The cars are out in full glory this week in New York. That is right, it's that time of year again. The International Auto Show is running at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The show kicked off on March 21 and will be open to the public until March 30.
The show gives consumers a look at some of the hottest concepts, exciting new exotic cars and the soon-to-be consumer ready vehicles for the upcoming year.
Because fuel economy is on the mind of the average consumer this year it's taken center stage at the auto show and several companies are showcasing alternative fuel-source vehicles.
Honda currently has the FCX clarity on display. The car is a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and will be available for limited release this coming summer in Southern California. According to Honda Southern California was chosen as the trail location because of it's proximity to hydrogen fueling stations (there are not many floating around the United States).
The Smart Fortwo, a micro vehicle, built and marketed by Mercedes is also on display as a way to save serious gas money. The car weighs under a ton and is just 8.5 feet long, for comparison sake the Honda Fit, one of the smaller cars on the market is 13 feet long and conventional cars are roughly 17 feet long. The Fourtwo has a width of just over 5 feet. The car is already on the market with a starting price of just under $12,000 and apparently has a waiting list according to an article by Daniel Rosenbaum for Computerworld.com.
Hybrid has become a buzz word around the automotive community because of the currently debilitating gas prices and car manufacturers are showcasing some of their most exciting hybrids. An Escalade hybrid is currently on display. Yes you heard it right, the gas guzzling sumo-SUV manufactured by Cadillac has gone hybrid.
Traditional vehicles are also on display this week with added bonus and high technology accessories and packages. The Regis and Kelly Show on ABC featured several of the vehicles that are on display at the Javitz Center.
The newest submission into the market by VW is a small CUV, or a crossover utility vehicle. They are all the rage according to the show and give drivers an solution to their space and gasoline needs. The CUV is basically an SUV based off of a car platform. The VW Tiguan is set to hit the U.S. Market in the Spring of 2008 according to the Volkswagen website.
Toyota, Lexus and Infinity are all featuring some of their newest arrivals and concepts at the car how this week. Ford, Chevy and any other car company that can be thought up are also on hand along with a number of companies who have parlayed into the vehicle amenity game.
Microsoft currently is showing off their newest product, Sync. Sync is a communication and entertainment system that allows bluetooth connection along with voice recognition for cell phones and stereo systems. It's pretty snazzy and will surely help drivers keep their eyes on the road rather then the stereo dial or cell phone. Sync will soon be an available option for all ford and ford subsidiary vehicles in the coming months.
The convention center is abuzz with new cars. The space is filled with the wonder that is the automotive market; from wacky concepts to real life potential.