2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, Extended Coverage

"Are they still here?" Edition

These two cars are the latest from Mitsubishi.  One is a 2016, and the other is 2017.  I don't remember which is which.

2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, Extended Coverage

This is an old custom from the late George Barris.  I'm not sure if his creations could have been driven very much, but they always looked fun.

2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, Extended Coverage

Most Porsches are 2 seater Camrys.  They tend to be owned by retentive personalities who need more to fuss over.  Occasionally, as in the case of Steve McQueen, they are cocoons which hide painful backstories.

Of course, none of the reality of this brand shows up in the advertising.  Instead, Porsche's image is built on racing, which used to be exciting.  This GTA Clubsport is the foundation for all of it. Although it would be great to see it campaigned and thrashed on race tracks everywhere, it is just as likely to gather dust in a collection.

2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, Extended Coverage

Not all prototypes are good ideas.  Some of them are terrible.  Others, like this one, are accidents waiting to happen.  It is often said that there is something exhilarating about cheating death, but being in between two open wheels and the accompanying road film might be a bit much.

2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, Extended Coverage

This is a Hot Wheels track about 30' in the air.  You had to walk up a stairway to get to the top.  Each person got two cars to race.  The winner was the first to land in the box.  The first finish, was not always the first landing.  Many of the cars missed.  This was the most fun part of the show.  It was supposed to lend excitement to the other displays.  It didn't.  The rest of the show was as dull as ever.

2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, Extended Coverage

And so we start on the last day of the show.  Everyone working there was tired and ready for it to end.

We begin on the ash heap of history, with the Elio.  Like the Peel and many others before it, the Elio rises to the challenge and answers several questions:  What if cars were built for commuting?  What if aircraft techniques were used?  What if cars were sensibly proportioned?

Alas, the auto industry is an anachronistic one.  The car buying public isn't exactly forward looking. As we say "Hello" to this car, it's time to say "Goodbye."

Seen but not photographed: Skoda Ute

For those of us in the United States, that's the Skoda El Camino or the Skoda Ranchero.  This was a blue one that went by a couple of weeks ago. Even the bed is small.  It's smaller than the last car/truck thing VW sold in the early 1980's.  It's an urban pick up for people who don't have to carry very much. At least they're trying something different.