Cleveland Auto Show features new rides
NorthCoastNOW
Not until you walk into the Cleveland Auto Show you don’t. The smell takes on a whole new intensity when it permeates every square foot of the more than 1.1 million inside the I-X Center —which is hosting the event for the 81st time, starting today through next Sunday.
The smell is pleasant enough, but the real allure of the show is the eye candy that will overwhelm visitors.
The carpeted floor is covered with enough of the newest and coolest cars to keep any enthusiast busy for hours.
Want to see a glass-roofed Ford Mustang? You’re in luck.
Pining for a brand new Escalade Hybrid? It’s here.
Got your fingers crossed for a limo-like Ford Flex crossover? You’re in the right place.
And to ensure that each visitor is suitably bursting with envy, each car is buffed, waxed and polished enough that you can see your own wide-eyed stare.
But visitors’ hearts might shift into a lower gear when their eyes reach the price tags. Stretching into high six figures, many of the jaw-dropping vehicles are more for ogling than for daily driving.
Cars like the sleek concept Buick
And a small car doesn’t necessarily guarantee a small price. Take the Lotus Elise. It’s curvaceous but hardly spacious. Its roof is no more than three feet off the ground. It looks like the Batmobile, after being shrunk in a dryer. Cost? $46,270.
But with so many cars there’s sure to be something for everyone. Those on a slightly tighter budget might want to check out the fuel-efficient Toyota Yaris, which can be yours for $12,250.
You might not see it, however. It’s tucked in the middle of a room that also has a Ford inspired by Steve McQueen’s famous Mustang in the movie “Bullitt” and a Porsche race car, so the Yaris gets a little lost in the shuffle.
If all the window shopping has you craving a little motion, there are some opportunities.
The fully mobile Gran Turismo racing simulation at the Subaru station can provide virtual excitement.
Or, for something a little closer to the real thing, head over to the Jeep exhibition. You can jump into a brand new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and take a spin around the indoor obstacle course. The ride takes you through 10 inches of water, over an 18-foot hill, and across a dozen tree stump bumps, so buckle up.
All in all, the car show will keep you up to speed on the latest gizmos, gadgets, styles and shapes in the car world, and leave you more than a little envious.
Contact Michael Baker at 329-7128 or mbaker@chroniclet.com
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Filed by NorthCoastNOW February 23rd, 2008 in Top Stories.
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