Best of Car Shows 2015 Part 2

The long-awaited second half of Best of Car Shows 2015 is finally here, showcasing the greatest and most exclusive vehicles at car shows I attended between July and December of last year. Like Best of Car Shows 2014 Part 2, this compilation excludes the L.A. Auto Show; photos from that will appear in later posts. Cars in this post pictured consist of a Lotus Europa, a variety of Corvettes, a handful of classic Camaros, Opel Manta, late '60s-early '70s Chevelles, 1968-70 Plymouth Roadrunner, Chevy-powered Datsun Z, two De Tomaso Panteras, a few Mustangs (2007-09 Shelby GT500, 1965-66 Shelby GT350H, 1967 & 1970 Shelby GT500), 1968-70 Dodge Charger R/T, Porsche 356, a few Thunderbirds, mid 1960s Pontiac Grand Prix, a handful of 1955-57 Chevy Bel Air/210s, some Shelby Cobras, three classic Chevy Impalas, 1970 Plymouth Hemi AAR 'Cuda, Ferrari California, 1950 Mercedes-Benz 170S, 2010-15 Camaros made to look like a modern-day Trans Am and GTO, 2005-07 Ford GT, 1960s Buick Riviera, Mach 5 from Speed Racer, 1915 La Bestioni, Honda S2000 from 2 Fast 2 Furious, Mercedes-Maybach S600, Audi R8, Bentley Continental GT, 1966-67 Pontiac GTO, early Porsche 911, Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph, two Jaguar F-Types, Mini Cooper JCW GP, Aston Martin DB7, Aston Martin DB9 Volante, 1940s Jaguar Mk2, 1950s Jaguar Limousine, 1967 Jaguar 420G, six Jaguar E-Types, 1953 Singer 4AD, Jaguar XK140, Jaguar XJS racer, 1966 Lola T70 Spyder, three DeLorean DMC-12s, MGB roadster w/ a Cadillac body kit, mid-late 1960s Sunbeam Alpine, Jaguar XK120 roadster, and 1969 Lola T70 Mk3B replica. Please state your opinions and favorites in the comments. Expect more all-new content throughout 2016. 

Subaru Impreza Sedan Concept

The Subaru Impreza Sedan Concept displayed at the 2015 L.A. Auto Show previews the next generation Subaru Impreza. Before this premiere, the same concept in hatchback formed was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Impreza will continue to be the only vehicle in its class with standard all-wheel drive. Subaru feels that the sedan variant of the next Impreza will be more popular in the U.S.; not everyone here prefers hatchbacks, and sedans tend to cost less than hatchbacks. Not many details were released, but the next Impreza is expected to be powered by Subaru's 2.0-liter boxer four and offer either manual or continuously variable transmissions. Also, it will ride on their next-gen global platform, which will also underpin the next XV Crosstrek, which was previewed by the XV concept at this year's Geneva Motor Show. The Subaru Impreza concept looks very polarizing, which is a great thing. Hopefully Subaru doesn't significantly water down the production version of this concept like they did with the current Impreza and other recent concepts they produced. The most appealing vehicle to share Subaru's next-generation global platform will be the WRX/STi, which will arrive after the next Impreza sedan, Impreza hatchback, and XV Crosstrek.

Fiat 124 Spider Vs. Mazda MX-5 Miata

A few years ago, Fiat and Mazda announced a collaboration on a roadster based on the MX-5 Miata. The 124 Spider is the result of this joint project. I would like to begin with the 124 Spider, the newest of the two vehicles being compared in this post. Compared to its Miata counterpart, the 124 Spider is 5.5 inches longer and powered by a 1.4-liter turbo four-banger producing 160 horsepower and 184 foot-pounds of torque. It has more of an Italian flair to it, as noted by its design. The Fiat 124 weighs in at 2436 pounds, 104 pounds heavier than the Miata. The interior is identical to the Miata's except for the badges and seat covers. It will be offered in two trims: Classica and Lusso. The Classica trim comes with all the standard features: six-speed manual gearbox, 16-inch wheels, halogen headlights, power mirrors, power windows, power locks, push-button start, cruise control, air conditioning, cloth seats, and a six-speed audio system. The Lusso trim features the Tech package (Mazda's 7-inch touchscreen, backup camera, and proximity key, also optional on the 124 Classica), a standard six-speed automatic gearbox, automatic headlights, silver-colored roll bar, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic climate control, heated leather seats, and 17-inch wheels. Safety tech includes auto-dimming mirrors, a garage-door opener, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross- traffic detection, and rear parking sensors. The Miata's Italian cousin will hit showrooms this summer, with pricing yet to be announced. I expect the 124 Spider to have a higher starting price over the Miata. Additionally, the high-performance Abarth variant of the 124 with more power, less weight, and better handling was recently unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.

Next, the Mazda MX-5 Miata (ND), the vehicle the 124 is based on, is the best generation of the iconic lightweight Japanese roadster yet. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter normally aspirated four-pot with 155 horses and 148 pound-feet of torque. Like the 124 Spider, the MX-5 Miata comes standard with a six-speed manual, while a six-speed automatic is optional. Both the Miata and 124's frames consist of mostly aluminum, keeping each vehicle's weight relatively low. 0-60 times vary between 6.4 and 5.9 seconds. Unlike its predecessor, the 2016 Miata has electric steering instead of hydraulic steering, giving it a greater road feel. Pricing for the MX-5 Miata ND begins at $25,735 for the Sport, $29,420 for the Club, and up to $30,885 for the Grand Touring.

As of now, I don't know which vehicle I would prefer between the Fiat 124 Spider and the current Mazda MX-5 Miata. They each have their pros and cons that match them up pretty evenly. I generally don't like Fiat as much as Mazda as brands, but both the Miata and 124 are impressive roadsters. Also, the Miata is the best-selling sports car of all time, and Mazda will continue to build on that success with the ND model.