Comments on: Geneva Auto Show 2008 Review: Das Show

By: CeeDragon

CeeDragon — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:41:13 +0000

I usually see eye-to-eye with most TTAC editorials but this one left me puzzled.

By: Detroit-Iron

Detroit-Iron — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:35:27 +0000

“Toyota Urban Cruiser (wasn’t there an Al Pacino movie by that name?) which leaps to the top of the ten most boring Toyotas ever made in the history of the world, ever.”

To leap to the top of the most boring cars that Toyota has ever made, it must be a car so boring that it can be used as a weapon in the War on Terror.

“Ahmed, take this Urban (yawn) Cruiser and, uh, (yawn) uh, go and blow (yawn) up the, uh, American, uh, (snoring)….”

By: Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:39:02 +0000

I’m glad somebody else thinks that the VW Warmfart is a bloated and overpriced (anticipation) machine; did the design team who worked on this intern on the Corrado?

BTW: Nice shout out to the Appalachian readers w/the “whatnot.”

By: Geotpf

Geotpf — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:22:56 +0000

Toyota has been listening to it’s customers too much. I own a Scion xA, and I know I filled out a very detailed survey of what I thought about the car. (I had few complaints, frankly.) I’ll bet that many xB owners said the car was too small, so they increased it’s size.

By: i6

i6 — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:17:53 +0000

Ah.

100%.

Which is pretty much the inverse probability of GM re-badging it and bringing it to our shores then. So while GM ponders, Toyota rocks on. I shouldn’t be so surprised.

Though I have to wonder; when did Toyota stop loving the N.A. market, and more importantly how do we rekindle the flame?

By: Martin Schwoerer

Martin Schwoerer — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 10:12:05 +0000

Bancho: I’m glad you like it.

i6: thanks for asking. Daihatsu is 100% owned by Toyota. The Daihatsu Materia is basically an updated version of the original Scion xB — but in contrast to Toyota, they didn’t add bloat when they modernized it. It has great packaging and I think it looks very cool.

I drove it about a year ago for maybe 10 minutes and was much impressed; its only letdowns are the unpretty dashboard and the slightly rough engine sound. Clarkson is a big fan of it and saw similarities between the Materia and the iPod. Let me know if you want me to look for the URL.

By: i6

i6 — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:47:12 +0000

Thanks for the report and pics.

Fascinating thing that Daihatsu Materia, looks like just what GM had in mind when they probed the US viability of these three microcars;
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/editorials/general-motors-death-watch-115-small-is-hang-on-thinking/

What is the relationship between GM and Daihatsu (or whichever manufacturer really makes this car) these days? You know what I’m thinking.

By: Bancho

Bancho — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:03:30 +0000

http://www.pixamo.com/users/martinffm/view?thing=166839;view=zoom;page=99

This image in particular I found most intriguing.

On a serious note, the Soul Searcher seems like a nicely done vehicle (though as an ‘08 xB owner I’m already partial to that style).

BTW, I’m also liking the iQ. It looks like you’re driving a giant storm trooper helmet.

By: Matthew Danda

Matthew Danda — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:24:47 +0000

Sweet! A photo album site that hasn’t been banned by my employer’s Web surfing filter! Well done!

By: Martin Schwoerer

Martin Schwoerer — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:23:59 +0000

Donal, it’s more laudable than laughable, but since you ask: the stubby looks are less than elegant, and it weighs pretty much for its size.

By: Donal Fagan

Donal Fagan — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:38:08 +0000

Nice photos. Seems like Cleantech is in full swing. BTW, what’s laughable about the A3 Cabrio?

… the lady on stage with the Fiat Panda.
Those green boots are gonna walk all over you.

By: AKM

AKM — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:06:51 +0000

Scirocco: not nearly as good-looking as the Volvo c30….

Wtf with the FX’s headlights? Infiniti keeps on insisting on some of the worst-looking headlights, right after the BMW 5-series’

The renault concept is pretty hot.

By: ajla

ajla — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:46:31 +0000

Going off of the photo gallery, the best looking things at the show were the Accord wagon and the lady on stage with the Fiat Panda.