I recently attended the New York Auto Show. And in case you were wondering, this trip was personally funded (i.e. NOT paid for by any manufacturer). Here are some of my key takeaways.
VERY FEW CAR COMPANIES ARE RUN BY ENTHUSIASTS
I’m quite certain that many car companies, nay, most car companies, have had an identity crisis over the past decade. Do we build petrol? Diesel? Hybrid? Hydrogen? Electric? And in that massive state of flux and indecision, most seem to have fluffed their product lineup and created ostensibly boring, heartless vehicles. I mean, by their very nature, electric vehicles are essentially heartless, as they have no singular fuel-burning engine. Instead, they have four little motors wired up to a supercomputer.
So for a car enthusiast, it’s hard to get properly excited. Then there’s the range anxiety in Australia, plus the inefficiency when towing or accessorising. One company noticeably bucked the ‘boring’ trend in The Big Apple. Ford. I know what you’re thinking - “Pat, you’re sponsored by the buggers, quit talkin’ nice about them” and truthfully, I did spend more time on their stand than any other. But man, talk about something for everybody. Let’s list a few notables. A Mach-E Rally car, available to buy from your dealer. Think Dakar 911, in an EV. Dirt road rubber, a slight lift kit, a rear wing – nice. Then there’s the fire-breathing 5.2-litre V8 Mustang GTV, that pounds the pavement to 100 in less than three seconds. Oh, and it’s hybrid too.
There was an F-150 Lightning, but in pre-runner spec. Baja in a ‘lecky truck anyone? Hand me the keys, Iemme try.
But the vehicle that stole my heart? The Bronco Raptor. From the fat, flared guards, to the twin lockers, to the sway-bar disconnects, it’s an off-road weapon. It may not be set up for touring in Australia, with its cargo-space munching roll-cage, but who really cares? I’d camp like a backpacker to have the chance to rocket this juggernaut across the Simmo. I went for a drive in it too, over a simulated off-road course, and when those swaybars disconnected, well, let’s just say my heart fluttered and my grin widened. It was glorious, and all straight from the manufacturer. Riding on 37-inch rubber from the factory, it’s what off-road dreams are made of. And the colour choices are almost enough to make you move countries. It’s nice to know it was designed in Melbourne too.
THERE’S NOT MUCH WE DON’T GET ANYMORE
When I was a pure motoring journalist 20 years ago, I used to moan about the vehicles we didn’t get. But now? We get most of the good stuff. Of course, I’d love it if we could get some of those new compact utes. There’s Hyundai’s Santa Cruz XRT, a snappy-looking SUV ute that could work well here. Likewise, the pint-sized Ranger called the Ford Maverick would go well here too. But with Aussie lawmakers ridiculously insisting that we have our steering wheels on the right-hand side, we’re missing out on that for now. And then there’s that Bronco…it may be time to start a petition or Go Fund Me page…
Yet other than a few EVs like Lucid and Rivian, we’re not missing out on too much anymore. The full-sized utes have landed, or will soon land, and they’ll no doubt pave the way for an even more diverse vehicle market. And for a country like Australia where cars are an essential way of getting around, I reckon that’s got to be a good thing.
THERE ARE LESS REAL CAR ENTHUSIASTS IN THE WORLD
I went to the New York Auto Show on a Tuesday morning during Spring Break. It was a rainy day, and the event was almost entirely undercover (except for the 4X4 test track). Despite an incredible array of vehicles, the place was relatively quiet. I didn’t have to queue to see any vehicles. At opening time there, was less than a two-minute wait to get through the gates. Don’t get me wrong, the showgoers were absolutely loving it. But is the next generation sitting at home playing Call of Duty, or do they still dig cars and 4X4s? Certainly in the USA, this had me wondering. You’d have far bigger crowds at the NSW Caravan, Camping & Holiday at Rosehill. Go figure.
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