OT (sort of): One word to sum up the Atlanta Intl. Auto Show:

PLASTIC.

I'm not reffering to the superficial... I mean the actual substance. What the heck has happened to the quality of cars?????? Things are getting cheaper and cheaper, when I thought we couldn't skimp any more! Even the expensive boys (Jaguar, Mercedes, BMW, etc.) are using more and more plastic in the engine compartments, interiors, you name it. I cannot believe the money being charged for brand new cars considering the build quality. Why is it that as technology gets better, quality gets crappier????

Okay. Off my soapbox now. On to more interesting things. My favorite cars from the show: By far, the gorgeous BMW Z8 and the Porsche 911 Turbo (of course). I was bummed that they were on rotating pedastals, though. I wanted to get a much closer look. Jaguar showed an XKR that was pretty cool with its hood slits and all... Seems like they are doing their best to make a fresh impression, bringing back the sports car mystique through a few of their newer designs.

Most interesting concept car title goes to Nissan for their "Z" project. Kind of looked like some sort of post modern assault vehicle. It was clad in some eye-gouging burnt orange color, though, which really got your attention.

Porsche, in my opinion chose the best exterior/interior color combos, which really exuded serious class. Porsche and Ferrari appeared to be the strictest makes there with respect to allowing sitting in the cars. All doors were locked, thank you very much. I guess I can't blame them, with all the grease balls there just jumping into cars with their keys hanging out of their pockets gouging precious leather... Not to mention all the scuffing going on from people's feet as they exited the cars by opening the doors with their toes instead of hands...

The USA's new cars were bland as ever, in my opinion. I couldn't tell the difference between half of them. Everyone, of course, has a sport ute to sell, and admittedly people seemed interested in comparing. I still think the Jeep Cherokee is the most practical of all of them...

My wife opened the door of one of the new Mazda mini ute's and the door almost fell off. I swear the drivers door would have been heavier if it was made of cardboard. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING.

Oh well; It all sure made me appreciate my 15 year old 911 even more.

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Adam Nitti
ajnitti@mindspring.com
www.adamnitti.com
'85 911 Carrera Coupe

I still think the Jeep Cherokee is the most practical of all of them...

Hear, hear! Simple, basic, affordable, solid as an anvil(did I tell you about the 3 car-accident in which the other 2 cars were totalled (one was a fullsize Crown Vic!), but my Cherokee drove away with only a few scrathes on the hitch?), sure-footed as a mountain goat, dependable, and they run forever. No wonder DC decided to stop making them-they make WAYYY too damn much sense.

One detrimental side effect of the over-abundance of plastic and electronics in today's cars-20 or 30 years from now, you think anybody's going to be able to do a restoration on a turn-of-the-century car? Hell, I doubt if anybody's going to even WANT to....


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Clay McGuill '66 912, '97 Jeep Cherokee www.geocities.com/the912guy

hmmm... great point about the restoration potential of these things. i didn't even think of that. the only way you would take care of your rattles and shakes would be to replace entire 'chunks' of the car, if they were even available!!! i bet dashboards and consoles would be a nightmare.

it sure seems like they are engineering limited life spans into these things.

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Adam Nitti
ajnitti@mindspring.com
www.adamnitti.com
'85 911 Carrera Coupe