By Evan Perkins
In a year of automotive meltdowns, automakers still manage
to show visions of a cleaner, faster and more interesting
future
This year’s Orange County International Auto Show opened its
doors last Thursday and ran through the weekend at the Anaheim
Convention Center.
Honda was the first exhibit with its FX Clarity, the first
production hydrogen fuel cell powered car.
Also on display was Honda’s full line of Civics, Accords and
light trucks.
Tesla Motors made its first auto show appearance, debuting an
electric roadster and was given a booth in the aftermarket section
of the show.
Ford and Chevrolet both appeared to be desperate for attention
at the show, considering the financial happenings of 2009, and
seemed to be painfully eager to prove their dire conditions are not
as drastic as they appear to the public.
The Bowtie and Blue Oval duo had more new models and attractions
on the floor than any other manufacturer.
Chevrolet brought out a Transformers edition Camaro, complete
with a life-size Bumble Bee statue. They also showed off the new
Corvette Grand Sport.
Ford’s auto show star was the 2010 Taurus SHO. It emphasized
the “Eco-Boost” concept, an engineering venture on Ford’s part to
produce smaller, more efficient turbocharged engines in a push for
better fuel economy.
Displays included miscellaneous engine parts laid out atop
tables, as well as a Taurus cut in two, displaying the interior
parts of the vehicle.
Ferrari, Lotus, Maserati and Lamborghini were all in attendance
with full model ranges. For Lotus this included the Evora which
was the company’s first four seater coupe.
A Bugatti Veyron sat smugly in the center of the exotic
section.
Volkswagen revealed nothing new at the show, displaying their
current U.S. model lineup. The headline was the 2010 GTI.
Surprisingly, Volkswagen did not bring any of their clean diesel
models out for consumer judgment, meaning the impressive Blue Sport
concept made no appearance at the show.
Audi, on the other hand, proudly displayed several turbocharged
direct injection diesel models on its side of the showroom,
including a TDI A3 hatchback and Q7 SUV.
Kia made a notable presence at the show. The company has been
steadily making more and more impressive cars and is nipping at
Honda’s heels with the 2010 Forte.
The Soul, a true joy to sit behind the wheel of, was also on
display.
The O.C. show hosts all the influential U.S. auto manufacturers,
but tends to be more of a teaser for the larger and more
prestigious Los Angeles Auto Show.
The L.A. Auto Show opens Dec. 8 and will hopefully paint a more
promising picture of the state of the international automobile
industry.
Reach Evan Perkins at: lifestyle@thepolypost.com
Evan Perkins/Poly Post
The Orange County Auto Show displays hot new rides
Evan Perkins/Poly Post
The Orange County Auto Show displays hot new rides
Evan Perkins/Poly Post
The Orange County Auto Show displays hot new rides
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