At most international auto shows, the primary focus is on the new car debuts, both production and concept. But sometimes the most interesting vehicle finds are the ones off the beaten path. Here are some from the recent Los Angeles auto show that we’ve dubbed the Weird, the Wild and the Wonderful.
Words and pictures by Marc Lachapelle.
Let’s start with something wonderful – with its sharp creases and flowing lines, the gorgeous, metallic ruby red Precision Concept, sculpted in Acura’s California studio and first shown in Detroit last January, prefigures the styling of the prestige brand’s upcoming models.
The sleek Precision Concept drew great attention at the Acura booth in L.A. but the star of this show was . . . a new instrument panel. The Acura Precision Cockpit shows what we can expect to see – and touch – inside the luxury brand’s future models. And the new NSX is the first to show it off.
Clean, sweeping surfaces, clip-like details, slender light bezels and Acura’s chrome caliper badge underline the Precision Concept’s ultra-wide stance.
Concept or not, this lean, sleek, hunkered-down sedan would do wonders for the Acura brand if it were produced.
The Trailcat was created for Jeep’s 50th annual Easter Safari in Moab, Utah by dropping the supercharged, 707-horsepower, 6.2-litre V-8 engine from the Hellcat twins into the chassis of a Jeep Wrangler that was stretched by 30 cm (12 inches), with giant 39.5-inch BFGoodrich tires, Fox shocks and a two-inch ‘lift kit’ added for good measure. It would be like having your own mini Monster Truck.
Like The Beatles half a century back, the Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) comes to North America from Liverpool, England on the trail of a solid hit. The BAC Mono, a featherweight, single-seat, street-legal supercar has indeed been a hit with passionate drivers in 28 countries. At least those who can afford its $US 200,000 plus price tag.
Designed in the spirit of a Formula car, the BAC Mono is built on a tub made of carbon fibre and graphene, a super material that is up to 20% lighter and also 200 times stronger than steel. With a naturally-aspirated, 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 305 hp and a total weight of just 580 kg, it scorches to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, thanks to its ‘intelligent’ launch control with auto upshift.
A low view of the BAC Mono from the rear shows a horizontal forest of slender metallic rods, arms and shafts for the suspension, for reinforcement and to drive these huge, squat tires across the formula-like aero ‘tunnels’.
One of the two BAC Mono supercars on display at the L.A. Autos Show belongs to artist and musician deadmau5 (pronounced ‘dead mouse’), civilian name Joel Thomas Zimmerman, born and raised in Toronto. The world-famous DJ and producer had his round-eared red logo stitched on the roll hoop-mounted headrest.
The form-fitting seat in which DJ deadmou5 straps himself in with a five-point Willans racing harness is precisely shaped to his anatomy and no one else’s, at the BAC shop in Liverpool. And the fully-bespoke, F1-style steering wheel, with its myriad buttons, was made to measure for deadmou5’s very hands after a molding session at the BAC factory.
Entertainment giant Disney took DJ deadmou5 to court for an alleged violation of trademark laws. His signature red logo of a stylized mouse with giant, round ears looked too much like an iconic cartoon mouse named Mickey. The parties settled amicably and are now working together on projects.
The Nemesis is an American supercar that California-based Trion Supercars promises to start selling in the spring of 2017. It is built around a carbon fibre monocoque with a 9.0-litre, twin-turbo V-8 mounted in front – surprisingly. It’s said to produce 2000 hp, routed to all four wheels through an eight-speed sequential transmission. Four models are planned, including a plug-in hybrid and a pure electric. Prices run from $US 1.2 million to a cool $US 1.98 million for the ‘Black Ops Edition’. Lacking no ambition, Trion is projecting a 0-60 mph sprint in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of more than 435 km/h (270 mph) for the Nemesis RR. Bugatti and Koenigsegg beware. Maybe.
This imposing machine with the looks of an armor-plated armadillo was the centerpiece of Los Angeles artist Baron Margo’s space in the Garage exhibit at the show.
This Baron Margo creation has the look of a WW II fighter that had its wings and propeller clipped off.
Artist Baron Margo was likely inspired by the fuselage of a late Fifties jet fighter as much as a classic ‘belly tank’ racer for this Spartan, two-passenger three-wheeler.
With the spare looks of a wingless, prehistoric pelican, the self-propelling virtues of this tiny Baron Margo rolling sculpture are doubtful, in spite of its pull cord.
There is a strange beauty to this fully customized, ‘candy apple red’ 1968 Chevy Impala with humongous alloy wheels, but the door alignment on the driver’s side is the worst ever.
How big is this spectacular, forged alloy, Forgiato wheel? We figure 28 inches.
Visitors entering the South Hall were greeted by the spectacular new version of the Blade, the most recent version of a supercar built with components fabricated with the revolutionary 3D printing (or additive) technology process developed by Divergent 3D, a firm based in Los Angeles.
