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

ghulet · January 2005

...you're not going to mistake a Camry or Accord for anything else, IMO, but the Five Hundred doesn't have any styling cues (good or bad) to distinguish them from the likes of the Passat (which is currently in its EIGHTH year with this body style).

m4d_cow · January 2005

true that, yet the passat is still good looking even now.

ghulet · January 2005

....the Passat is still nice looking, just no longer ground-breaking, so the Five Hundred just looks like what it is, an imitation. Nice looking car, still.

Saw my first new Mustang (I think it was a non-GT, it had the smaller alloys and a rear spoiler, which I think ruins it) today, parked at the supermarket.

andys120 · January 2005

I saw a new E500 Parked on a downtown street and took a few minutes to check it out. The car was Steel Blue with light beige upholstery and it was beautiful.

I thought it was so nice looking that I'm not sure how you could justify the expense of an S class, it's hard to tell them apart IMO. I notice a similar thing when I saw the TV ads for the new A6, it looks just like an A8.

ateixeira · January 2005

Saw 3 different RLs this weekend. Must be off to a good start.

-juice

stickguy · January 2005

there has been a "Stang V6 at the local rent a dent type rental place for quite a while now. Always seems to be out front when I go by (every week or 2). Red, looks quite nice actually.

Can't wait to sit in one at the car show. The convertible is real nice looking...

m4d_cow · January 2005

i spotted an M3 csl for the 1st time in the states, silver grey on black

i got the chance to test drive this vehicle last year in germany, 370 ponies, goes 0-60 in 5 secs flat (the best i could get), i got 262 kph on top speed, and handlings as sharp as it can be.

the downside: harsh suspension, horribly noisy thanks to its screaming engine and 19"wheels combined w/ low profile tires, thinly padded seats uncomfy even on shorter rides.

great car? indeed, worth the cash? not for me

ateixeira · January 2005

Saw a Ford Five Hundred, finally, my first on the road.

I see dozens of new Odysseys, those got out quickly.

-juice

andys120 · January 2005

I saw a new Mazda 6 four dr in front of a dealer in a color I'd never seen on any car. I pulled in to see what the color was called and the name on the Monroney read "Pebble Ash Metallic".

I have no idea what color Pebble Ash is, in fact I don't know what it is. The color was a beige with green, gold and gray hues in it, very cool.

ateixeira · January 2005

They had that or a similar color in 1996, the year after we bought our 626.

-juice

scott1256 · January 2005

I have seen several Ford 500s and one Montego on the road.



I have not had Ford on my radar screen for years - but these cars are impressive. Attractive, well fitted interiors with understated/classy looks.



And....41.3" of rear seat legroom! That keeps 6'0"+ passengers comfortable for hours.



The 250+ HP engine will add to the appeal when it becomes available

ateixeira · January 2005

J Mays brought over the Audi look with him, also. But it's a shame they're not more original, they're too copy-cat.

Price/size ratio is quite good.

-juice

andre1969 · January 2005

the new Ford 500. It has to endure my usual whine of "I wish the seat went back further", but truthfully that's the case with most vehicles these days, I find. Gone, I guess, are the days when I would reach out as far as I can with my left foot and still just barely touch the firewall. Although, strangely, I can do that with the new GTO!

The back seat was nice and comfy, though.

andys120 · January 2005

Those adjustable pedals don't help Andre?

andre1969 · January 2005

I forgot that these cars had adjustable pedals! My bad ;-)

Anyway, I really didn't get a good feel for how one of these cars would fit me, because the power was disconnected to the 500 at the auto show. I sat on the passenger side, which was manual fore/aft, to at least get a rough idea.

I am kinda curious, sometime, to actually try out a fully functioning 500 to see how it feels.

ateixeira · January 2005

I can explain that - the GTO chassis dates back to a 1993 Opel, so basically it was designed in the days you recall with nostalgia. ;-)

-juice

andre1969 · January 2005

and I'll confess, that while I haven't really paid much attention to the new GTO, because of the bland looks, once I sat inside one I really got to like this car! In the end, I'd just prefer something with a bigger back seat and a bigger trunk.

kyfdx · January 2005

but..enough about your girlfriend.. lol

paul182 · January 2005

I just saw a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta in Mankato, MN.

