The 2013 LA Auto Show
With the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show on the horizon, the excitement is kicking into high-gear. Running from today until December 1st, it’s one of the most important and influential – not to mention enticing – auto shows in the world. Whether you’re an auto mechanic, a salesman, someone looking into automotive careers, or just a plain old car enthusiast, it’s one of the most exciting and buzz worthy events of the year.
As a response to the increasing amount of interest with driver-assisting technology in automobiles, the Los Angeles Auto Show organizers have created the “Connected Car Expo.” The CCE is a one-day conference and three-day expo for automotive and technology companies who are at the forefront of the technologically connected car industry.
The expo will begin with a keynote speech from Ford Motor Company’s Jim Farley and Tarun Bhatnagar, Director of Google Maps for Business.Gearheads, not to worry – you can look forward to world debuts from some of the heaviest hitters in the industry like BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Porsche, Subaru and Volkswagen.
One of big movers and shakers to look forward to this year are Subaru, who are releasing the details of their highly anticipated WRX model at the show. While very little is known about the new performance car, excitement is piled high for the reveal.
Mini will be releasing their third generation Cooper, which maintains the chic and style of its previous incarnations, yet incorporates a sleeker design and luxury sedan-like features, such as adaptive cruise control and head-up display.
Mercedes-Benz will also be unveiling their new S series – purring with a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12, armed with 621 horsepower and a terrifying 738 pound-feet of torque. It seems they’ve swapped out the outdated five-speed transmission on the outgoing model for a more modern seven-speed. It also introduces their ground-breaking Class Brake Assist system with that could very well revolutionize braking safety, as illustrated in this video:
Word on the street is that Mercedes-Benz will also unveil its partnership with Google Glass, claiming that new models will be able to be integrated with the futuristic eyewear. So far, drivers only have the ability to search for destinations on Glass and save the destination onto a Glass-responsive smart phone, so it might be a while before every automotive service technician is sporting a pair of these.
Land Rover will also be turning some heads by introducing the new, stretched-out version of the Range Rover. Clocking in at a whopping 5.2 meter length, and adding around 12 centimeters of leg-room, it seems they’ve added a very liberal pinch of luxury to and already luxurious vehicle. However, if you’re looking to shuttle some kids to soccer practice, look elsewhere, as the vehicle will not come in a seven seat version, merely the classic five-seater.
Whether you’re looking forward to scoping out the newest cloud-based driving technologies or just catching a glimpse of the new, sleek 2015 models, this year’s show is sure to be a hit.