In addition to the Blade, Divergent 3D had this surprise for visitors entering the South Hall at the L.A. Auto Show. The Dagger prototype is a superbike that combines the explosive, supercharged, 201- horsepower, 998cc four-cylinder engine from the current Kawasaki Ninja H2 with a 3D-printed frame, rear swingarm and fuel tank.
Automotive startup Elio Motors, founded in 2009, has reportedly raised close to $US100 million on various crowdfunding sites, with the promise of bringing to market this three-wheel, ultralight commuter runabout that had an original target price of $US 6,800.
The sleek machine, yet unnamed, seats two in tandem. All its wheels are covered, for aerodynamic efficiency, and Elio Motors claims that it could consume as little as 2.8 litres per 100 km (84 mpg US) thanks to its lightweight construction, narrow body and a stingy 900 cc, three-cylinder gasoline engine.
The fit and finish is rather austere, the instrumentation minimal and the transmission manual. But how much should we reasonably expect, let alone demand, with a base price now set at $US 7,300? The latest E1c prototype includes side-curtain airbags and one for the driver, in the steering wheel hub.
The E1c prototype presented in L.A. is built on a unit-body steel chassis that was developed for Elio Motors by Schwab Industries and Roush Engineering, a surname quite famous in auto racing.
The goal for pre-orders has been at set 65,000 units by Elio Motors. More than 50,000 pledges have been received but the company needs more capital before production starts in the ex-GM plant in Shreveport, Louisiana. Maybe next year . . .
Galpin has been the world’s largest Ford dealer for more than 25 years but the group sells ten other brands, from Aston Martin to Volvo, and has its own room at the L.A. Auto Show. This original GT40 in the famous Gulf racing livery reflects the group’s ongoing affection for the Blue Oval.
This unique 1969 Mustang Mach IV was built in 1969 by Wisconsin-based drag racer Gary Weckesser. The ‘IV’ is a nod to the Mustang Mach I that was introduced the same year and to the four engines that made his car anything but race legal in any existing class. Weckesser and wife Jill toured the nation’s drag strips for funny car exhibition runs with the car, from 1969 to 1975.
The Mach IV flaunts a quartet of 351 cubic-inch (7.4 litre) Ford Windsor V-8 engines. They powered all four wheels through a single clutch, hence the huge slicks also in front. The sound from thirty-two straight exhaust pipes pointing skyward is properly deafening.
This mega-Mustang was a show car but it still routinely topped 305 km/h (190 mph) in the quarter mile and even 320 km/h (200 mph) once. The two parachutes above the rear bumper aren’t there just for show.
This strange-looking, platypus-like custom car was designed by illustrator Ed Newton and fabricated by famous Hollywood builder Jay Ohrberg for the original Pink Panther Show that ran on NBC from 1969 to 1976. Ohrberg built some of the most famous Hollywood cars ever, including the Back to the Future DeLorean, General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard, the original Batmobile and Herbie the Love Bug.
This lavishly pink and ornate salon, smothered with satin and fluffy carpet, seems more suited for Barbie than the animated version of the Pink Panther, a cool feline that was no pussycat.
In rather sharp contrast with the Oval Office’s famous red ‘hotline’ phone, the Panther gets a pink Princess and a couple of champagne glasses.
The command post, with its tiny and virtually upright steering wheel, single lever and multiple gauges, could have been lifted straight from a powerboat. Only a slim figure could slip behind the wheel of the Panthermobile. But then, the Pink Panther itself is quite slender. Like TV star, like chauffeur.
The Panthermobile was built on a stripped Oldsmobile Toronado chassis and kept that car’s 7.4-litre V-8, front-wheel drivetrain and three-speed automatic gearbox. It was fully restored over the past few years after being added to the Galpin Motors collection.
The imposing Lincoln Navigator Concept was first shown earlier this year at the New York Auto Show. There’s definitely a touch of Bentley Bentayga in the front fascia of this nonetheless resolutely American luxury SUV.
This potential successor to Lincoln’s greatest hit of the Modern Era is at once angular, massive and unquestionably elegant in side view, a tour-de-force first achieved by the aristocratic Range Rover.
The gigantic butterfly doors, pillar-less body openings and triple floorboards have no chance whatsoever to make it to production. But they sure look good on the show floor, and in a photo gallery.
One always needs ready access to the essential accessories of the perfect gentleman, even when going for a casual autumn drive in the country.
The all-new Mazda RT-24P race car will soon compete in the Daytona Prototype class with a 600-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine under slick new bodywork designed by the Canadian motorsport wizards at Multimatic in cooperation with renowned US chassis specialist Riley.
