Jan 10: Camry - is that really you?

This is how it all started, Toyota teasing us with a back end shot of their new Camry to be unveiled at this week's North American International Auto Show, aka the Detroit auto show. I've blogged before about the bland Toyota designs and how that company was breaking out of the mold of those sleepy creations. Their next big reveal would be the Camry. The big gun of the Toyota line. The number one best selling sedan in the US market. Sure the suv craze has driven up their Rav4 sales, but the good and staid old Camry was still clocking in at about 450,000 yearly sales in the USA. Impressive numbers. Redesign the Camry, but don't alienate its fan base. Quite a goal for any designer.

Way back when, the Camry arrived with its first edition.........

Nothing spectacular (hey, it was a Camry), but backed up by Toyota quality. Sure it rusted out, but so did everything else back then. I remember a friend of mine bought the hatch version after being a loyal North American car buyer, and he wouldn't stop bragging about what a great car he now had. Being a car guy, I couldn't understand his euphoria.

Next came in 1992, what many consider to be the penultimate Camry........

Resembling a junior Lexus LS, this was a terrific car quality wise and you still see a few around over twenty years later. A 1992 model, being twenty five years old can now show up at old car cruise events. Kind of a scary thought.

But that was then and lots of Camry's have since flowed under the bridge, almost all (correction - all) to universal derision by the car enthusiast community. A great A to B ride, but with nothing remotely engaging for anyone who valued precise ride and handling. A sofa on wheels was a typical description, although a very good sofa.

So to the present day. A time when Toyota is doing their best to make the Lexus and Toyota brands stand out for their styling. Sure, they have tried too hard in some cases, but at least they are trying. So, what to do with their cash cow Camry?

Yesterday in the Motor City, off came the wraps of the 2018........

Wow! Sure the front end looks like it was lifted off of the predator from the old Schwarzenegger movies, but I don't have a issue with it. Overall this is a beautifully striking design, even in the base trim, as shown on the silver one in the above pic. In my opinion, this is probably the best effort so far by the Toyota/Lexus designers. Even better than the new and very costly Lexus LS model, that was also unveiled yesterday. No longer is Toyota complacent, at least not with an exterior and interior like this on their ol' standby, Camry......

I'll have to wait until I read the road tests or drive it before giving it my complete thumbs up, but if the driveability is anything like its looks, well, watch out Honda Accord. Now, maybe the Camry will show the promise, that it has so ably shown on the tracks of NASCAR........

A few years back, who would have ever thought I'd be singing the praises a beautiful new Camry and even looking forward to getting behind the wheel? What's that line about an old dog and new tricks?

Until next time.......

Jan 6: A model Christmas

What would you do over the Christmas holidays, if you had lots of time off, an industrious little cat and a great hobby? Exactly what I thought and that's exactly what I did, along with all the other things that go with the holidays.

Myself and the CMC (Car Modeling Cat) had several models lined up to build, so it was a joint decision that we'd build two versions of one of my favorites, the USA only, 1965 Plymouth Belvedere. I told the story behind this car in an earlier blog (Sept 6/16), so I won't repeat myself (that's a first, Barry). We wanted to build an everyday low end driver, which this model depicted........

Just a plain Jane car that a salesman might have, with the only option being whitewall tires, so it wouldn't look like a complete povertymobile and make the neighbours think that he had bought the lowest of the low, which, of course, he had.........

.......oh, and one more addition, a radio to help pass the time between those business calls. One other person found favor with this car, but they equipped it a little differently........

The whitewalls were skipped, a set of great looking mag wheels were added, but its real appeal was in the fact that this Belvedere 1 was light and inexpensive, the perfect setting for a monster motor and Plymouth obliged with a 426 cubic inch engine (no, not the Hemi), that found its home on the nation's dragstrips. You've no doubt noticed, that we've made two models for the price of one.

There was also one more place that this particular Plymouth found a home. Think inexpensive, think a big motor and of course, think of this version......

Of course, it was a natural and one of the last of the two door police cars. Unlikely this sheriff's car packed a 426, but the subtle dual exhausts probably indicated a still very fast 383 four barrel. Just the thing to chase down those smart ass kids in their GTO's and Mustangs. If we had used city police car decals, then it would most likely be packing a slant six.

Every model tells a story  -  imagination is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

Check out what else is attracting the attention of the CMC in the first pic and that should tell you about some upcoming blogs. Next week, the Detroit auto show opens, so stay tuned.