It had dealer plates. Just thought people may be interested.

Kirstie_H · January 2005

I saw one last Friday cruising I-70 from Missouri to Illinois, with Illinois dealer plates. Big difference from the old Jetta.

kyfdx · January 2005

Good? Bad? What????

Kirstie_H · January 2005

I haven't decided. Interestingly, as I was following this car (the new NEW Jetta), it pulled up alongside a Jetta of the same color, but an older model (the old NEW Jetta). The new Jetta appeared somewhat larger, and the back end is definitely reminiscint of recent Toyota styling (See: Camry, Corolla).

I had a 2000 VR6, and I was a fan of the square-ish styling. So, initially, it's not my cup of tea. But if it's as fun to drive as earlier versions, I could forgive the change.

I guess I don't want to be one of these people who believes that a model should look like it's always looked. I want to be open to letting change grow on me.

kirstie_h

Roving Host

Host, Future Vehicles & Smart Shopper discussions

kyfdx · January 2005

I'd have to agree with the Corolla analogy.. and that is NOT a good thing..

I'm a real fan of VW design.. just not sure I could bear owning one, considering their penchant for being in the shop...

Kirstie_H · January 2005

I had my '00 for two years - allegedly a model year riddled with a variety of electrical issues. It didn't spend a single day in the shop. Sometimes you get lucky.

paul182 · January 2005

I thought the "new" Jetta looked okay. One thing that will take some getting used to is the front of the vehicle; the nose of the car really sticks out in front.

stickguy · January 2005

Motor Trend came yesterday, and there is an article about the new Jetta. I didn't read the piece, but checked out the pictures. Does nothing at all for me. Ugly nose, bland Corolla-ish tail, looks kinda large and lumpy.

Just don't think it is going to be a hit with the buyers that made the old one popular, and the older crowd would probably go with a Passat instead (that one looked better in the pics).

ateixeira · January 2005

I don't get why VW is doing the same thing as Audi is with the huge front grille. I had figured they'd hedge their bets or at least try to distinguish the two brands more.

Jetta looks Japanese, doesn't it? It lost some Euro character. It is a whopping 7" longer, but I still wouldn't call the rear seat roomy.

I too much prefer the Passat.

-juice

jif · January 2005

sat in one the other day

it is kind of a weird car.

the lines are attractive when you view it from the side but i don't think i could live w/ the head lights ( like s-class w/ it's face stretched back)

also the side windows are so short it almost looks like the top is chopped.

rear seat is very tight to get in and out of

and the sticker 65k base but w/ options around 75k plus dealermarkup of 5-10k

i would rather have a s-430 or e-500 4matic for around the same price

but what do i know

teds1 · January 2005

you are totally right... it is a very weird looking car, just swoopy enough that you almost want to say it looks good but not quite. Kind of like the new slk, which is a great improvement and still looks good but is missing something. I saw both for the first time at a special MB pre NY auto show preview near my office. The cls was a wood mock up (same one thay had at the show BTW)so I couldn't get in it but I think it looks odd, especially in the forest green they had... yuck. I worry as well about stretching your customer base too thin along too many product line extensions. Does anyone really need something between an E and an S? Especially something with questionable looks and a high price tag. I guess b/c it shares a lot of parts it was worth the gamble for them. If you want an MB coupe get the still gorgeous C. or the comparative bargain CLK, which although not as flashy, is a classy looking car.

ateixeira · January 2005

I like it, it's very low.

I think it's for people that only take passengers on occasion, not all the time. It's supposed to compete with the BMW 6 coupe, for instance.

Saw a new Five Hundred, then an SLK350, then a new Ody today.

Someone here at work has an SLK350 on order and has been waiting since Fall, still waiting.

