2011 Canadian International Auto Show, Part 2: Legends and New Kids

Yesterday I posted about the Small and Mighty cars that caught my eye at the Canadian International Auto Show, which is in Toronto until February 27th.

Today, I thought I'd show off just some of the beautiful performance machines there.

Oddly, right next to the new electric Nissan Leaf was the Nissan GT-R.

I also got to see the new Lexus LFA. Pricing starts at $375,000, but only 500 will be made. Only 10 of those 500 will end up in Canadian hands. Paris Hilton just got one for her 30th birthday. That's just so incredibly bizarre to me.

What surprised me about this car was how many people I heard commenting on how "plain" or "boring" it looked despite the engineering that went into it. I agree.

Honda had an F1 car on display. I've never seen one so close and the cockpit was tinier than I imagined it.

The Toronto Star had small exhibition of 5 cars in the running for the Most Beautiful Car Sold in Canada. You can vote for your choice on computers there and possibly win $25,000 towards a new car of your own. In the running are:

The Aston Martin DB9

The Audi R8

The Mercedes McLaren SLR

The Ferrari F430

And, finally, the Lamborghini Gallardo

Before Sunday, I didn't really understand the lure of Lamborghini. They always seemed overly flashy, angular, and aggressive to me, like they were screaming. But soon as I saw the Gallardo, something clicked in my brain and I couldn't stop looking at it. Meanwhile, the guy next to me dismissed it quickly as being "too orange." Everyone's a critic!

I'm still not sure what I would pick as most beautiful. It's a toss-up between the Gallardo, F430, and the McLaren SLR, which makes me think of a shark. Everyone I was with, however, unanimously agreed that if we could only have one and had to use it for a daily driver, we'd choose the DB9.

The Star's exhibit was a nice appetizer to the Concorso Exotica in the lower level of the North Hall. I'd recommend going to the show early and then heading straight down to the concorso, because by the time we got there, it was packed.

As soon as you walk in a Masarati GranCabrio greets you.

At Ferrari, I fell in love with the Daytona and wanted to find a way to bring it home with me.

The F458 Italia can come, too.

Over in Lamborghini land, this Countach seemed to catch everyone's eye. I tried to imagine how awesome it would have been to see one of those roaring down the road in '76.

They also had a Concept S on a huge Callaway platform to help highlight the partnership between Lamborghini and Callaway.

I'm sure the guy who thought the Gallardo was too orange didn't like this Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante or Murciélago, either. More for me and you, right?

Pfaff/Porsche had an interesting GT3 Cup and GT2RS with lots of naked carbon fiber.

My very own mother fell in love with this here Lotus Elise. I'm thinking a family vacation to the Nürburgring is in order.

A real treat was getting to see the new Canadian HTT Pléthore, conceived and produced in Quebec. For those of you who haven't heard of it, it's Canada's new supercar. The company recently made a deal on Dragons' Den for $1.5 million for 20% of the company.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6YdRCC2HzU]

HTT's CEO, Sébastien Forest, was there answering questions. It has a supercharged V8, 750 hp, and 655 ft-lb of torque. He said the Dragons haven't ordered any yet and the first 15 sold will be $495,000. After that, the price skyrockets to $795,000.

The raised center driving position makes it really unique. It's meant to provide an F1-style driving experience and perspective. It also means that your two best buddies can sit on either side of you.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0YebraNwgo]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0YebraNwgo]

I overheard a woman talking to her husband about the Pléthore. She said it looked like a muscle car for supercar enthusiasts. I can kind of see that. It does look mean, lean, and muscular.

What do you think?

I have a few more photos from the Firebird/Camaro evolution exhibit and some of the Cruise Nationals room, which is just across the hall from the Concorso Exotica, but my internet connection isn't cooperating and I think I might be inundating you a bit. I'll just leave you with a few of my favorites and say that both sections are definitely worth a visit.

So, there you have it. A couple of quick posts and lots of pictures from the Toronto Auto Show. This is really just a fraction of everything you can see there, especially if you're in the market for a new car.

The 2011 Canadian International Auto Show, Part One: The Small but Mighty

Stallions and Bulls and Scorpions! Oh my! On Sunday I went to the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. It runs from February 18th to the 27th, so if you're in town I would definitely recommend it. Also, try to buy tickets online, you'll save 10% and be able to use to fast lane instead of wasting time in a long ticket line.

The show is huge so I really only got to see a fraction of what was offered, but I had a blast. I laughed. I winced. I fell in love. I snapped some photos. And now, I share. Come. Join me.

What shall I start with first? Hmm. Maybe the Mighty Mice that caught my eye. I have a special place in my heart for the hot hatches. I would really like my next car to be one, ideally a Mini Cooper S or a Fiat 500 Abarth.

I'd gladly take one of the vintage Fiat 500s and I found this adorable, yet ferocious specimen in the Concorso Exotica:

I overheard some guy saying he wanted to use a fleet of these to deliver pizza. No.

I also got to see the legendary Cinquecento's new-to-us, sleeker little brother. I hope people in North America give it a chance. The Abarth version is supposed to be coming in 2012.

I must have taken a few of my photos too fast, please excuse the few that are a bit blurry.

What do you think of the update? People swarmed the ones you could actually sit in. We'll see how it actually does on the market. All I know is I want one.

Up next? The Minis. Another beloved tiny car with a big heart and a great history.

I loved the look of the new Mini when they first brought it out. I still do. Ever since then, however, it seems like Minis have become, well, less mini. I don't like it. The Clubman sounded like a good idea a few years ago but it became ever so slightly hearse-like with those double doors. This year we have the Countryman.

