Beyond the Debuts: Other Things To Do & See At The 2018 LA Auto Show

Sure, we know you go to the LA Auto Show to look at the shiny new cars. Perhaps you’re looking to buy one, or maybe you’d just like to catch a glimpse of the latest and greatest before everyone else. But, beyond the 1000 new cars on display there’s a bit more to see at LAAS.

From celebrity owned custom cars, to joyrides and even pet adoptions, here’s a rundown of the many things to see and do at the 2018 LA Auto Show.

“The Garage”

Tuner & Custom cars, toys and aftermarket accessories – you’ll find them all in “The Garage”.

Custom Cars

While Detroit may be the epicenter of the automotive universe (at least in the U.S.A), Los Angeles is the center of automotive customization. From the rise of the Hot Rod to the vibe of the low and slow’ LA Lowrider scene, if there’s an automotive trend out there, chances are it originated in Southern California. Where better to celebrate that spirit of car culture than at the LA Auto Show?

American Fastbacks Customized Wrangler ; Photo LAAS

Today, California continues to influence the automotive world. Although the scene has evolved from chopped Mercs and bagged Impalas to promoting Electric & Hydrogen powered vehicles, the spirit of ‘making it your own’ is still alive and well. What better way to bridge that generation gap than a dropped / customized BMW i8?

West Coast Customs

For their inaugural appearance at LAAS, West Coast Customs is showing off a super-clean restomod Porsche 356 built on a 2008 Porsche Cayman platform. You’d never know there’s a Cayman hiding under that skin.

Custom Jeep Wrangler owned by Alex Rodriguez on Display at WWC.

Galpin’s Hall of Customs

If you know your Ford history, then you likely know all about Galpin Motors. Besides being the first Shelby dealer in California, Galpin Motors has been ‘Galpinizing’ cars since the 1950s.

While they started out modifying, building and racing custom Fords, Galpin has evolved into a full-on customization shop, building cars not only for customers, but also for Hollywood, as well as creating their own ‘Galpin Fisker Ford Mustang Rocket’.

Galpin’s Hall of Customs; Photo: Galpin Motors via Twitter @**galpinmotors**

If you’re into custom and high performance vehicles, Galpin has assembled a fairly diverse group that includes Salomondrin’s Modified Ford Raptor S, Ken Block’s customized RS200, a Singer Porsche and the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera – just to name a few. We’re sure this will be a popular area to visit at LAAS.

Here’s the Salomondrin’s Modified Ford Raptor in what looks like a screen shot from GTA 5:

Drool..

Two totally different cat’s

See more Garage photos on the LAAS site.

Interactive Experiences

Amazon Gaming Lounge (Concourse Foyer)

If you can’t wait for the third season of Amazon’s The Grand Tour, or simply want to live the life of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, you might want to check out the upcoming Grand Tour Game here at the LA Auto Show.

Want to be the first on your block to try the new Grand Tour game (coming soon to Xbox One & PlayStation), or take selfies with a real-life Porsche 918 Spyder? Just stop by the Amazon Gaming Lounge.

Jaguar VR Racing (South Hall)

Ever want to know what it feels like to race a Jaguar!? Well, unless you’re among the few who practice really hard and earn a spot on a Jaguar racing team, you won’t. Thankfully, for the rest of us there’s Virtual Reality.

Hyundai Racing Challenge (South Hall Atrium)

Good at racing games? You might want to stop by the Hyundai Racing Challenge. There, players (18+) can complete for a spot in one of two daily tournaments and a chance to win an Xbox One.

Pet Charities

Subaru & Best Friend Animal Society

If you’re familiar with Subarus ‘Love Promise’ then you might know all about ‘Subaru Loves Pets’. If not you might take a moment and check out the ‘Subaru Loves Pets‘ website. Go ahead, we’ll wait…

More than just creating a nice commercial slogan and webpage, Subaru is putting their money (and hopefully some of yours) where their mouth is. Teaming up with the Best Friends Animal Society, Subaru will be hosting an adoption event where show attendees will be able interact with adoptable dogs. Come for a BRZ, leave with a dog instead.

If for some reason you can’t or don’t wish to adopt a dog, you can contribute to the Best Friends Animal Society’s work in Los Angeles by making a donation and/or by assembling a rope toy to donate to shelter.

Subaru Loves Pets! Photo: Subaru usa media

Pet adoption schedule:

Saturday, Dec. 1, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Sunday, Dec. 2, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Saturday, Dec. 8, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Sunday, Dec. 9, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Mitsubishi & The Asher House

By now, you might be thinking the LA Auto Show is starting to go to the dogs. You’re right, but in this case it’s a good thing.

