't say for sure what happens at speed, but while sitting at a light waiting to turn, I can see the headlamp, DRL eyeliner & blinker all on at the same time in the reflection of the car in front of me.

I'll have to have somebody drive in front of me to see if there is any difference when changing lanes at speed.

fintail

I've noticed that too, at speed anyway when a modern Audi signals, the LED goes out while the signal is on. Saw a lot of them in Germany (where the A4 sells like a Camcord), it caught my eye.

lemko

Hmmmm! I wonder if my DTS does the same thing. If it does, I never noticed it while driving the car. Does it only happen when the car is moving or can I park it in the driveway at night, turn on the lights, turn on the blinker and walk in front of the car and see it?

british_rover

Your DTS has LED daytime running lights?

rockshocka1

Upon further review, my LED DRLs do cut off when the blinker is on, even if the car is in park.

Only excuse I can come up with is the reflection of my headlamp from the car in front of me shines back on the DRLs making them appear (to me) to be on in tandem with the blinker.

That's my story & I'm sticking to it. Off for an eye exam.

fintail

Saw one of those new retractable roof Lexus coupes today. The driver was the exact stereotype of who would drive such a car. I love the relationship between smoke and fire :shades:

boomchek

I guess you're talking about the IS convertible?

I can't get wormed up to it's looks. I like the sedan but the convertible seems odd proportioned, especially the rear end. The BMW 3 series is so much nicer imo.

I even like the Lexus SC converttibles better than the IS.

fintail

Yeah, the IS. It is odd behind the A-pillar, and has big obvious "cracks" in the roof where it folds. Not a pretty design, but pretentious enough to attract its chosen demographic.

fintail

Spotted one of the new small Lexus hybrids on the highway today, going about 45 in a 60...but at least it was in the proper lane. Sounds normal.

qbrozen

saw my first Genesis coupe. I almost didn't notice it at all. I pulled up at a light near it and didn't think anything of it. It wasn't until we were all accelerating onto the highway that it caught my eye. If it wasn't for the Robin's Egg Blue color, even then I might not have taken note. Then it took me a little while to figure it out. I thought Eclipse? (thanks to that rear seat window kink) Na. Lexus? (not sure what made me think that) Na. Tibby? Na. OH! Now I see the 2.0T badge and it all makes sense.

Eh. Not a bad looking car. It just doesn't stand out.

boomchek

They're pudgy looking things. I saw one at a dealer close by. Weird proportions, High cowl, just odd looking car. The new RX looks odd to me too. I don't like the styling of many of today's new cars. It seems like they have weird lines just for the sake of having weird lines. Tack on chrome in random places and played out fender vents and supposedly you have a luxury car. Blah :lemon:

fintail

Different for the sake of being different...no doubt that mindset exists in more than a few designers. The Lexus does seem kind of stubby, like the hood and trunk should be a little bigger to make it look balanced.

Fake (usually) fender vents are probably one of the lamest things seen on recent cars.

boomchek

I agree. Especially the ones on the recent Focus. They remind me of the shiny plastic chrome on toys that peels off after a few years.

andys120

I spotted a G6 h/t convertible on the highway. It looked tall and narrow because of the way the greenhouse relates to the body, especially from behind.

explorerx4

saw one a couple of streets over.
from a distance seeing the back first, i thought lexus ls4xx.
overall, looks kind of expensive lexus-like, not es3xx-like. it is terrific.

ateixeira

Few folding hardtops can escape that odd look, including my own Miata. The tops have to be small so they fit, and then you end up with a "pinhead" look, small head on a big body.

fintail

I think it's funny that the Focus moved away from that. If it's too lame for the already dumbed-down NA Focus, that should give people a general hint.

fintail

I've seen a couple of new style Maseratis lately...I swear, that company must invest more in exhaust tuning than some companies put into their entire cars. They sound amazing.

lemko

Ferrari F430 on Terwood Road in Montgomery County near Willow Grove, PA.



I looked it up and it appears 2009 is the last year this model is being produced.

qbrozen

but I spotted a 2010 Stang on the road. Was driving alongside it, in front of it, and behind it for many many miles on the Parkway. Seeing the original pics prior to its release, I didn't think it would be easily distinguishable from the outgoing model. But I see now I was wrong. I immediately identified it and could see how different it actually is from every angle.

ateixeira

Saw this at a dealership, went just out of curiosity.

It looks a little less ugly in person, still not attractive by any stretch. It just looks like a pregnant Accord. Not really crossover-ish like the Venza, not as raised up as an Outback.

There's only 31" between the wheel wells, hard to believe for such a large vehicle. Outback is a whole foot wider there. They really sacrificed cargo room plus 1500 lbs towing really limits the utility.

Blind spots are pretty bad for lane changes. Backing up is fine, as it has that Insight-style mini-window under the rear hatch.

Interior is decent enough, pretty much Accord.

EX-L with Navi stickered for $37k, ouch.

I still bet they sell a bunch of 'em.

kyfdx

2010 model.... understated, in black... but, still great looking.. Twin-turbo V6 and AWD...

fintail

Spotted another Lexus IS retractable today. zzzz

anythngbutgm

Went to N.O. for the Patriots stomping game over the weekend and saw a few interesting sightings. First, the place is awesome but for car owners, it wasn't exactly a macca of clean, well maintained vehicles either.