Until next time........

Jan 4: What's in a colour?

What's in a colour? Apparently a lot or not much depending on who is doing the talking or thinking. Take the recent example of what has happened in my hometown, Toronto. Late last Summer it was announced that the Toronto police cars would now be a shade of grey with white graphics.......

Distinctive? I guess, but maybe not as much of a standout as the current white cars are with their blaring red and blue decals.......

Now, this is where it gets tricky. Quite a few people mentioned that the new colour scheme made the police cars seem less approachable and more militaristic. Approachable? Whoever finds any police car approachable? Beats me! Militaristic? I can see that, but should this be a problem?

On the other hand, someone also piped up and said that the new colours made the cars blend into the scenery more and didn't have the "make it stand out" look of the white cruisers. Now, we are definitely on to something, as you can see by this side by side comparison........

Keep in mind that these cars aren't meant to be stealthy, as the force has plenty of unmarked patrol cars ready to take you down. Like these Toronto police Crown Vics waiting to be put into service, just before their production ended a few years back........

After a few weeks of discussion, someone asked the police chief point blank, why the change? Now we all can come up with stupid answers to smart questions, but most of us won't have those answers published on the front page of the city's four daily newspapers for millions to see and read. The chief's answer? He simply wanted a change and didn't give it any thought. That makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

Way back when, our cruisers were New York taxi yellow.......

.......and this colour stayed with us until the late '80's. No way that this shade blended into the background, but it was finally changed, when some bright soul with influence said people (tourists?) were mistaking them for taxis. Really? Toronto has never had a yellow taxi to my knowledge. Anyway, next came the ubiquitous white cars. I say ubiquitous, since white cars became the norm across North America. Ours were white with red and blue stripes........

.......which after a few years followed the trend of adding dramatic and colourful markings to police vehicles, so our cars ended up as they are now.......

So back to the first order of one hundred grey cruisers, which hit the streets over the past few months. Cruisers doing their duty for their city........

......until the Police Services Board, said, not so fast, chief, let's rethink this change. Matter of fact, let's stay with the the white, red and blues that we already have. So after much publicity and a big splashy roll out, the new grey cruisers will become a novelty item, until they can be repainted or simply wear out. You know, for a very smart police chief, this was a very public and very dumb chain of events.

I wonder what Blinky the talking Toronto police car would say about this episode?

By the way, Blinky is a pig. Funny when you think about it, as "pig" used to be a very derogatory term for police everywhere. Wonder how he would look in stealth grey?

What's in a colour? Well, that depends and in Toronto, it depends on where that colour is being applied.

Until next time.......

Dec 22: Santa time again

"Santa Claus is coming to town!"

Isn't tradition wonderful? Santa cruising the skies of our vast planet in his little sleigh, pulled by those amazingly talented reindeer, none of whom ever seem to age. Must be the Christmas magic at work, since I dare say, Amazon would find Santa's feat hard to match, even with their fleet of drones. Debating the reality of Mr. S. Claus and his magical abilities should be left for another time and place, maybe over a beer during the Summer heatwaves, so let's finish off the year with something Christmasy, yet car related. Ok?

How about we browse thru a few Christmas cards.........that traditional way of saying we remember who you are, but were too busy during the year to contact you. Let's check out a few with neat car pics. This one from Zagato looks like a keeper to me..........

You know that you'll never see a car like they show under your tree, but isn't Christmas about dreaming? Maybe next year, they will be kind enough to drop the bow, so you can get a real good look at that Zagato model in the foreground?

Old cars are always ending up on cards. Reminiscent of an old time Christmas? Or just dreaming of the way things used to be or at least used to be when tinted (or tainted?) by nostalgia.......

Ah yes, nothing says Christmas like an old car (I guess). So feeling very nostalgic today, why don't I show one more holiday greeting featuring a golden (in this case red) oldie.....

But as we all know, this time of year is about more than just old cars and a holiday background......

Look closely and you'll see that this card from (well, you can read), is a holiday greeting, but for me it's much more about those beautiful cars. And from the size of the greeting, it is for Maserati as well. From this commercial for the Italian brand to a general card from someone or company in England, highlighting a few of that country's past triumphs (no pun intended)........