Lee Asher started the Asher house with the intent of rescuing homeless dogs from shelters by educating the public about the misconceptions surrounding shelter dogs. Everyday, good dogs have to be euthanized simply because of a lack of space and money to support them in shelters.

As part of its “Drive your Ambition” initiative, Mitsubishi donated a new Eclipse Cross to Asher and his team, who use it to tote their own rescue dogs to various events throughout America.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross; Lee Asher & his ‘Pack’

Lee Asher and his ‘pack’ will be on hand at the Mitsubishi booth Friday December 7th, so stop by and meet them. If you can’t, you can still read about Lee and his cause here. Don’t forget to make a donation.

DoVE Project

It’s one of those things you don’t like to read or hear about. In some areas of the world the dog-meat trade is still a thing… a legally sanctioned thing.

Dogs of Violence Exposed is a non-profit organization that hopes to put an end to the dog-meat industry through rescue efforts, advocacy and education. You can visit DoVE at LAAS Dec. 1-2 & Dec. 8-9 or online anytime https://www.dove-project.org/

Other Things to See..

Transformers Bumblebee

It makes sense that, with his first solo movie set to debut, Bumblebee would be out making the show rounds. Think, “Maybe I can score an autograph.” Probably not. This is actually a full-size model. But hey, one can dream! You can find Bumblebee in the Turo booth. Wonder if he’ll be renting himself out on Turo if the film bombs?

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Bullitt Mustang

See the 1968 Highland Green Mustang driven by Steve McQueen on display in the Ford booth, alongside the recently unveiled 2019 Bullitt. Even if you’ve never seen the movie, you still know the car.

Unveiling of the recently resurfaced original movie car at NAIAS:

https://youtu.be/-Q5pHm2Cfq4

Test Drives & Ride Alongs

Toyota Thrill Ride (Ride Along)

Toyota Media:

Your virtual imagination can also become a thrilling reality with the Toyota Thrill Ride. Brace yourself for an exhilarating experience as Toyota takes over Chick Hearn Court (in the middle of LA LIVE! and Staples Center) for four days and nights of professional driver-led excitement. Consumers can choose to ride in the Corolla Hatchback, C-HR or 86 as a driver accelerates, reverses, donuts and slaloms in the heart of Downtown LA. Toyota Thrill Ride is available to the public Thursday, Nov. 29 to Sunday, Dec. 2.

BYTON M-Byte (Ride Along)

More than building a car, EV-startup BYTON aims to create what they call “the ultimate smart device”. If you’ve never heard of BYTON, it’s because they have been stealthily developing their first production vehicle, a mid-size SUV called the M-Byte.

Unlike most concepts and pre-production cars at the show, the BYTON M-Byte won’t be spinning on a turntable, safe behind a rope. LAAS show-goers will be able to take a spin (as a passenger) in the M-Byte.

It’s not often you get to touch a concept car (let alone catch a ride), especially one like this.

Hopefully, this one travels to NYC in April for the 2019 Auto Show.

Polaris Slingshot (Ride Along)

Sorry, you can’t drive this one either… but you can “experience the ride of your life” while a ‘seasoned professional’ drives (& drifts) you through a closed road course.

Sounds like this ride alone is worth the price of admission..

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Cars You CAN Drive:

Unlike many new car shows, the LA Auto Show offers attendees lots of opportunities to actually get behind the wheel to experience a select group of vehicles for themselves. Sure there are no supercars on the list, but if you’re looking to buy your next set of wheels, this is a good way to test drive a slew of cars in one place instead of traveling to multiple dealerships.

Here’s a list of the manufacturers’ vehicles that you can drive at LAAS. Be aware, you must be 18, have a license and pass a breathalyzer test. So if you are planning on having a few beers, do it after the test drives.

Drives are scheduled to take place Nov 30 through Dec 9; 9:00am to 5:30pm. Check the LAAS website for other restrictions.

Acura:

MDX
TLX 2.4L & 3.5L
RDX
RLX
ILX

Alfa Romeo:

Stelvio
Giulia

Buick:

Encore
Enclave
Regal Tour X

Chrysler:

Pacifica (incl. Hybrid)
300

Dodge:

Charger
Challenger

Fiat:

500 Abarth
500x
124 Spider

Ford:

Expedition
F-150
Mustang
Edge
Escape
Focus
Fusion
Ranger SuperCrew Lariat
Ranger SuperCrew XLT

GMC:

Acadia
Canyon
Sierra
Terrain
Yukon

Honda:

Ridgeline
Pilot
Civic
Clarity PHEV
Accord Hybrid
Accord Sedan CR-V
HR-V
Odyssey
Insight

Jeep:

Compass
Cherokee
Grand Cherokee
Wrangler

Kia:

Niro Touring
Forte EX
Soul
Sportage
Stinger

Mazda:

CX-3
CX-5
CX-9
Mazda6
MX-5
MX-5 RF

RAM:

Rebel
1500 Limited

Subaru:

Ascent Touring & Limited
Forester
Crosstrek
Legacy
Outback
Impreza 2.0
WRX Limited

Toyota:

Avalon
Camry
Corolla Hatchback
Highlander
Mirai
Tacoma

If you’re heading out to the LA Auto Show, be sure to check out their site for schedules and show maps, and be sure to let us know how it went!

