The 2013 LA Auto Show

I love auto shows for the pristine-ness of it all,
crisp white carpet, no dust or smudges,
that new car smell practically choking you ahhh.

That’s the media day version though; wouldn’t want to be here on a normal attendance day, too many humans.

It’s intense, an auto show, very fast paced. It’s kinda… you get on a shuttle in the morning, beautiful cars and click click hundreds of photos, lots of laughs, then all of a sudden you’re back on the shuttle, it’s dark outside and you’re going “woah”.

The media room.  All those people leave their laptops just sitting there unattended, while they’re in the show photographing. Nice that it’s possible, I could never.

Click MORE for the cars (warning: big page) [Read more…]

The all-new 2015 Lincoln MKC

Lincoln has been re-inventing their image, “we haven’t committed this much money or people to the brand in decades”, said Jim Farley, Executive VP of Global Marketing, Sales and Service, Lincoln.

This includes a brand new design studio, an all-new styling, and reverting to their original 1922 name, “The Lincoln Motor Company”.

I think it’s working, it’s classy, elegant.

The automaker is also focusing on improving their service. All their dealerships were renovated this year, and they hired the world’s best concierge organization – ‘Les Clefs d’Or’ of Paris France – to re-train all their sales staff.

Their all-new luxury crossover.

2.0L Turbo EcoBoost AWD – 240 hp & 270 ft.lbs
2.3L Turbo EcoBoost AWD – 275 hp & 300 ft.lbs

2015 Lincoln MKC starting at $39,940

See the 5 buttons running down the left of the screen? That’s the gear shift! It’s a new shift-by-wire system, which frees up a lot of space in the centre console area.  Here’s a video I made of the same system in the MKZ.

Lincoln LA Auto Show Hoberman

All soft-touch materials; sharp stitch lines on the doors; paddle shifters are standard; the wood detail is porous and gorgeous; transmission is a conventional auto not a CVT;  3 adaptive suspension settings (comfort / normal / sport); volume knobs NICE; and the liftgate is one piece of metal, formed by water, difficult to do, a Canadian company figured it out (AMINO in St. Thomas, Ontario).

Designed and engineered by the ladies!

Lisa Drake, Chief Engineer MKC and Soo Kang, MKC Chief Interior Designer

2015 Lincoln MKC on sale next summer.

 

Speeding Advice from the Police

Speaking with Constable Stibbe, the toughest enforcer on the team. Last year he wrote over 5,000 speeding tickets, or 20/day.

He details how to avoid a ticket, and what to do if you get pulled over.

Read it online at Autonet.

Favourite line:

Even the “toughest enforcer” waves people on. As Stibbe says, “hey, everyone has the occasional bad day.”

A 2-part mini-series on speeding.

Read the other one, from the fight-the-ticket perspective, here.

***

Back to ‘Keri on Driving’ – Index