Dallas Car Show

Went to the Dallas Car Show yesterday.
It had been running since Wednesday and finished today (Sunday).
It was housed in the Dallas convention center, which is a sizable complex.
I don't think I've been in a building as big...
However, must admit, I wasn't looking around at the walls too much, I was busy looking at cars, so can't say for sure.

There were not as many concept cars as I thought would be there, and the cars were all this years models.
So, it was more an indoor car yard than what I'd call a car show.
Having said that, there was something for everyone.
We noticed the European cars were all roped off. It was only the local content that you could get into and twist the steering wheels and waggle the gear levers.

My favorite display was the Chrysler engine testing lab.
They had their latest V8 hooked up so that they could control every aspect of the engine:
revs, fuel, cooling, oil... everything.
They then cycled through all these different testing scenarios.
One test was running from zero to full throttle (which they will do for something like 8 weeks in a row) every 30-40 secs.
The engine was howling (even through the sound proof walls) at full throttle, the concrete floor was vibrating, quite a sensation.
Another test was highway cruising, sitting at a constant rev, the engine will switch 4 cylinders off to save gas. As soon as the throttle / load changes (on this test, back to full throttle), the dormant cylinders kick in.
Needless to say there a a lot of people (I for one) standing around waiting for this engine to let go...

And now for some cars...


Toyota concept truck
This monstrocity stands about as tall as I am(6"1). The wheels are up past my knees. With crude oil at record highs, some dumbass thinks "hmmmm, let's make a bigger truck that's uglier then ever".


mmmmm, Lambo, mmmmmmm
OK, OK... I concede getting all weak at the knees about this baby is hypocritical with it's dirty great donkey, but that Toyota is still butt ugly.


Porsche


AlanM guarding my Aston Martin DB9


Ford GT (been a while since they've had an original thought)


Chrysler concept car (mid mounted)


Volvo made out of Lego (perhaps they are cutting back on safety testing)


Hannah rock climbing

This, of course, was next to the Jeep exhibition.
Hannah gave it her best shot, but was beaten cause she couldn't get at the hand/toe holds.

Heaps more cars, too many to waste more bytes on.
Was an excellent day.

On the way back to our car, there was a Ferrari F40 convertible parked close to ours.
It struck me that you just wouldn't see that car parked in a NZ carpark, it'd cause more grief than it's worth.