2019 RAM North Edition Debut

Get ready to tackle whatever Ol’ Man Winter sends at you with the all-new 2019 RAM 1500 North Edition. Specially equipped for New England winter weather, the North Edition made its debut in Middleboro, MA this week at the headquarters of the New England Motor Press Association.
Based on the Big Horn model, the RAM 1500 North Edition comes with a combination of standard features that you won’t find elsewhere in the 1500 lineup, and includes:

Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) Severe Snow Service Rated On/Off Road Falken LT Tires
One-inch Factory Lift
4×4 Transfer Case w/ 4×4 Auto, 4×4 High and 4×4 Low settings
Electric-Locking Rear Axle
Tow Hooks
Engine Block Heater
Heated Seats and Steering Wheel
Remote Start
Mopar All-Weather Floor Mats
Heated, Folding Mirrors
Rear Fender 4×4 Decal

Performance choices include a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 or an eTorque 3.6-liter Pentastar engine. Short and long beds are offered. Pricing starts at $45,890.
Earlier this year, the RAM 1500 was voted Winter Vehicle of the Year, Best in Class Pickup Truck by the New England Motor Press Association.

**Click Image To Research RAM on Amazon Vehicles!**

2018 Mass Cruisers Engine Build-Off

The brisk Fall air has moved in, school shops have dug into their sessions, and the New England Patriots are on their way to another winning season. But, it wasn’t that way when the Mass Cruisers Engine Build-Off Competition took place at Patriots Place in Foxboro back in June.

Six teams, 12 students highly skilled at engine repair went head-to-head, each team tasked with breaking down a Briggs & Stratton engine – like the engine often found in go karts such as the one Rich Taber is standing beside in the video – and putting it back together… in working condition.

What’s featured in the video are highlights from the competition – a fascinating glimpse into the amazing field of talented students coming out of today’s vocational-tech and agricultural high schools.

Contestants:

Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical High School

Teams:

Alex Gonzalez, Chris Mesner
Rob Baker, Mark DeCristofaro
Shalaya Smoot, Aden Johnson

Norfolk County Agricultural High School

Teams:

Ben Colangelo, Kalie Cummings
Emma Gonneville, Jacob Mathieu
Noah Axberg, Christian Giorgio

2019 smart EQ fortwo Maintains Sense Of Self

We test drive the smart EQ fortwo. This all-electric city car is the newest member of the Mercedes EQ family of electric vehicles.

Sticking To It

The smart EQ fortwo Maintains A Sense Of Self – Minus A Gasoline Engine

By: Rane Newcomb, RPM News Weekly Correspondent

MIDDLEBORO, MA – With news of the smartUSA transition to purely electric vehicles still making the rounds on social media, the 2019 smart EQ fortwo Coupe and Cabrio hit the scene at the New England Motor Press Association’s headquarters in Middleboro, Massachusetts as the aspiring new kids on the block in the EV field.

Learning from and improving upon the automaker’s previous Electric Drive models, the EQ rejuvenates smart’s legacy of environmental consciousness and driving convenience in a singularly unique package.

The compact size of smart’s offerings have always been a double-edged sword for the brand – what makes them massively popular in the parking free-for-all of Europe’s densely populated cities has simultaneously fostered an enduring stereotype that questions their safety and undermines driving confidence on overcrowded American highways that are packed with vehicles three to four times the size.

However, with features such as a reinforced “Tridion Safety Cell” that wraps around the rear doors and comes down the door sills to the front fender, creating a sort of roll cage for the EQ, these categorizations are largely unfounded and reactionary. Other advances include crosswind assist, traction control that CANNOT be turned off (sorry, no burnouts here), and optional proximity warning functions. With this bevy of safety features, along with a rather wide wheelbase, the smart EQ fortwo provides a driving experience nearly indistinguishable from larger compact sedans such as the Toyota Corolla… that is until you turn the steering wheel.

If there’s one spec that a smart vehicle has always had going for itself, it’s turning radius. In its natural habitat – the concrete jungle, the smart EQ’s sub-25 ft. turning radius has made it a solid choice, providing an excellent complement to its stellar parking abilities.

