Mercedes was the first
automaker I saw after stepping inside the
main show area. It was cool to finally see
some cars in person, such as the
Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 Coupe, the AMG
GT, the new AMG C 63, and even a
model of the Mercedes W05, the car that
Mercedes-AMG used in Formula One
racing in 2014. The car earned them a
first place in the Constructors’
Championship, and British driver Lewis
Hamilton won first place in the season (his
teammate, Nico Rosberg, earned second
place). It was frustrating how crowded the
large booth was. Pictures and video were
almost impossible.
Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 Coupe: The
GLE Coupe is already a new
vehicle. Looking at its design, it appears
to be aimed at the BMW X6. Let’s see if
the efforts put in at Affalterbach will trump
the efforts by BMW M.
Mercedes-AMG GT: The SLS AMG is
now gone. The AMG GT is the new AMG
effort, sans the gullwing doors.
I rushed over to Acura, where the
new Honda/Acura NSX was on
display. The crowd was not too bad
around the NSX. I did not bother looking
at any other Acuras other than the TLX
GT, as I generally find Acuras to be
boring.
Honda/Acura NSX: The car was
essentially redesigned in 18
months. Interior also received an
overhaul. The NSX pictured here is
essentially what we will see on the
road. Hopefully, Honda has
prepared. The new Audi R8 and McLaren
570S will likely prove to be tough
competition. Not to mention weapons
from Porsche.
I went to Honda, where I saw…
nothing. Actually, I didn’t even go to
Honda. Why? Because NAIAS. The
auto show was huge, and I knew I would
not have enough time to go
everywhere. So I really had to filter out
the automakers based on what was
present. No rare cars? No good
preproduction cars? I’ll pass.
The Lincoln booth was in its own
‘lounge,’ and it’s safe to say that it was
very attractive. Lincoln has recently made
an effort to improve their dealership
experience. Within the booth, there were
a couple lounge areas. Of course, there
were a few models on display, including
the new MKX. One family was looking at
an MKT, and being that I am familiar with
a 2010 MKT Ecoboost, I was able to give
advice.