LA Confidential: PH Blog

The good, the bad and the mad from the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show

Despite almost every journalist wandering around the LA Expo Center with a Starbucks cup, the first motor show media day was a quite relaxed affair. No pushing or shoving, lots of "you're welcome" and "thanks so much" and a real sense of positivity from everyone in attendance. Must be the weather.

Jaguar on fighting form at LA

Anyway, with LA still a very significant show for America, where better to start than with the domestic manufacturers? Ford was playing it coy with the Shelby Mustang; it knew a huge fanfare wasn't required, that the car would be sought out. So it was main stage for the new Expedition (really) and a small section in the corner for the GT350. Obviously that didn't stop it drawing a crowd.

But initially it's not the most exciting thing. That sounds ludicrous, I know. The extra menace of the front end is nice and the stripes are cool but there just seems to be some attitude missing. However, you soon notice a few little details that up the excitement; the front tyres are 295-section wide, big Brembo brakes could be seen through the wheels and some very serious bucket seats were also just visible. Moreover, it's probably worth remembering our idea of a Shelby Mustang in the UK is the old GT500, a much more extroverted and outlandish fast Mustang. Conveniently enough Ford showed the new car with an original GT350 which further reinforced the point; 500s are loud and silly in every sense, 350s are (relatively) subtle driver-focused machines. The Shelby is a very exciting car.

Race version of Caddy ATS-V looks suitably mean

The GT350 showed how to pair function and form very well. The Cadillac ATS-V appears to cruelly undersell an intriguing mechanical package with a limp design. Both saloon and coupe look, to me, like a sporty trim package rather than a 450hp flagship. The front end is purposeful enough but that tension and energy around the arches and exhaust that makes the M3 so exciting is nowhere to be seen. As if to ram the point home, the GT3 car was loitering just a few feet away, its brooding presence making the ATS-V look all the more meek. Shame.

There was an intangible air of confidence around Dodge for the whole day. Awards were on show, specs were boldly displayed and even the Mopar extras were shown off with a real sense of pride. Everyone still wants to talk about the Hellcats, the Dodge Ram can now tow over 30,000lbs (why? Because you can!) and even the little Jeep Renegade looks quite funky.

If you've got a 707hp V8 you may as well pop the hood

There's a real impression Dodge is going somewhere once again. And isn't it funny too how tech sharing can benefit some brands and not others? An infotainment system that comes across a bit low rent in a Maserati looks fantastic in a Dodge Challenger.

Chevrolet was massively dull by comparison. Aside from the Corvette, it was a range of fairly nondescript pick-ups, MPVs and saloons. I also don't think the UK is missing an awful lot without Buick, Lincoln and Acura.

If cars had emotions, the wonderful LFA Nurburgring Lexus wheeled out again would have wept at the sight of the yellow LF-C2 concept. How long until the two-tonne RC F cabrio? Erk. Toyota had a two-pronged approach for teasing stuff you can't have by showing the FT1 once more. Just build the damn thing Toyota. It's the only decent thing to do.

Maybach or Merc? Actually both!

So then, to the Europeans in California. Here's a funny thing to start: both the Alfa Romeo and Maserati stands were very popular with the attending journalists despite neither displaying any new cars on their stands. I'll leave you to figure that one out...

Many, many tape measures were being wielded in the Discovery Sport's direction. But obviously there was only one destination on the JLR stand for my best heel and toe trainers; the manual F-Type. And it's, er, OK. Of course a gearbox can't be properly judged sat on the wrong side of the car not actually going anywhere. However, sat stationary pretending to drive like a child at a motor show (I stopped at screeching noises)the F-Type manual didn't feel superb. There are certainly positives, some great pedal placement and a tight gate being two but for now it doesn't feel like a great manual. The throw just isn't that short and the stick doesn't move quite as freely as you would like. It's very far from bad but doing the same in an MX-5 soon after shows what a properly sweet manual is like. Let's see how the Jag feels on the road.

Matt disappointed at lack of further gearstick waggling

Surprisingly Porsche did Jaguar a huge favour at LA. You know how Porsche is the purist sports car brand and Jaguar the luxury saloon makers only now venturing back to that market? Yes? Well Jaguar had more manual cars on its stand than Porsche. This is the same Porsche that talks of the GTS brand being the 'concentrated essence' of what the brand represents and the same Porsche that has apparently made great progress with the 911's seven-speed manual. There were 16 cars in the Porsche hall and not a single manual. Cayman GTS, Boxster GTS, 911 GTS and a basic Cayman, all fitted with paddles. That's so disappointing.

In two of the least surprising debuts of the LA show, the Audi Prologue concept looks a lot like other Audi concepts and the Maybach S-Class is a really luxurious S-Class that looks very much just like an S-Class and not a new Maybach. Actually the former statement is a little unfair; the back of the Audi Prologue bears a resemblance the last Saab 9-5.

Lexus LF C2 previews heavyweight cabrio

How there can be BMW products so loathsome (X6 M) and so intensely desirable (Alpina B6 Gran Coupe) in the same floor space is mystifying. So too how Honda can justify making a show appearance with nothing more than a slightly uglier Jazz to show. Bring on the NSX...

You always leave a motor show coveting one car in particular. At LA this year that was the Lexus LFA Nurburgring. But I fear that's sort of missing the point. Nope, of new cars previewed it has to be that fierce Shelby Mustang that I want to drive most. If Jaguar can engineer a manual for the F-Type then surely Ford can give us a RHD Shelby?

Matt