I couldn't wait to see the Countryman today. I've hoped and prayed for an AWD version of the Mini and thought this would be the answer to those prayers. It isn't really. The Countryman looks like a Mini on steroids. I think it's just too tall and wide to be called Mini. Heck, I've seen it described as a crossover. If Mini continues to go this way, they should just change their name to Medium.

That being said, this flat black one with a Toronto city scene on it was fun and The Countryman isn't ugly. It is probably more practical in a North American market for people who like Minis but need/want more space and/or AWD option.

The price is pretty steep at $30,750 to $43,000, especially when the Countryman tops out at 208 hp and 192 ft-lb of torque in its John Cooper Works option. That's nothing to sneeze at in a small car, but it's the same as the Mini JCW. I'll be curious to see its reception here.

This Mini Paceman concept car, on the other hand, is u-g-l-y. It's basically a sleeker Mini Countryman minus two doors. It reminds me of a toddler Ford Flex. My dad disagrees with me on all of the above so I'm guessing others will also disagree with me. Maybe I just don't like change very much.

The leather-wrapped handles are very practical, no?

Enough about that. What about the new Electric Mighty Mice out there? They seemed to favor function (kind of) over form.

Exhibit A: Nissan's Leaf

It's already saving the planet. It rescued this polar bear, domesticated him, and taught him how to hug and walk on his hind legs. He drives a Leaf. Amazing! If you like polar bears or want to be a polar bear, you better buy a Leaf.

Exhibit B: Mitsubishi MiEV

All snarking aside, I think the electric cars are interesting. I'm a big supporter of green technologies and reducing our environmental impact, but I have a lot of questions. Most of the electrics seem to have targeted ranges of around 160 km, which is just under 100 miles. What do people average in the real world? Traffic? Hilly commutes? What's the performance like? How long will the battery last/cost to replace? What would be the environmental impact of making and eventually disposing of these batteries? Nissan says it's working on both recycling and "second life" options for the batteries, but wouldn't people want to know more about that before they buy?

I won't babble on, but I'm really, really curious to see where this technology takes us as it matures. All in all, it was pretty neat to finally see these products in real life after hearing about them for so long. I don't find them all that visually appealing, but I'm sure others will think they're cute or fun.

So that's it for the mighty mice. I kind of hate to do this after showing off the electric cars, but tomorrow I'll post the growling, squealing, lust-inducing, gas-guzzling Supercars!

Daydream Destination: The Nürburgring

The Canadian International Auto Show is this weekend and I am excited to see some beautiful, fast machines on display. You see, I have a long-held, not-so-secret desire to be a tame racing driver. So what better Daydream Destination this week than the Nürburgring?

Perhaps some of you already know what a magical place this is and are salivating (or shaking in your boots?). For those who have only heard of it in passing, perhaps on a car commercial, or haven't heard of it at all, join me. I think just about anyone with a pulse could have fun here.

First of all, it is a race track located, fittingly, in Nürburg, Germany. The Nordschleife, or Northern Loop, is about 13 miles and 73 turns (officially, at least) of twisting, tree-lined, mountain-hugging tarmac encircling the Tower of Nürburg Castle. Originally built in the mid-1920s to be the toughest racing circuit and test track in the world, former F1 racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart once nicknamed it The Green Hell. Today it is also, amazingly, open to the public as a "one-way toll road" with few speed limitations.

Oh yes. You can conquer this beast yourself in a car or on a crotchrocket motorcycle for a fairly reasonable fee of €24.00 for 1 lap or €89.00 for 4 laps. More information about costs, extras, legal information, and schedules are at the official Nürburgring site.

And no. I have not been. But I want to. I really, really, really want to. It is officially and firmly on my life's "Will-Do" list.

Here's the thing, though. At this point in my life, I'd be stupid to pay my €24.00 and go for a drive. There are myriad reasons but the top ones are:

1. I can't drive a manual. (I know. I know. Really, this is a very, very sore spot for me. I can't unleash my inner Stig until I someone teaches me.)
2. I'm not too keen on driving whatever sad budget car I would be able rent for my vacation on the Ring.

It would be utter embarrassment at best and fiery death at worst.

I can see myself now, on the grass, waiting for a tow. Nearby, a tiny automatic car is on its side in a cloud of smoke. Jeremy Clarkson's mocking voice in my head is saying, "That's not gone well."

So, first you have to ask yourself if you will have a car worthy of the Ring. If not, fear not. There are other exhilarating options.

If you have the figurative cojones, driving chops, and money but don't want to mess with your vacation rental, then you can rent a car worthy of the Ring.  How about a Porsche 997 GT3RS for a measly €1499? Or a Lotus Exige S for a more reasonable €249? There are even more options starting around €99 for 2 hours at RentRaceCar.de or Rent4Ring.de that come recommended via this excellent and very informative Nürburgring site.

But what if you don't have the money or the racing chops? Again, fear not! You can get a Ring Taxi.

Between March and November and for what I think is a really reasonable price of €195, a Ring Specialist will drive you and two of your friends around the Ring in a BMW M5. If you're lucky, your driver with be the Ring Specialist and all-around badass, Sabine Schmitz.

So there you have it. Three great options for experiencing what is often called the best track in the world. If you're still not satisfied, always watch a race or even run the darn thing in an obstacle race.

I think I would go for the Ring Taxi. I want to go fast and fearlessly around that track and I'm certainly not able to do that on my own, yet.

If money were no object, though, and I had the skill, I'd order a Porsche GT3 RS and pick it up in Stuttgart. Then, I would break it in with a little driving tour of Germany and end up with a few laps around the Nürburgring before shipping it home to a big garage. Seems like a nice little German vacation to me.

What about you? Would you drive the Ring? What would be your car of choice if money were no object?