2005 South FL International Auto Show

Every year, my friend and I go to the South Florida Internation Auto Show religiously. Its like going to church once a year and paying homage to the car gods. And again, like last year, Maria was forced to come along as well.

Upon entering, the new Z06 was the first thing that immediately caught our attention. Those who know me, know that I'm no fan of domestic cars, but I was impressed with the new Z06. The interior was still somewhat bland, but the quality is 10 times better than that of its predecessor. The exterior is outstanding and its performance can only be beaten by supercars twice its price point. At $70K, its a bargain, but still not for me. Thank you Chevy for making the Z06 better than ever but I'll pass.

After passing some other brands, like Ford and Dodge, we visited Nissan/Infiniti. I was very impressed with the M45. Its technology, gizmos and gadgety are astounding. This is the ultimate ride for the technology geek/computer nerd with money! And it is confirmed, the GT-R will be coming to our shores as an Infiniti in 2007/2008.

Next we went to BMW/Mini. As usual, BMW showcased its fleet of Germany's finest and none finer than the new M5, arguably the world's best sports sedan ever. We also saw the new E90 3 Series and after a close up look, I was disappointed. The interior looked, well, cheap for a BMW. The Mini showcase was fun and different as its cars. Maria loves the Pepper White Copper S with Blue interior. Hopefully we will get it next year.

Now over to Toyota/Lexus. I was a disappointed that the FJ Cruiser wasn't being displayed but oh well. Going over to the Lexus side, the new IS was being highlighted. The previous IS was great but was too boy racer for me. This new IS has matured into a real competitor for the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. Everything about the car just looks right. The design is very organic and flows well. The interior is high tech yet comfortable, warm and inviting. Priced at only $36K MSRP, $42K fully loaded with the Sport and Navigation/Mark Levison Audio Packages, the new IS350 could potentially make a great dialy driver for me. I'm going to reserve a future editorial after I test drive one.

Now to Honda/Acura. The Honda S2000 was a pathetic display. First, my beloved S2000 is thrown in the back, behind the wall, 5 feet away from a drink stand so Honda could showcase its new Civic while its halo flagship car was disregarded. Second, some asshole was messing around with the hood and severely bent the hood rod. I ended up removing the rod so you can close the hood. Third, since it was next to the drink stand, people were using the car to sit in as they drank their drinks, making a mess of the interior in the process. Fourth, little kids were using it as a playground. Some little boy was stepping and jumping all over the center console while his Daddy was just looking on and laughing. It was very depressing to see the S2000 treated like this.

As for the S2000 itself, it was disappointing. The Laguna Blue is OK but I still wished it was Monte Carlo Blue. The new wheels are ugly. The new seats are hideous. I do like the new brushed black interior trim and the rollbar speakers but thats all. It makes me happy that I brought an MY2002.

Other highlights of the show were the Audi RS4, Range Rover Sport and the new Miata.

And finally the South FL International Auto Show isn't complete without a visit to Million Dollar Alley. Ferrari had two F430's on display. Absolutely stunning. Lotus showcased their fleet of Elise's. We love that little car. Maria would love to have one, I would love to track one. Hopefully someday.