Luxury Cars at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show By Timothy Healey

Luxury Cars at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show

A first roundup of the news from Hollywood.

By Timothy Healey

Luxury Cars Expert
Luxury Cars at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show http://luxurycars.about.com/od/News/fl/Luxury-Cars-at-the-2014-Los-Angeles-Auto-Show.htm?

It’s media day at the2014 Los Angeles Show, and there’s big news on the luxury front. Although I couldn’t be at the show this year, I will be bringing you updates as I can.

Cadillac, Chrysler,Jaguar, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and more are all making news as the show rolls on, and below you’ll find a first-look round-up of what’s happened so far.

Because I am not live in L.A. breaking news, I’m going to bring you two round ups—one today looking at the morning pressers, and another one tomorrow recapping this afternoon and tomorrow morning. Expect another post with my ramblings on what each luxury automaker did later in the week.

IIt all began this morning with Audi, which is previewing a new design theme with the Prologue coupe concept car. The new design doesn’t look like a dramatic departure from current cars, at least in pictures. The main change is a lower and wider grille, headlights that take on more of an edgy look, an interior that integrates four touch screens across the dashboard –screens that can be manipulated by using swipes—and rear headrests and a rear spoiler that only pop-up when needed. The rear end gets LED taillights and dual exhausts that use the same trapezoid shape as the grille. Under hood is a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 that makes 605 horsepower.

It’s unclear if Audi will build this car, but it’s a safe bet that at least some of the design elements influence future models. From what I can see via the good ‘ole Internet, the Prologue looks attractive—I particularly like the long front hood. The interior, however, strikes me as too futuristic to make production, but a toned-down version 

Next up is Cadillac. We’ve known the Cadillac ATS-V was due to be introduced at the L.A. show, and now we can finally see it in the flesh, no camouflage needed. This BMW M3/M4 fighter is basically an ATS that’s been given all sorts of performance goodies like Brembo brakes, a magnetic-ride control suspension system, a Performance Data Recorder that allows drivers to film their track sessions, GM’s Performance Traction Management system which gives drivers control over different traction-control settings for street and track, a stiffer structure (25 percent, according to Cadillac), three driving modes (street, sport, and track), performance tires, a big bulging hood, and an interior that includes Recaro seats, which are meant to be supportive during hard driving.

Let’s not forget the engine, which is a 3.6-liter V-6 that pumps out an estimated 455 ponies. Transmissions are a six-speed manual and an eight-speed automatic.

Initial impressions? Extremely favorable. GM has been on a roll with performance cars in recent years, and if the ATS-V can handle the way that its Camaros and Corvettes do, BMW better be on notice. Lexus, too, with its RC F, and of course Audi and Mercedes-Benz, as well. Point is, Cadillac finally has a strong performance sedan entry in this class, at least on paper. Let’s hope that the press feels the same after the first drives take place.

Say the name Maybach, and anyone listening immediately thinks of rappers living a life of excess in Beverly Hills. Or they think about how M-B killed the line when it didn’t live up to modest expectations. Either way, the Benz gang is back at it, resurrecting the name with the Maybach S600.

It’s 8.1 inches longer than the S-Class, it will have a twin-turbo V-8 that makes 523 horsepower, and you almost certainly won’t be able to get one, even if you could afford it, since the car will almost certainly be produced in low, low numbers.

If you can get one, you’ll get a massaging seat, a perfume pack (whatever that is), champagne flutes, and pop-up picnic tables to go along with all the super-high-end materials, high-quality stereo, and the like. Autoblog is guessing a $200K price and I think that’s fair, perhaps a bit low.

Finally for round one, we come to Chrysler. When Dodge launched a new Charger for 2015, we all knew a 2015 Chrysler 300 would follow. The design is more evolution than revolution—although the grille and LED headlights stand out immediately as being different. The 300 will come in four flavors: Limited (base), 300S (sportier version), 300C (up-level trim), and 300C Platinum (top-trim).

Engines are thus: A 292-horsepower. 3.6-liter V-6 (300 hp in the 300S trim) and a 363-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8. Both engines mate to an eight-speed automatic transmission,  and both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive are available.

A look at Jaguar, Volvo, BMW, Mini, Porsche, and Lexus is forthcoming tomorrow.

Luxury Cars at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show http://luxurycars.about.com/od/News/fl/Luxury-Cars-at-the-2014-Los-Angeles-Auto-Show.htm?