The Best of the Worst Auto Show - Upper Level of the DC Auto Show

"RightFootDown" (rightfootdown)
01/28/2015 at 11:00 • Filed to: None

Can't make the 2015 Washington Auto Show? No problem! We're bringing you the best of the worst auto show in the country!

In part one of this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! part series, we bring the upper level of the 2015 Washington Auto Show straight to your desktop, laptop, or mobile device (if you're the type who can't sit still).

"I award the Chevrolet SS the "RFD Green Car Award" for 2015. Congratulations. Actually this is an awful color. Classic muscle cars had some great ostentatious green colors, they were vibrant and fun. This looks like Kermit's taint."

The auto show website posits that " Washington, D.C., has long been the site of the country's greatest ambitions for progress" . I'm sure there is an "ambitious but rubbish" Top Gear joke in there somewhere, but I'll let it go. I will say that the theme of each year's show is much more geared towards "green car" stuff which I guess is progress. I'm on the fence personally. But there were some green cars, the greenest being Chevrolet's SS which you will see below. Speaking of Chevy, let's start upstairs with them.

Chevrolet

Last year we brought you the brand new C6 Corvette, it was kind of a big deal. This year GM has turned it up to 11 and lopped off the top with the new !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . It's apparent right in the link that this is a supercar. They are gunning for !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and the top exotics with this new Vette, and all signs point to what is likely the greatest attempt thus far (by Chevrolet at least). 650HP from a supercharged V8 in a carbon fiber laden, aerodynamic, beast and it can all be yours starting around $79,000 (the topless version starts around $5K more). But just look at it, its marvelous! Some deride GM for making a convertible out of what used to be the track-focused version but I don't care. It works well as a convertible, as most Corvettes have over the years. And if you are going after Italian car buyers, you need options.

And now for something completely different. Welcome to the jungle baby, or "jungle green" in this case. Someone planning this booth obviously had a sense of humor and thus I award the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! the "RFD Green Car Award" for 2015. Congratulations. Actually this is an awful color. Classic muscle cars had some great ostentatious green colors, they were vibrant and fun. This looks like Kermit's taint. The SS is a hell of a car though, I would love to own one (in a different color). The interior is solid, albeit with a bit more chrome than I would want. Sadly GM decided not to advertise or market it. At all.

Wait, I think I just figured out what "Green car" means, they mentioned something about it at the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! display. I can say that I really liked the press pictures of the second generation Volt, it's a nice update to the original which was an electric car pioneer in a lot of ways. I mean it's no !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but not much else is. In person, I liked it less unfortunately and since this was a pre-production car we weren't allowed to look inside. I'll keep the SS as the "Green car of the show".

Chrysler

This may come as one of those "did I just say that" moments, but the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is a very attractive car. Gone are the days of the Sebring and this "next generation midsize sedan" looks like they actually tried. Attractive shape, nice details in the design, and on the inside, wow, great materials, trick rotary shift knob, this isn't half bad. Reasonably priced too, starting at $21K for the base model and a mere $26K for the high end version. Well played Chrysler.

In what can only be described a sparse booth (there was a lot of carpet visible) there weren't a ton of other Chrysler vehicles that caught my attention. Well, there's only 3 actually, the 200, 300 and a minivan. But the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is a damn good looking car too! I could totally daily drive this.

Jeep

Jeep is also benefiting from parent Chrysler's (Fiat?) attention to interior quality and fit and finish, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! being one of the best looking SUVs on the market, inside and out. But you know what's cool? The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , that's what. If you are in the market for a small SUV, this one is one of the least boring options (almost) in showrooms. Cheap too, starting around $17K with a manual, 6spd equipped 4WD version still under $20K. Cool. And look at it, that's pretty fun looking.

Dodge

Hell…wait for it….cat. Without a Viper in the house, this was easily the coolest thing in Fiat-Chrysler's stable. Hell, even if it had been here this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! may still have one. We've !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , it's pretty epic. Seven hundred and seven horsepowers. That's more than like any 3-4 passenger cars you'll pass today combined. And it's subtle, at least when the engine isn't on. The Hellcat badge is hard to spot if you aren't looking and it's just some big wheels and brakes and a few "SRT" badges that belie what's underneath that big hood. This one sported gunmetal paint and black wheels, yes I want one.

