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Los Angeles Auto Show: check it out!
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Despite the doom and gloom presented by the mainstream media, there is money available and you can purchase or even lease a new vehicle. With that in mind, the major automakers from throughout the world are displaying their wares at the Los Angeles Auto Show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Auto Show is still the first of the four major auto shows held in the U.S. The others are the North American International Auto Show (known as the Detroit Auto Show) scheduled for early Juanuary 2009, the Chicago Auto Show, scheduleded for February 2009 and the New York Auto Show, scheduled for April 2009. The Los Angeles show used to be held in early January which made it difficult to the Detroit types to handle both Los Angeles and Detroit. Last year LA Show management moved the Los Angeles Auto Show to cover the Thanksgiving holiday and allow the key Detroit executives more breathing room and a change to attend both shows.
Unfortuantely the key auto executives from Detroit were a no-show in Los Angeles. They were busy in Washington, D.C. asking for a government bailout of $25 billion dollars and did not attend press days at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Therefore the keynote speaker for the first press day, sponsored by the Motor Press Guild (MPG) was the CEO of Nissan who spun some addition doom and gloom, despite the fact that his own Infiniti division was telling people that money is available for those with good and even just O.K. credit to purchase automobiles.
There are nearly 40 world and North American debuts of new vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show which runs from November 21 through the Thanksgiving holiday to Sunday, November 30, 2008. Los Angeles is a city of varied interests. In addition to the displays of low-cost, fuel-efficient vehicles and the numerous "green" vehicles there are plenty of high-powered, high-priced muscle cars and sports cars on display as well. Remember that the wealthy actors and producers in Hollywood have both "green" cars and exotic sports cars in their luxurious multi-car garages.
Some noteworthy vehicles to see at the Los Angeles Auto Show include the Nissan 370-Z, the Infiniti G37 convertible, the $350,000 Bentley Azure T, the open top Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder fitted with a V10 engine delivering a reported 560 horsepower. To cap off the high end vehicles, Ferrari is displaying their limited series (they say only 499 will be built) Scuderia Spider 16M (different spelling noted) which is said to celebrate Ferrair's 16th Constructor's title in Formula One auto racing. Fitted with a 510 horsepower V8 engine, Ferrair claims the 16M will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds and has a top track speed of 196 miles per hour.
Even with all these high-priced vehicles on display, admission to the show is reasonable. It's $10 for adults, $7.00 for senior citizens (through Thursday only) and children under 12 are admitted free. Parking, however, is an entirely different topic. The Los Angeles Convention Center is charging $12.00 to park a vehicle in their dark, dank parking area under the Convention Center. Be aware that downtown Los Angeles is not car-friendly. Prices are high and spaces are small. My recommendation is drive a "beater" to the show where you can see nice vehicles on display.
The Los Angeles Auto Show hours of operation are: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Thanksgiving 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. More information is available at 213-765-4617 or www,laautoshow.com
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