Half the fun of going to a car show is seeing what’s new & exciting, but many people forget about the other half - checking out the stuff that’s not pretty, or even better, just awful. And at the 2015 New York Auto Show we got it all: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
The Good
[caption id="attachment_36961" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Porsche rereleases the cult favorite Boxster Spyder starting at $83,000[/caption]
The Good category featured favorites from both Porsche and Ford. First, Porsche re-released the cult favorite Boxster Spyder. For Porsche purists, this car is close to perfect -it’s got a real stick shift (a rarity in most modern Porsches), Porsche performance, and also provides the ideal excuse to trim company from a Sunday drive, “Sorry kids, there’s no back seat.”
If the Spyder isn’t your style, or within your budget, Focus on this:
[caption id="attachment_36966" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Ford Focus RS will be available in the US starting in Spring 2016[/caption]
For years, we’ve been drooling over the European Focus RS (I drove one in Germany and almost stuffed it in my suitcase) and now we’re getting our very own here in the States. The American Ford Focus RS will reportedly sport a 2.3L Eco Boost engine, 315 bhp and a drift mode, with no passport required. Danke very much!
The Bad
The Bad featured, as it tends to do, a Lambo and a Ferrari. We’ve all seen these vehicles ruined with poor customization, and it’s always sad -but this time, it’s criminal:
[caption id="attachment_36965" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Lamborghini Murcielago Art Car from NYIAS[/caption]
Sure, if they were giving away a Lambo covered in gold chains and jewels, I’d take it, but I ‘d need a quick wrap before I got behind the wheel. Sadly, the Murcielago’s not the only one, this poor F430 got molested too:
[caption id="attachment_36962" align="alignnone" width="1275"] The Ferrari F430 Art Car from NYIAS[/caption]
It looks like the aftermath from a Nicki Minaj/Lady Gaga cat fight . And that’s fine if you’re a handbag or a jumpsuit. But a supercar? Not so much. Again, if they’re giving them away, I’ll take it.
The Ugly
[caption id="attachment_36963" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Mickey Mantle wouldn’t be caught dead in the Yankee Prius[/caption]
But the real fun was the Ugly. Maybe it’s because I’m a loyal Angelino, or maybe it’s because I relish making the Prius the butt of every joke - but this Yankee Prius is a tough one to love no matter who you’re rooting for.
If hyper fuel efficiency is more your game, there’s always the Elio 3 Wheeler:
[caption id="attachment_36964" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Elio 3 Wheeler gets a reported 84 mpg[/caption]
But do so at the risk of ridicule, because Mama says it’s ugly. Elio claims that annual CO2 emissions from the 3 Wheeler will be less than that of a single cow, and that's great. But I’ve seen prettier cow pies. Apparently 15,000 people disagree, because that’s how many 3 Wheel deposits Elio has received. So what do I know?
I'll tell you what I know. The automotive game is always filled with surprises. Just when you think you've seen it all and don't need another car show, you see a neon Ferrari, an American super hatchback and a bizarre three wheeler. So check it the NY Auto Show, it runs through April 12th.