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

fintail

That constant drone can't be produced with RUG.

fintail

Saw an S3

fintail

And today saw the exact same S3 again.

ab348

fintail said:

And today saw the exact same S3 again.

It's no longer new then.

texases

Saw my first BMW i8 on the road.

robr2

I've come across at least 3 i3's here in the Boston area.

kyfdx

texases said:

Saw my first BMW i8 on the road.

Wow.. still haven't seen one.

laurasdada

Other than at the Petersen in LA, I haven't seen an i8 in the wilds yet. i3, yes. Toy-wise, I want an i8.

laurasdada

And now I have:  At Logan airport a black i8. Cool. Want one. 

stever

That was fast. Saw another Leaf today - this one with a bumper sticker about a big energy spill and everyone smiling (i.e. the sun is shining).

fintail

Saw a kind of gaudy Bentley Mulsanne today - subtle it isn't. Also a new style Porsche Targa, the mechanicals of which should age well in about 20 years.

stever

Please take our survey:

What safety technologies do you want in your next car?

fintail

Spotted a GLA at the MB dealer - might go look tomorrow. Also saw a C400 at the holding lot behind the car wash.

fintail

I checked out the GLA - I don't hate it as much as I thought. It was locked up, but it wasn't offensive. The AMG model might be pretty cool, kind of a WRX for grown ups.

Also sat in a new C300 - moderately equipped at 50K. It had Burmester, HUD, Pano, and expected gadgets. It has really nice seats, I liked it. The slight bump up in size makes the car feel better inside, too.

stever

Not sure of the year but I spotted "my" Soul today. White, panoramic roof, local dealer purchase. Looked great and even the bigger wheels didn't bother me. Looked to have plenty of ground clearance.

Unfortunately the owner wasn't around to chat up.

lemko

Good God!

https://autos.yahoo.com/news/very-first-dodge-challenger-hellcat-sells-mind-boggling-143001505.html

stever

All for a good cause.

fintail

Spotted a black S3 today, wasn't being driven particularly well, but it had turn signals anyway.

fintail

Not new, but saw an SLS Roadster in Kelowna yesterday, kind of an odd place for it.

And as usual, Canada loves small new cheap cars - I think this is where most Yaris and Mirage volume will go. Still waiting to see a Micra on the road.

qbrozen

saw a new 200. Quite a good-looking car. It seems really small, though, compared to other mid-sizers these days. If Edmunds didn't say otherwise, I could have sworn it was an equal to the Dart rather than a size up.

fintail

Saw a new Mustang on the back of a car hauler today. Also not new, but a MB B-class doing duty hauling construction supplies, seemed funny.

fintail

Saw a new C-class on the road, and a new Legacy.

fintail

Saw a Chevy Orlando today, not the prettiest thing. Also a RR Ghost and a couple of updated B-class.

explorerx4

In the parking lot a work, another CLA and a new Pathfinder.

stever

Not new, but a bit rare. Lincoln Mark LT. This is a big pickup town though.

fintail

Went to the MB dealer to air up a tire, saw a white GLA awaiting delivery.

Also saw a new small Transit on the road, and while leaving Vancouver, an M235, being driven exactly in a manner that one would expect.

ab348

fintail said:

Went to the MB dealer to air up a tire, saw a white GLA awaiting delivery.

Also saw a new small Transit on the road, and while leaving Vancouver, an M235, being driven exactly in a manner that one would expect.

The GLA fascinates me for some reason. I must try to drive one. Odd, in that I do not like the CLA at all and CUVs/SUVs are not my thing. But something about that GLA talks to me.

I was at the local Ford dealer last weekend and they have a lot full of Transits. They look different than what they used to sell so I guess they are the bigger ones, the Econoline replacement. Will take some getting used to.

berri

saw a new 200. Quite a good-looking car. It seems really small, though, compared to other mid-sizers these days. If Edmunds didn't say otherwise, I could have sworn it was an equal to the Dart rather than a size up

Just saw my first Chrysler 200. I agree. Wonder if the Dart's days are numbered?

stickguy

Similar design language, but I found it to be quite a bit bigger. More like Cruze to Malibu, though the Dart IIRC is a little bigger than other compacts.

much nicer interior quality too.

ab348

To me, the 200 looks too narrow for a mid-size car. It really does not make much of an impression on me one way or the other. Chrysler is not on the list of brands I would even consider these days.

stickguy

At the end of the year when I go to get a new car, I will probably take a look at a 200 (who am I kidding, I will look at everything!). Though largely because I will likely be leasing, so bang for the (not many) buck will be a key factor. So if they are offering some kind of blowout lease on a well equipped model, I can give it a shot.

berri

the 200 looks too narrow for a mid-size car

Sometimes I'm faked out on that by overall styling. Never really checked the specs. If I was looking for a sedan I'd probably be looking a bit larger. The Chrysler I'd be more interested in is the 300, but I'm still a bit leery of the company.

qbrozen

I think Chrysler is doing a pretty good job these days. Time will tell us if the new products are more reliable than the old, though. Bought a lifetime warranty on the wife's van, so I'm pretty well covered.

