Greater Milwaukee Auto Show

The allure of shinny, innovative cars and the intoxicating smell of new leather and upholstery brought me to the impressive Midwest Airlines Center for the final weekend of the Greater Milwaukee Auto Show.

There were over 400 new cars on display including ‘09 models not yet on the market and just about every kind of car you could think of and all under one roof ready to be inspected and pawed and sat it and drooled over.

My brother Mike knows a lot about cars, but I do not. He’s keen on sports cars and hot rods – the ones with the oomph – while I tend to be enamored with the late 60s sports vehicles. Luckily, the Auto Show had something for both of our tastes and we got to spend quality time together, while I learned a thing or two about modern cars.

Upon entry, the potent new car smell wafted over us and mingled in the air with the smell of brats, hot dogs and pizza that were the dinner for most of the exhibitors and show-goers. Vendors also sold a plethora of other quick eats like nachos, chicken fingers, hamburgers, ice cream and beer and soda, but Mike and I weren’t there to snack, we were there to see some hot wheels!

We were able to work our way through the three-level building without too much trouble, despite the massive crowd and the sales people obnoxiously shoving “win a new car” entry blanks in our faces. We began in the third-floor conference room where many of the major manufacturers – Ford, Pontiac, Chevy, Dodge and Volkswagen to name a few – displayed their new models under bright lights and on rotating platforms. These models provided a glimpse into what’s around the corner in automotive design and technology, which was interesting, albeit I didn’t see anything extraordinary. These were cars or trucks you’d see cruising down I-94 daily, but they looked more luxurious because they were sparkling and fresh and devoid of fingerprints and smudge marks on their candied paint jobs. Either way, I really liked the black-on-black Dodge Challenger with the racing stripes and the Ford Mustang Bullitt in turquoise-y blue.

Located on the second floor and in the aisles were the futuristic concept cars that completely stole the spotlight at this year’s show. Cars like the Chevrolet Sequel and the Suzuki’s SXBox were definitely part of the intrigue. The Sequel is a reusable hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicle that reportedly can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in only 10 seconds. (Wow!) It’s something completely different than anything I’ve ever seen and its speed is sure to be the desire of any racing fan’s lead foot.

Suzuki’s SXBox is a compact sport concept car with an awesome pearly white paint job illuminated with a green LED accent kit. This is exclusively aimed at a younger generation or at least those who are obsessed with video games. There’s an Xbox 360 game console in the dashboard and another Xbox in the rear seat that projects the game onto the backs of the front seats. Now, why would someone need two game consoles in their car? That goes far beyond my PS2 interest.

Another concept car worth mentioning is the Chrysler Black Jack. This is a minivan with a card table and dealer’s seat built in, which is perfect for card games and poker tournaments. I was surprised to see a minivan that’s not marketing toward “soccer moms.” Even though I wouldn’t drop a dime on these particular models, I found their concepts quite fascinating. I guess if you build it, somebody is going to buy it, even if it’s marketed to one particular group like the SXBox and the Black Jack.

For those with a few more years under their belts or anyone who loves a little nostalgia, there was a great exhibit of vintage cars in the Fabulous ‘50s display. Presented by ADAMM, well-preserved cars like a 1950 Studebaker, 1955 VW Beetle and Ford Fair-bird, and a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Baritz and Chevy Bel Air were shown courtesy of the Wisconsin Automotive Museum and local collectors. There was even a 1941 Ford Sedan Delivery Street Rod that was pulling a vintage 1946 Original Kit Caper Company “Tear Drop Trailer.” As I walked around the vintage exhibit, I spent sometime imagining what it was like in the 50s as I envisioned Eric and I cruising around the lakefront in the 1953 Corvette with the top down and the wind blowing through our hair while The Mills Brothers’ “Glow Worm” plays on the radio.

On the main floor were the high-dollar vehicles from prestige manufacturers like Bentley, Audi, Lexus and Mercedes. All of the pricey, polished and radiant cars taunted the droves of people in the large conference space. The exotic series from Bentley really caught my eye, but I was too afraid to touch them because they were sooooo pretty. Of course, the Porsches turned heads and I got to sit inside the GT3 RSR, which is the most powerful racecar based on the Porsche 911. I couldn't stop taking deep breaths in, just to smell the fresh leather and feel the new smells in my nose and lungs. I also felt an immediate adrenaline rush just from sitting in such a fast car!

We spent most of our time on this floor as we ogled the new BMWs, which are my bro’s dream cars (I prefer the vintage BMWs or Mustangs). We got to pop the hood and I swear I could hear the sound of its humming engine. It was cool to get a glimpse of what’s out there on the market for those with enough “ching” to afford one of these fancy-pants cars. I wonder if I’ll be lucky enough to drive a vintage Mustang or a souped-up Porsche someday... I’m doubtful.

 

The walkway on the first floor featured the Smart Car, which was one of the show’s biggest draws. The Smart Car hit the U.S. market early this year and beckoned a large crowd of curious show-goers around its display. Everyone surrounding the car seemed really intrigued by it, mostly because it’s cute and compact and cutting edge. I had seen one parked at the lakefront last summer where it even caused a stir. I think the Smart Car would be great for city driving since it’s about half the size of a standard car and it’s the same size in length as it is wide, so parallel parking would be a breeze! But, they are so small that I wonder how they would take an accident, especially a head-on collision with a Dodge Ram truck – they already look like they’ve been squished!

Among the other attractions were an exhibition on fuel-efficient vehicles, Back to the Future-esque DeLoreans, and a scale model of what the finished M-Change Project will look like – there’s hope!

All things considered, the Auto Show was fun, but wasn’t really something I’d put at the top of my list of 'things to do' simply because I know zilch about cars and engines and manufacturers and so on. But I can certainly see the appeal, especially if you are in the market for a new car or can afford one (both categories that I don’t fall into). But, it would be nice to see the day when buying a nice new car isn’t such a far-fetched idea. Until then, it’s fun to dream.

Since my visit, the Greater Milwaukee Auto Show has come to a close, but it will be back again in 2009 in case you missed it this year.

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Greater Milwaukee Auto Show
February 23 through March 2, 2008
Midwest Airlines Center
400 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee
Hours: 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
$9 Adults, $5 Seniors, $4 Children (Cash-only admission)

Comments

[paul]

Interesting write-up.

[char]

I question the safety of the smart car. I would also doubt they are great in the snow, so I can't see the market for them in this state. I like the pictures.

[01cars.blogspot.com]

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rushitshah.com

http://www.01cars.blogspot.com

[Suzieq]

For someone who doesn't know a lot about cars (I'm with you there), it seems like you learned a lot!

[Amanda]

I agree with you Char, although the Smart Cars are really cute. I think if everyone was driving that small of a car, it wouldn't be a problem (wrecks that is), but like Karen said, can you imagine a head-on collision with a truck or hummer? Ouch! And the snow, well, that's another issue!

[wfbdoglover]

"I wonder if I’ll be lucky enough to drive a vintage Mustang or a souped-up Porsche someday... I’m doubtful."

Hey - Anything is possible. You can always keep an eye out for one that needs to be restored and who knows - you and your brother could have a great hobby together!

(ducking as your brother throws a piston at me)

Seriously - my husband has been working on a 1971 bettle for me that he bought for $500's three christmas's ago. I haven't even sat in it yet.

[Karen]

I'd be completely useless in helping to restore a car, but my brother would love working on one! I think that's one thing he really wished he did with our dad.

Perhaps I can sweet-talk them into restoring one for me! Probably not. Instead, maybe I'll marry someone who's into fixer-uppers like your hubby. Who knows...

[wfbdoglover]

LOL