BY ZANDER REYES
Between Nov. 20 and Nov. 29, the city of Los Angeles hosted the L.A. Auto Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center, featuring over 1,000 cars that can make James Bond extremely excited. In addition to looking at all the new models, car geeks also had the opportunity to test drive over 100 of the latest models from around the world. The show also had guest appearances from celebrities, an Aftermarket Hall showcasing the newest and most popular accessories and technologies for automobiles, and food favorites.
The most talked about car in the show was the Alfa Romeo Giulia, due to its long-awaited return. This Italian sports car featured a V6 engine developed by Ferrari that delivers 510 horsepower. This isn’t the only beast feature in this car, as its unique triangle grill is an eye catcher. The company is hoping to regain respect after some previous lackluster releases, and is ready to make some heads turn with the growl of its engine.
However, some cars did not get the love that the Alfa Romeo Giulia received. The Range Rover Evoque Convertible features a small V4 engine and a bulky body for a small crossover. Many people were “intrigued” by the design and the hefty $50,000 price tag. This car, in my opinion, is the perfect description of a box on wheels. Nissan tried offering a convertible crossover, and failed miserably with the Murano, a car that was discontinued after one year.
Personally, I would not be able to afford the most talked about car, or the car that received the least love, but maybe if I work hard enough, I might be able to get into the car that made me want to get my driver’s license. It was love at first sight, when I saw the red trident Mini Cooper S Countryman with the black 18-inch 5-star double-spoke alloy wheels. I’ve always loved the Mini Coopers, but this year, the look of the color combination caught my eye.
As for the Aftermarket Hall, I felt like I was in a mall for cars. Let’s not forget, this event not only offered eye candy for automobile lovers, but food candy for food lovers. Very delicious food from food trucks and a variety of vendors were at the event as well. With Korean fries to a Southern mac n’ cheese, this event had it all. The savory garlic fries from Belly Bombz were a favorite, as were the awesome grilled cheese sandwiches from the infamous Grilled Cheese Truck. Other favorites included the street tacos, nachos (don’t forget the red sauce), and the Downtown Los Angeles favorite, bacon wrapped hot dogs!
If you missed it this year, the L.A. Auto Show will be back in 2016 to unveil more of the industry’s hottest models and rides of the future.