Scion

Oh !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , how I've rooted for you over the years. It's youth, it's enthusiasm! It's really old people driving XBs because they are inexpensive and practical. But by the grace of God, they got the FR-S though and unholy engineering encounter between parent Toyota and rival Subaru. And it's a damn fine car, we have one in our !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The Scion booth had the typical mix of music, cool imagery, and some cars. The tC, xB, and xD soldier on largely unchanged (the iQ exists, but I'm not sure it's a real car) so that leaves the newcomer with the weird name (should be fRS) to carry the water. One of the FR-S' on hand was modified by a local dealer with some nice looking kit, wheels, upgraded lighting, body kit, etc. I liked it, save the big stripe over the top. And their booth personnel were very helpful and, okay I'll say it, had really tight pants. And Josh got a new hat.

Ford

In their normal dominant back-of-the-show-floor spot, Ford brought some thunder this year. Last year we brought you the new Mustang concept, and we loved it. This year they brought damn near a dozen new Mustangs of all variations. EcoBoosts, V8s, convertibles, the lot of em. And I sat in quite a few, getting used to what has become a very robust options list coming out of Ford. Recaro seats are not available on most models, as are nice looking wheel options, and a ton of other kit. Also something called a Shelby GT350R.

And we know you'll want to see what the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! has in store so keep your eyes peeled to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and don't forget to follow us on Twitter!

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Part 2, the lower level, will not disappoint! Check our !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

DISCUSSION (17)

thebigbossyboss > RightFootDown
01/28/2015 at 11:01

Hilariously Canada's capital (ottawa) also gets the worst show in our country!

ACESandEIGHTS > RightFootDown
01/28/2015 at 11:02

This looks really good, and I'm sure so many enthusiasts here because sometimes you can approach 45mph on the Balmer-Wershington Parkway.

2/10 would consider press pass if drinks included.

HiredDriver > RightFootDown
01/28/2015 at 11:04

Great pics and I enjoyed the writing! It's a shame that manufacturers think locals only want to see green shit here. GIVE US SOMETHING TO OOGLE OVER!

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > RightFootDown
01/28/2015 at 11:09

The fact that the show is always ass never made sense to me. With all the lobbying and committees and such based in DC, you would think that this would be THE show to roll out all your eco friendly cars and such.

But the show is always meh.

William Byrd > ACESandEIGHTS
01/28/2015 at 11:28

Media day includes drinks and food. It was a decent evening! Much less crowded than when I brought the family back a few days later.

William Byrd > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR
01/28/2015 at 11:29

That's sort of their thing, "green cars" and such, but you're right, there aren't a lot of debuts in DC which sucks.

They used to be BEFORE Detroit which meant even less content. At least now it's after, but it's so close that the manufacturers don't bother shipping anything down here. So no GT, NSX, etc.

William Byrd > thebigbossyboss
01/28/2015 at 11:40

haha really? Guess it's a thing.

William Byrd > thebigbossyboss
01/28/2015 at 11:41

Who gets the best?

thebigbossyboss > William Byrd
01/28/2015 at 11:46

Toronto.

William Byrd > thebigbossyboss
01/28/2015 at 11:49

Ah, makes sense.

I've been to Vancouver a few times, nice cars out there. Do they get a show?

thebigbossyboss > William Byrd
01/28/2015 at 11:54

Yes, yes they do. They hold in the football stadium called BC Place. I am from Vancouver originally, and indeed, there are many very nice cars out there. Since no one can afford houses I suppose everyone spends their money on cars

William Byrd > thebigbossyboss
01/28/2015 at 11:58

Oh I know BC place I think. I spent a month there during the Olympics! Great city, really enjoyed it.

thebigbossyboss > William Byrd
01/28/2015 at 12:17

Great, glad you liked it!! I was sorry to miss the olympics but what is a worker bee to do?

William Byrd > thebigbossyboss
01/28/2015 at 12:19

Oh yeah. As you know from experience, it's a very expensive city!

Got up to Whistler on Super Bowl Sunday to snowboard a bit and we ended up watching the game at some bar up there and took a bus back to downtown. Great time.

thebigbossyboss > William Byrd
01/28/2015 at 12:20

...Whistler is way more expensive than Vancouver!!!

That highway is fun to drive. Even if you're driving a 2000 Toyota Sienna on winter tires, in July with the check engine light on. LOL!

William Byrd > thebigbossyboss
01/28/2015 at 12:22

The bus was not as much fun since I wasn't driving, but it was still beautiful. Took a rental car up there a couple years ago, so non-memorable I can't even remember what make/model it was. Great part of the country, I want to go back.

thebigbossyboss > William Byrd
01/28/2015 at 12:24

Every day in Ottawa when I walk to work below -20C I think the exact same thing. Why did I ever move? lol.