Having never experienced a smart for myself until recently, I was genuinely surprised and slightly intimidated by how well the EQ can do a 180-degree turn. At one point I found myself locking the steering and doing circles, flabbergasted at the EQ’s almost forklift-like ability to turn on a dime. I remember thinking that the amount of fun I had just doing circles in a smart equals levels attained going in straight lines in cars twice the price and 3 times the size.

Outside of circles, though, the EQ begins to show it’s weaker points. Performance has never been high on smart’s list of priorities, and the EQ carries on this proud tradition of meh-riddled driving experiences.

With a 60-kilowatt 3-stage synchronous electric motor sending 80 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels, the Smart can achieve a semi-depressing top speed of 80 miles per hour. “But at least it will get there quick,” one may imagine, what with all of that torque on tap immediately and all. However the EQ much less channels the Tesla’s breakneck acceleration, than it embodies the early Prius in its drowsiness-inducing driving mannerisms. With a zero-to-sixty time of 11.4 seconds, performance junkies need not apply.

Performance woes aside, the smart EQ fortwo is an intelligent decision when applied to the correct environment – skyscrapers, claustrophobically tight side streets, and equally snug parallel parking spots all make up home turf for this vehicle, and have served as the grounds to prove it as the quintessential city car.

With a 58-mile driving range as calculated by the EPA, the EQ fortwo is an unlikely candidate for a road trip, but it is ideal for the jaunt to and from work for the many folks that commute from downtown apartments or nearby suburbs.

Another plus comes in the cargo area – with just over 7 cubic feet of space, there’s room to hold a briefcase and four bags of groceries. An exceptionally small 3rd passenger might just fit back there, but there’s no seatbelt.

Also in its favor, scratch resistant and interchangeable body panels put an end to fears of chips, dings, and key marks from angry persons, as well as open up an opportunity to create a multicolored 1996 Volkswagen Golf Harlequin tribute, if that’s your thing.

With all of the facts on the table, it’s important to take a chance exploring the ethos of the car, if you will.

The smart has always been an oddball, capturing the doubts of people who have little-to-no experience with the car itself, and the scoffing of those perched high above in more traditional vehicles.

But this hasn’t diminished smart’s spirit, and the brand wins the day for that. For in a motoring world dominated by computerized designs, where new offerings look more and more alike every day, smart has remained its unyieldingly unique and endearingly quirky self.

And that’s more than a fast zero-to-sixty time ever will be.

2019 smart fortwo EQ specs:

Motor	three-phase synchronous motor
Battery	96-cell Lithium-ion battery
Battery capacity (kWh)	17.6
Range in miles (EPA)	58 / cabrio: 57
Charging time, home socket (120V/10A)	0-80%: 17 hours 0-100%: 21 hours
Charging time, wallbox (240V/32A)	0-80%: 2.5 hours 0-100%: 3 hours
Length	106.1″
Width	65.5″
Height	61.2″ / cabrio: 61.1″
Wheelbase	73.7″
Curb Weight (lbs)	TBA / cabrio: TBA
Fuel Economy (MPGe) (city/hwy/comb)	TBA cabrio: TBA
Drive Config.	Rear-Wheel Drive
Performance	80 hp 118 lb-ft
Transmission	single-staged
0-60 mph (sec)	11.4 / cabrio: 11.7
Turning Radius (ft)	22.8
Top speed (mph)	81

Research The 2018 smart fortwo on Amazon Vehicles

Mitsubishi’s Nate Berg Talks About The 2018 Outlander Plug-in Hybrid SUV & 2018 Eclipse Cross

RPM News Weekly recently spoke with Mitsubishi Director of Product Planning Nate Berg at the NEMPA garage about the sportiness of the Eclipse Cross and the usability of the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV).

All-New 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Well established in the European automotive marketplace, but just now making its way to America, the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle arrives for the 2018 model year, offering crossover shoppers a unique combination of EV efficiency and all-wheel drive SUV capabilities.

Currently the only PHEV crossover in its class with all-wheel drive, and the only PHEV with DC Fast Charging capability that enables a quick 25 minute 80 percent recharge, the Outlander PHEV is aiming to stir up the slow response the American market has shown for just about any electric vehicle that doesn’t have the name Tesla attached to it.

With its efficient 2-liter gas engine and front and rear high-performance electric motors, the Outlander PHEV is rated to provide 310 miles of total range with about 22 miles of that being all electric with a 74 MPG equivalent in combined city/highway driving.

Long term, this vehicle will likely save owners at least $1,250 in fuel costs over five years compared to what their non-hybrid crossover owning neighbors spend.