Ah, isn't tradition wonderful? Good times, good friends and a few great old and new cars. Could it possibly be any better? Sure, it could, just add a little bit of tacky glitz to brighten up the holiday........ 

And so it comes the time to close out my blogs for 2016 and to wish all my readers a very happy holiday. Enjoy the break, dream cars and hope to have you back here in the new year.

Until January 4th.........

Dec 20: Mighty F-150's

Comin' at ya, the 2018 Ford Raptor, the biggest Big Kahuna of the streets and fields. Or is it? Meant to be a rock em, sock em, high powered ride with the ability to do real off road runs to your local grocery store ("Hey, that's my lawn you just ran over!"). Powered by a very cool 450 HP V6 motor. V6? Amazing what technology can do. When I was younger having a V6 anything was a mark of shame, not something to brag about to your neighbours (you know, like the one whose lawn you just destroyed). These are great times, aren't they?

But pull up to the Christmas party in this beast and you will certainly get their attention, regardless of the engine type.......

.......as this brute has all the necessary suspension work to back up those brawny, good looks. And all for around $70k Canadian, plus freight and pdi, one might say that this truck is almost a bargain. One might say that.

On the other hand (yes, there is always that other hand), what do you think of when you hear the word, Shelby? Would this picture be a good guess?

Yes, I'd say, it would be a very good guess. But open up your mind to other possibilities and in doing so, think of that Raptor pick-up. Think harder and maybe this will be something you would visualize........

Same paint job and many of the same design cues as the Mustang version, but this Shelby Ford F-150 truck is much more than a superficial paint and tape job. Way more. And for a price of more than double the Raptor, it should be. A truck like this should be as capable on road as off and should have gobs of big power, with which to intimidate the flora, the fauna and the wildlife, as you rocket across the landscape. Of course, the Shelby F-150 has all of that, as it is motivated by a whopping 700 HP powerplant.

Yes, sir, this truck is the real deal and with only five hundred made, a very scarce real deal. Unlikely you'll see yourself coming down the street, like you would in a regular F-150. How much would you pay for this individuality? Well, as you read above, you'll pay close to $150k, to have this bruiser sitting in your driveway. On the other hand (there's that hand again), if one has that kind of coin to spread around, just maybe this truck would be useful to tow around a few other of their prized possessions.......

No question, this would be the ideal match up and by comparison to the price of a real and original Shelby Cobra, the F-150 version is merely chump change. A great looking combo in anyone's book.

With Christmas literally days away and you worrying that the family's gift to you will be a touch underwhelming, maybe this is the time to treat yourself? Do a quick internet search and try to snag one of these very scarce and very individualized Shelby F-150's to brighten up your holiday.

Make those Christmas visits to your depressingly less fortunate relatives something, that they will talk about for a long time to come.

Until next time.......

Dec 16: Alfa Romeo? Who cares?

There he is, the young stud cruising down the highway on his way to the continuation of his illicit affair with the very hot and promiscuous Mrs. Robinson. Not a care in his world, that is until he starts to fall in love with her daughter (see the movie). But let's forget about young lust and love and focus instead on his hot, red Italian ride. Doesn't everyone, at least anyone with an interest in cars, known that Benjamin Braddock's stead is an Alfa Romeo? Its starring role in this film probably gave a spike to Alfa'a sales. This car became such an integral part of the movie, that years later Alfa dubbed their entry level Spider, the Graduate Edition, shortly before pulling up stakes and leaving the North America market to the domestics, the Pacific rim countries and the other European manufacturers. Why did they leave? Simple. Low sales and not the most reliable cars, compared what was available elsewhere. Alfa Romeo? Who cares?

Well somebody cared, because the North American market is huge and the top brass at parent company Fiat was eyeing a return to these fickle shores. They thought, let's get the ball rolling with a high zoot model, that would harken back to Alfa's racing heritage, the Competizione...........

I'm sure there were a few around Toronto, but I've never seen one. Price? If you have to ask (you know that line)........it was about a quarter million US dollars and only a couple of hundred or so ended up over here.

Supposed to wet our appetite for the Alfa brand and make us long for what we no longer had. Now that they had our attention, they brought out a less costly sportscar, the 4c.......

...........which was priced under a $100k. It received reasonable reviews and the testers seemed to like its looks, but I've never figured out why. This one was supposed to set the stage for a full on onslaught of Alfa Romeo branded vehicles, but if the 4c's low sales were any indication, it would be a long, hard road.