Family traits become obvious when Mazda’s new RT24-P race car and its revamped 2017 CX-5 compact SUV are shown in the same frame: first and foremost: the signature Kodo-style grille.
Mercedes-Benz is jumping into the racing fray next year with several of its new Mercedes-AMG GT3 stallions set to be campaigned by serious ‘customer’ teams in the IMSA championship, the top series for sports cars on this continent. They will run in the GTD class in which international GT3 regulations apply. Cool cars. Serious stuff.
The Porsche 911 unquestionably is the most successful race car of all time with more than 10,000 wins to its credit. That stat is not likely to change soon with the world introduction of a new 911 RSR at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Every component in this car is a clean-sheet design but its most striking characteristic is an all-new six-cylinder, 4.0-litre boxer engine that is bolted in front rather than behind the rear axle, unlike any 911 since the birth of the most iconic sport car of all, in 1963.
The new 911 RSR has been painstakingly developed and extensively tested, racking up more than 35,000 km on both European and North American racetracks. In true Porsche fashion, it is ready to face the rigours of GT racing, including the toughest test of all: the season-opening 24-hour classic in Daytona. It even gets a radar-based system that will alert drivers to the closing rate of the faster prototypes to better avoid miscues or collisions: Street car technology to improve the racing breed!
The Spyker C8 Preliator introduces a third generation of sports cars from the Netherlands-based specialist after a short brush with bankruptcy that was resolved in January, 2015. The name Preliator, a Latin word for ‘fighter’ or ‘warrior’, is a nod to this successful outcome. The styling of the carbon fibre body is a discreet evolution of the previous model, the Aileron. The aluminium space frame underneath is more rigid for better handling, quietness and safety. Only 50 of these cars will be hand-built, assuring exclusivity. The European price is €324,900 ($CAD 462,000).
The C8 Preliator is powered by new version of the 4.2 litre Audi V-8 engine Spyker has always used in its sports cars. It now delivers 518 hp thanks to the addition of a supercharger. A 6-speed Getrag manual gearbox is standard and a six-speed automatic by ZF optional. Weighing only 1,390 kg, the Preliator can sprint to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and reach a peak velocity of 322 km/h (201 mph).
Spyker claims that the new C8 Preliator’s is more spacious inside but its cabin is still designed in the same outlandish, baroque style that is typical for the Dutch carmaker. Quilted leather and aluminium trim are in abundance. The leather is available in 14 colours but can be ordered in any other shade.
The Preliator’s solid space frame probably does help the Lotus-designed suspension work its usual magic. Steel brakes by racing specialist AP are standard and carbon-ceramic brakes will be offered as an option.
The striking, metallic yellow eX Concept gives us a dreamy glimpse at what a stylish, fully-electric compact crossover with S-AWC all-wheel drive could look like with Mitsubishi’s triple-diamond crest in its front grille. It stopped in Los Angeles on a world tour that has already taken it to the latest Tokyo, Geneva and Paris auto shows.
Car designers love carving out giant reverse-opening doors, leaving out the center pillars and slapping giant alloy wheels with impossibly low aspect ratio tires on their design prototypes. Mitsubishi’s eX Concept is no exception – but don’t expect to see those features if and when the rest of this concept makes it into production.
Headlining Tesla Motors’ discrete presence at the L.A. Auto Show was this all-electric Model X crossover with a classic, aluminium-body Airstream trailer hooked up to its rear hitch. This promises seriously stylish camping, indeed.
The Swedish carmaker brought this life-size, if thoroughly synthetic moose to demonstrate the Large Animal Recognition capability now offered in the already comprehensive safety system suite of its new S90 sedans (shown) and V70 wagons. The award-winning XC90 crossover gets it too.
Here is a naked version of the twin-engine, all-wheel drive, plug-in hybrid electric powertrain pioneered by Volvo in its XC90 T8. Adapted versions are now also shared with its new S90 sedans and V90 wagons.
The Zeletric Ghia is a fully-electric rendition of the gorgeous Karman coupe from the ‘60s that promises up to 225 km of range thanks to a battery pack made by Tesla. It is built by Zeletric Motors who specialize in ‘built-to-order’, electric-powered versions of vintage cars by Porsche or Volkswagen (Beetle, Microbus, The Thing!) in San Diego, California. They will also soon offer the Zelectric500, a battery-powered Fiat Cinquecento. The price for a ZelectricBug is about $US 68,000.
It's not a car - not even close. But hey, it was at the auto show. This tiny, helicopter-like, remote-control Precision Agriculture drone helps farmers spray their fields in a much less costly and risky manner than with traditional ‘crop duster’ planes. It shows the amazing range and versatility of Japanese manufacturer Yamaha, from pianos, motorcycles and fishing boats to the shrieking V-10 engine that powered the iconic Lexus LF-A exotic sports car.
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