-juice

fintail · January 2005

I saw one of those Chevy Uplander or whatever they are called "new" vans today. They've got to be joking. The grafted on new front end does not work, it is disjointed and just plain odd. Come on, GM.

andys120 · January 2005

Acura RLs a few minutes apart so it looks like they'll be popular here on Lawn Guyland where I'm visiting.

Nice looking cars.

rsx-sfan · January 2005

Oh yeah. RLs look great. I've been seeing a lot my- self. I also saw a Buick Terraza and a Pontiac Relay and yikes! They have something wrong with the front facsia. It's too slabbed for a mini- van. I've also seen a few Cobalts, which look nice, but I can't wait to see a Cobalt SS.

ateixeira · January 2005

I see RLs all the time here, they must be off to a good start. Saw one this morning.

-juice

ghulet · February 2005

I saw a new RL the other day, in a strange green color, the car looks better than in photos. I think this thing will now be an honest contender versus the likes of Es and 5-series.

I also finally saw an SSR (black), which I've heard is already being discontinued(?). I was a bit surprised to see it in any case, February on the north side of Chicago isn't exactly the time/place one typically sees a $40k, RWD, convertible, sport-truck thing.

teds1 · February 2005

I have a hard time spotting them as I find the roofline too similar to the accord. there must be more in manhattan than I've seen yet. Sounds like a wonderful car though with that super handling awd system and relatively low price. the TL was such a great car for the price as well and looked much better than the rl but that fwd killed me. I think they should have saved the tl design, stretched it a bit and given it to the RL. Probably would have made a much bigger splash

ateixeira · February 2005

SSR got a bigger V8 this year, it's still being made at least for MY2005.

-juice

logic1 · February 2005

Ghulet:

Too weird! I saw a yellow SSR on the North Side [of Chicago] the other day. It was pretty shiney. Maybe the owner just took it out for a bath.

I also saw a spanking new black Aston Martin near the Board of Trade Building. Wow! Those look nice.

chidoro · February 2005

I saw a smart car on the garden state parkway on my way to work yesterday morning. It was black with a silver rear pillar swoop paintjob. It passed me so he must have been going at least 70ish.

ateixeira · February 2005

Cool sighting.

Was it a 2 seater or 4 seater?

I sat in the tiny Brabus roadster at NAIAS, it was cramped but soooooo cool.

-juice

ateixeira · February 2005

Pic:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2132269877&amp- ;idx=72

I could barely squeeze into that thing. The seat was very low so it takes an effort.

-juice

chidoro · February 2005

I am pretty sure it was the 2 seater. There was no b pillar so it could only have 2 doors. It's hard to oggle for long on the north end of the GS Pkwy because it's so busy.

Kirstie_H · February 2005

You should share your Sky photo in the Sky forum - only pic I've seen thus far.

ateixeira · February 2005

So you saw the ForTwo. Cool.

They keep thinking about bringing it here. To be honest I think they would need some help, maybe cheaper parking like is offered in Europe.

Kirstie - will do.

-juice

ateixeira · February 2005

Hmm, thread link?

I didn't see Sky under Saturn, nor did I see it under Future Models.

-juice

Kirstie_H · February 2005

Looks like we just got the category updated:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef57f0e

fintail · February 2005

I finally saw CLS in the flesh today. It's an unusual thing. The one I saw had Designo trim with matte finished wood and nice perforated leather. Sticker = $75K. Here are some cellphone pics:

andyman73 · February 2005

When I first saw it in the rags, I thought, wow, kinda funky, I'd drive it. I'd even be willing to pay for it. But can't afford that kind of scratch.

I like the swoopiness and low slung look. Make mine an AMG please.

andyman73 · February 2005

On the way to work this evening I passed an xA 1.0, looked sharp, like it should have been made that way all along.

fintail · February 2005

The CLS was nicer looking than I had expected based on photos. The swoopiness works. It's not very large inside though, it really is a coupe in interior proportions. My SWB 126 and even the fintail seem a lot bigger inside. Frameless door windows are a first for a modern MB sedan too, as far as I know. Very nice interior. It needs to be bright inside, as the windows are really short.

I think I could spend 75K better, though.

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

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