But wait, the main event was just about to be introduced, the Giulia, starting with the Quadrifoglio......

......a real balls out sports sedan to compete with the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63, also priced comparably. Impressive? Sure and Alfa will sell a few, but it will be the garden variety version that will have to support the brand, the "normal" Giulia.......

I believe this Giulia will be around the $40-$50k mark. Now, this is where things fall part for me. Sure the slow selling 4c was a good car and the rockin' Quadrifoglio, will attract a few buyers, but really, how many people over here are waiting with baited breath for this brand to reappear and with everyday models? Look at what else is in this price range.......the 3 series, the C Class, the A4, the Q50 and the ATS. Other than a few people with a soft spot for Italian iron, I don't think Alfa has a chance to make the effort worthwhile.

Now, we all know that in North America, the sedan is dying a death of a thousand cuts, as suv's blanket the landscape and Alfa is not blind to this fact. Hence the recent introduction at the LA show of the Stelvio sport ute........

Again a nice vehicle, but up against its numerous competitors, can this vehicle help to make an impact for Alfa? Personally, I doubt it. I just don't see that our countrymen and women have been waiting for Alfa Romeo to reappear and when it does, lining up to be the first on their block. Oops, I'm wrong about that, as there will be a rush of early adopters, but once they have been satisfied, watch out Alfa, as I fear that your showrooms will be empty.

The love affair, that Alfa thinks we have with their brand, is in my opinion, unrequited. The Italians love the brand, love its heritage, love the thought of being behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo.

North Americans, not so much. Alfa is simply a rare Italian confection, that the road testers will fawn over, but the general populace will pass by on their way to the much better known brands.

Doubt what I say? Ok, let's revisit this and check out those sales figures, in about, say, two years. But as I said before, Alfa Romeo? Who cares.

Until next time.......

Dec 13: Transparency in the car business

Not quite sure what you are looking at here? A pick-up truck after an ice storm or what? If you are a Canadian TV watcher, then you immediately know the answer. This is the Canadian Tire Ice Truck. A truck body made entirely of ice, but obviously with a real drivetrain and chassis. Great idea for those cold winter climate locations, but this thing was completely impractical, since one could never go south for a holiday or even go into an underground parking garage. An advertising gimmick, but not something to be seen on a showroom floor (unless the heating was broken). But most important, what this creation was, was transparent, although illogically so. Someone must have a better idea. Glad you asked (you did, didn't you?).

We want to see a real transparent car. One that can handle the daily rigors of everyday driving. Something like this 1940 Pontiac........

Great idea. You can look under the hood, without opening it. You always have great visibility - no blind spots! No need for a glass sunroof. People can see who is driving this cool car and know that you are a person of unusual taste. This was not the last car manufacturer to think that there might be a market for such a car. Don't believe me? A brief lesson.......

And you thought only Pontiac in the dark old days just prior to World War II, probed the market for transparency. Not a chance......

Now, of course, one must realize that dressing appropriately is very important in a see thru car. A short, leg and thigh exposing dress like this could cause multiple car accidents. Heck, it would be worse than texting while driving. Otherwise, a very good idea. No more asking about your car's unique features, as everyone can see them for themselves. And so easy to clean, just Windex it.

Even a conservative company like Honda has ventured into transparency.........

.......but will they have the guts to actually produce something like this? Maybe after they have stopped playing around with their nearly unsellable hybrids, they'll be willing to give transparency the opportunity it deserves.

There have been some half hearted efforts to produce a mainstream see thru auto, even up to the present day. Initially only the power plants have been exposed........

.......but, hey, I can see the time, when some forwarding thinking manufacturer will have the guts to go all the way and not just show off the engine. Let's encourage a company to be the first one. Be the first and probably the only one on your block. Ignore the comments about your, shall we say, interesting taste.


And as anyone can see, the interest is so high, that even the current US president is giving his views on this unique vehiclar concept........

So let's get on board and not leave it up to some small innovative start up company to scoop the big guys and corner the transparency market.......

It's too late for Pontiac, but they had the right idea way back in 1940........

May I be so bold as to suggest that someone start a petition to get your favorite car company to get moving on this great idea. Sure there are shortcomings, like nowhere to hide valuables, but heck, who cares about minor issues like that, when you are the guy or gal with a transparent car? No sir, this is the future, so let's get on board.

Until next time.......