On the Ford Transit, I actually saw a truckload of them on the road a couple of days ago. All the new small wagon version.

@ab348 - I feel the same way you do. Really dig the GLA (also the GLK), even though I'm not much of a ute guy (although other smaller ones in the past have appealed to me, such as the EX35 and now the Macan), and I'm definitely not a fan of the CLA.

stever

Some of the editors here don't much like the CLA. Lost the link, but I think one of the Detroit papers was quoting Dr Z at the Paris auto show to the effect that they could sell twice as many if they had the capacity.

robr2

Transit vs Transit Connect.

The Transit is the big one:



The Connect is the little one:

fintail

Went to the Seattle auto show yesterday. As expected, MB - BMW - Audi stands were packed. New S-class coupe had a crowd around it, people were swarming over the GLA too. Several Audis were also being swarmed, along with the X5. New Camry DLO fail is as loud in person as in pics. New Mustang looks pretty cool, Corvette also had a crowd around it. Caddys looked nice, ATS coupe is has some style. Lexus RC-F actually looks better in person than in pics. There was a decked out Chrysler 200 with a two tone steering wheel reminiscent of a Bentley. Tesla was also being swarmed, which surprised me - they aren't exactly rare here - maybe people from outside the city. And lots of others I am forgetting.

A friend of mine has a thing for the Lincoln MKZ, and was drooling over the one on display. The pano roof pushes his buttons. I could see him picking one up if a deal is to be had.

fintail

During the initial months it was offered, sales doubled the forecast, and they couldn't be kept in stock. I think the honeymoon period is over now, and they aren't hard to find.

The car is built to a price, but it does offer some style and badge snobbery for the money.

stever said:

Some of the editors here don't much like the CLA.

fintail

I don't mind it either. The AMG model seems pretty cool. But I was told my a salesman that initial lease offers won't be a bargain, so I doubt I'd pursue one.

ab348 said:

The GLA fascinates me for some reason. I must try to drive one. Odd, in that I do not like the CLA at all and CUVs/SUVs are not my thing. But something about that GLA talks to me.

stickguy

I still think the GLA looks like a Mazda 3 with a Benz grill stuck on it.

ab348

It doesn't have that Jimmy Durante schnoz that the 3 has. The 3 gets raves from reviewers but I find it misshapen and out of proportion.

I was just back from looking at a GLA on the dealer lot. They only have one, all black of course. The black does it no favors. The interior looks not too bad from what I could see, but the tint on the rear window prevented me from seeing how much room is back there. Did I read that these are assembled in Hungary or some eastern Euro country?

stickguy

nose is a little different, but the profile is what really looks the same.

fintail

ab348 said:

Did I read that these are assembled in Hungary or some eastern Euro country?

CLA is made in Hungary - I think the GLA is made at the Rastatt (Germany) factory.

I went car looking today. Local dealer has a new S550 coupe, beautiful thing. 150K MSRP. They also had a GLA45 AMG with every little accessory and add-on I could imagine - 71K! Seemed a little much. Cool car though, I sat in it, I like the seats.

Also looked at BMW - no diesel wagons on the lot. A couple diesel 3er and 5er. I sat in a 5er - I suspect a leftover 14 might lease well. Looked at Audi too - tons of A3 on the lot now, many lower line FWD models with mid 30s MSRP - definitely fighting the CLA. Several diesel A3 there too, and a couple diesel A6. An apparent demo RS7 with 125K or something in the window was nice, too.

fintail

Saw 3x 4ers on the road today - 2 coupes, and a GranCoupe. I still say the normal coupe is proportioned weirdly, too long in the middle. Also 2x new Sonata, both rentals - they make the previous gen look really dated, just as we predicted for the overstyling.

fintail

Saw my first TLX in the wild. It's not bad looking, somehow seems smaller in person when on the road. I don't care for the upkick at the C-pillar, with is de rigeur for the sycophant designer crowd these days (even GLA has it). It's that kind of thrill.

laurasdada

I believe I saw an A3 convertible today, just down the road from local Audi dealer. Shorter/stockier than an A4, grey with black cloth top. Looked good, at first glance...

fintail

My local Audi dealer had a few A3 convertibles on the lot when I was car looking on Sunday.

Saw whatever the latest Aston Martin is, this afternoon, parked in front of the local art museum, beside a DB5. Hmm which would I want.

laurasdada

Hold out for the Jos. A. Bank type Aston Martin sale: Buy one, get three free!

berri

Saw a '15 Mustang on dealer lot today. Kind of a dark greenish, grayish color under the clouds at least. I'm happy about the changes to the interior and particularly the suspension, but looks to me are just alright. I'm just not keen on the back side windows and profile, but if you like the '14, I think you'll like this one too.

stickguy

saw one on the front line of the dealer close to my house a couple of days ago. Did not stop in to look at it.

I agree that is looks quite a bit like the old one, so not sure why people are so upset about it. Definitely evolutionary exterior. Interior pictures, and reports look much improved.

berri

Personally, I think when the convertible version comes out, it will look better.