Anyways, lotsa Mercedes (C-classes especially), many 3-series and even a brand new Ferrari parked on Bourbon St. at the height of foot traffic I think there was a muscle car convention going on somewhere because there were parades of Mustangs and Camaros cruising Canal Street all weekend.

The only other thing worth mentioning is the disturbing trend for jacking up cars to SUV heights and slapping 24" low profile wheels under them. I must've seen a dozen of these jalopies (Older GM Caprices, Fleetwoods, Delta 88's and Malibus) and once you get past the gaudy paint jobs and flashy frying pan wheels, they were one foot in the scrapyard and creaked, groaned and squeeked badly. Blech. :sick: The roads are a disaster down there and wreaked havoc on suspensions so I wasn't surprised/ But what I was surpised by was the number of later model vehicles that also creaked and squeeked and how a majority of them were GM and Fords (Trailblazer clones and Explorers).

Saints romped the Pats and it was tough to hang my head up high after witnessing such a beating. Still a great place though. :shades:

lvranger

Not trying to nit pick but I think they are supercharged. The last TT S4 was two generations ago.

kyfdx

Badge on the side of the car was V6 T, which I assumed is turbo-charged... I'll look it up..

EDIT: You are correct! Supercharged V6... Weird!

british_rover

Yup it is just Audi being deliberately obtuse. No idea why they did it that way. Are they embarrassed about supercharging over turbocharging?

fintail

I saw two Lexis IS-F within about 10 minutes. I don't see those too often.

qbrozen

You sure it wasn't one guy who lapped you? :P

fintail

Only if he had Cannonball Run-style color changing capabilities

qbrozen

or shelf paper, a la Johnny Dangerously.

bhill2

or shelf paper, a la Johnny Dangerously

I digress, but God I loved that film. I almost wet myself during parts of it.

fintail

Ha, I forgot about that one...fargin funny.

lemko

"You can't park here! It's for handicapped!"
"I'm handicapped! I'm psychotic!" (places placard with google-eyed face on the windshield)

fintail

"...an 88 Magnum..it shoots through schools"

On the new car topic I got behind a loaded looking W212 E550 the other day.

fintail

Not brand new, but I had a S63 AMG parked beside me in the garage at work. It backed into the spot...against a wall...so close I think he might have bumped it. Must be another one of the overpaid executive clowns :lemon:

lemko

I hate when I see those types of guys driving such a beautiful car. God, what a waste of machinery!

ateixeira

Beautiful, and even prettier in the flesh, just saw this...



The brake calipers really pop. Nice.

fintail

It would be something if carmakers were selective about who bought their machines...but for the higher makes, keeping out the [non-permissible content removed] would probably decrease sales volumes by 75%.

british_rover

Ferrari does that to some extent. When the Enzo came out he wanted to buy one and certainly had the money but Ferrari wouldn't sell him one. At the time he had only owned two Ferraris. He had a F360 at the time and had had another Ferrari previously. He hadn't owned enough Ferraris to qualify for an Enzo so they wouldn't sell him one. He bought a 575M instead and then later on a F430. When he was going to replace the 575M with another F430 he had a chance to buy an Enzo used but just couldn't justify the price.

boomchek

I heards that too with the F50. After you passed the requirements of owning XX ferraris), and then you try and get an F50.

According to my desktop Car and Driver calendar:

"In order to protect it from market specualtion, the F50 was leased to its "owners" for two years ($240000 down, $5000 a month) with an option to buy at the end of the lease for an additional $150000,

bumpy

Back in the bad old days, the luxury marques wouldn't sell to blacks, Jews, etc. in order to maintain their cachet with their bigoted clientele.

fintail

No worries, smart money buys late model used anyway. :shades:

A few brands for a while have become a magnet for idiotic corporate clowns or leaser poseurs who often drive like jerks and create negative associations with entire brands. BMW was there, Audi is getting there.

fintail

He was probably better off anyway :shades:

And that strategy doesn't look to have turned him off the brand either....maybe a better owner than some of the lameo celebs who ended up with those things.

british_rover

I think that would be more the dealers then the brand themselves. Few brands have the kind of control of their dealer network that Ferrari does.

lemko

Just the fact that he parked the car so close to the wall risking scuffing the bumper shows he has no respect for the car. He's so rich, he can just buy another one tomorrow if it becomes too marked-up. Whereas if I had scuffed the bumper on my Cadillac, I'd be apoplectic! People who really care about the cars and don't just have them as shiny status symbols have a far different attitude toward them.

boomchek

I see that with young kids who's parents just buy them whatever car they want. They usually don't look after them very well, and end up crashing them. :sick:

You know the saying "easy come, easy go" and for them it's easy just to get a replacement.

boomchek

Around here it's the Escalades and Navigators with that image.

fintail

It was insanely close, less than a cm no doubt. I should have snapped a pic. I know the car has parktronic, and maybe he just likes to test its accuracy...but I doubt it. The car was also dirty. I have also seen a SL63 in the same garage...I wonder if it is the same owner. Of course, the rank and file have to live lean while these guys buy these things. Where's the mob with pitchforks and guillotines when they are needed :shades: