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

fintail

I saw a BMW Z4 coupe last night

lemko

...if it was new, but it is very rare. I spotted a black VW Phaeton at the rest stop near the Lehigh Valley exit on the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike.

astegman

Saw one this past Saturday parked outside the Barnes & Noble in Danbury, CT. Not sure how "new" this vehicle is, but it seems unusual.

ateixeira

Saw a base models with steel wheels. Not very common.

-juice

fintail

Not new, but I saw a latest version W220 S class - maybe an 05 or 06 model - with Hawaii plates. That must have been fun to ship over.

stickguy

in a ritzy town in NJ, with an ungodly amount of wealth floating around, all kinds of stuff. Let's see what I can remember:

-A Phaeton
-A Quattroporte
- A driveway with a collection including an Aston coupe, Porsche turbo convert, a new Vette, and a couple of Range Rovers.
- More assorted RRs and convertible Mercs than I could keep track of.

Back home, a CX-7 on the road (not a dealer car). I like it!

navigator89

at Niagara Falls, a beige 2007 Chevy Suburban, and a minute later, a beige GMC Yukon XL, also in beige. Also a white Cadillac Escalade. I think GM nailed the interior and exterior styling on it's new SUVs, as they really are class leaders now.

Also saw a couple of Calibers in red and white, and a few DTS in silver, black and white.

At Niagara Falls you see a lot of cars with American plates. Most are from NY, NJ, PA, OH, MI, but I also cars with plates from as far away as TX, FL, AL, VA, CA, NB.

lemko

...this morning - black Mercedes R-Class.

british_rover

I am sorry. Did you manage to hang on to your breakfast.

fintail

I saw 3 FJ Cruisers yesterday, and a Mercedes GL.

I probably see an R class every other day...perfect vehicle for the trophy wife who can't admit she needs a minivan.

ateixeira

At the mall. Where else?

Saw a black Fit, too.

-juice

gsemike

They're starting to get around. That car really needs that sport package that adds the alloys and body accents.

ateixeira

Agreed, problem is the price gets up around $16k, slightly more for the auto.

At that price, I'm looking at a Scion tC or a Mazda 3s.

But what do I know? Fit it selling briskly.

-juice

gsemike

I definately take the tC over it, but once you put the automatic in there, it's higher than 16, isn't it?

ateixeira

Yes, both are over $16k with auto. The Fit is commanding MSRP, if you can even find one. That sort of kills the idea of getting a good value, at least to me it does.

I just think the others (tC, 3s) and more substantial, and the bigger engines can better handle the burden of a slushbox.

-juice

navigator89

a bunch of Calibers in white, black, grey and red.

Regarding the Fit, I saw a bunch at the Automall Honda dealer yesterday. They all had automatic transmissions. I was kinda taken aback to see the price for that tiny car to be $19K CAD. For that money Im sure you could get something better and cheaper. A 4cyl Malibu was only slightly more there. I also saw a 2003 Lincoln LS V8 with nav and leather for about $20K. I'd rather take that than buy a small $20K car.

Anyway this is my last day in Toronto, so it's back to Kuwait for me. Time to start checking out the Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis again.........

matthattan1587

I saw a new Acura RDX at Curry Acura in Scarsdale, NY.

gsemike

Be safe in Kuwait

cjshow

I spotted my first (and only so far) Honda Fit outside of the dealership at my apartment parking lot: it was a silver sport. Very nice looking in silver. I also saw a silver Dodge caliber at PetSmart: that thing is not a sub-compact. Looks more like a mid-sized to my eyes. I also saw a new Mazda 5 in green-silver. I didn't know what it was at first, especially with those huge taillights. Thought it was a spaceship. But the color was very nice. Still have yet to see a Versa on the dealer lots or on the streets.

stickguy

Dark colored Charger. Not that notable, but this one belonged to the NY state police, and was sitting in the median of the Thruway.

ALso, a 300C super stretch limo. I think it looked better that way!

And a loaded up Denali, Black again. Actually, I spent 2 days riding around in it (it belongs to my BIL). Surprisingly nice inside, and a great V8 rumble, but tall and ponderous.

And who needs power folding 2nd row seats anyway?

lemko

...if anybody makes a 300-C hearse? I can imagine seeing a 300-C hearse at the head of the funeral procession with a vanity plate that reads "Yeah...It's got a Hemi!"

fintail

I just remembered...a couple days ago I saw a Smart...not too noteworthy as several are running around my area...but this one sounded very much like a diesel.

ateixeira

I've seen a couple more Calibers lately. They seem to be popular.

-juice

british_rover

I saw another Pheaton today and then I ran across this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLJKvfNeSiw

I must say this car impresses me a lot more now.

navigator89

and stopped over at Amsterdam on the way here. I did a city tour and saw some really neat cars like an old Volvo wagon, an old Mercdes sedan, and best of all a grey Lotus Exige!!!! Pictures to go up soon on my carspace. Also saw a black Caliber in Amsterdam. Nice change from all the European hatches you see there.

teds1

Just got back from a Quebec road trip.
For starters it is kinda interesting to see the car culture differences up there (I used to live in MTl but didn't notice it as much) a bit more Euro with a small car focus.
I would say one out of every three cars on the road is a Mazda 3, so at least they have good taste
Plenty of smart cars (including the convertible) as well as others we don't get here like Nissan Xtrails, Ladas, Merc B classes (ugly if you ask me) etc...
Saw a bunch of mid engine Ferraris (like 7)in MTL and Quebec city, not surprising given the formula one popularity and the Mt. Tremblant driving school for ferrari owners.
also the same orange elise twice on two different days... It had to be the same one b/c we were in the middle of no where.
One of the coolest things I saw had to be a Red E-type Jag coupe pulling a camping trailer heading up North. Not exactly their intended purpose but what the hell right?

chuck1959

I saw a red GTO today....the first one in months.

fintail

I saw another Flying Spur today, dark blue and dirty

kyfdx

..which isn't that amazing...

But, this was the new model (or old model with sport pkg) with the body color bumpers...

Looks better.. just enough black plastic near the bottom to look good..

lemko

...a silver Lincoln Zephyr this morning.

rockylee

Did you like it (Zephyr) ? I can't wait until you get to spot Rocky in a Lincoln MKS. :P

Rocky

lemko

I've sat in one at the Philadelphia Auto Show

Likes:

Front end is decent.
Like the dashboard that appears to ape the classic 1961-64 Continental.

Dislikes:

Really a Mazda underneath.
Not nearly as nice-looking as the concept.
Back end looks too much like that of my Dad's lousy 1981 Thunderbird.
Cheesy prop rod for the hood.

gsemike

I see alot of Zephyrs and I just don't get it. To me, I don't think that it looks like anymore of a premium car than a Mercury Milan. Not to be combative, but I hate the dashboard. It's too tall and blocky.

The proposed MKZ looks like a fancied up 500 to me.

fintail

Looking out on I-90 today (I've had ample time as the system I use has been down all day) I've seen a Ferrari 360/430, and something I wish I could have photographed - a dark blue Bentley GT on a flatbed tow truck.

gsemike

I saw my first Versa this morning. Someone at my train station got one. It's grouped in with this new wave of micocars, but it doesn't look too micro. It was parked between a Caravan and a Durango and still looked pretty substantial.

The car had flat plastic hubcaps that cheapened the look. Everything can't have alloy wheels, but these were particularly bad. They should have something that looks more like a spoked wheel.

This particular one was a stick. The car doesn't have much of a console and the shifter looked like a straight metal rod sticking out of the floor, much like an old European car. I know that they have to do these things to meet price targets, but these shortfalls really stood out on a car that otherwise looked pretty nice.

derrado1

You're thinking about the forthcoming MKS, which is based on the D3 platform, shared with the Ford Five Hundred/Freestyle, Mercury Montego and Volvo S80.

Styling is subjective but I like the front of the Zephyr/MKZ, and I LOVE the interior. It's unique and very striking, and looks best in the cream/light wood combination (it loses its presence in black). Now if the Zephyr/MKZ had RWD and a better engine (oh and shrink those taillights, while you're at it), I would probably buy it over a 3-Series/IS. Well, maybe. It'd be more of a heart purchase than a head.

stickguy

a Versa near my house, I think the first one I have seen on the road. Looks nice.

And on the NY Thruway, heading North so probably with Canadian plates, a Nissan X-trail. Nicer looking than the stuff they sell hear, it would probably do OK these days with the right engine.

ateixeira

I love how he pronounces it "FEE-Tawn".

While on vacation I spotted a lot of the new small cars - Caliber and Fit mostly.

-juice

lemko

...black Mercedes S600 V-12.

ateixeira

I've seen a few of these around now, probably 3 or so total. Saw one this morning, just after seeing a new Boxster.

I prefer the roadster, but the look of the Cayman is growing on me. It's sure a lot nicer looking than the Z4 coupe.

-juice

merc1

A nice big and pretty Chyrsler Aspen. I'll say one thing it is a lot prettier than the Durango will ever be.

M

anythngbutgm

But over the weekend on a trip from SE MA to Burlington, VT I saw a black AMV8 Aston, a Maserati Quattroporte, and a Gray w/white stripe Saleen Mustang (absolutely gorgeous car)

For mainstream, I saw about 30 Ridgeline PU's, countless new RAV4's, 2 RDX's and about 2 dozen FJ cruisers (Those sell like gangbusters around here)

ateixeira

It's funny you say that, because the face-lifted Durango is basically a clone of the Aspen with the Dodge grille. They actually look identical now.

-juice

ateixeira

I've noticed a lot of FJs as well, but it might just be that they stand out so you notice every single one that passes by.

-juice

anythngbutgm

Absolutely, hard to miss. Even more so since the Hummers have pretty much disappeared from the landscape. I think I saw 1 H3 over the weekend and I can't remember the last time I saw an H2!

british_rover

I saw a H2 lifted with probably 38x14.50 inch tires following a MINI Cooper S down the road the other night.

Talk about a comparisson.

ateixeira

I see H3s once in a while, still not common though. I've seen 3 times as many FJs, or at least noticed 3 times as many.

-juice

kyfdx

Had dealer plates.. first one I've spotted...

Is it a Pontiac G6 variant? Looks decent..

merc1

Kinda ridiculous huh?

M

gsemike

I took another PA trip yesterday. Driving 130 miles to work affords an opportunity to see what's out there.

Caddy XLR-V - Definately stands out but the exhaust note was surprisingly subdude. Doesn't look like 100k, but it is hot

Caddy Escalade - First one turned into a limo. Looked slightly smaller than a 747

Porsche Cayenne - Another limo. Didn't look to big and it wasn't white, so I don't know what it'd be used for

Saab 9-3 Wagon - Surprisingly small. It looked like a compact wagon

Porsche Cayman - Very sharp. Looks very agile. Has it's own personality. It's not just a wannabe 911 for those that can't afford the real thing.