AUTO SHOW

Imagine a car that photographs a 360-degree view around itself, and projects that image on the dashboard. Imagine a car that has interchangeable seat covers, and airline style cargo racks. These cars are real…well sort of. Most major car companies come up with futuristic style cars that incorporate many features that many people would think as only imaginable. These cars are called concept cars, and all of them were featured at the yearly New York Auto Show. This auto show is one of the biggest and best of auto shows, and a busload of UB students got to experience it on April 17, 2004. The show consisted of displays of just about every foreign and domestic car company. One could sit in a 14,000 Scion, or view from afar (very afar) a 250,000 Ferrari. Some of the more popular displays were the Land Rover, and Ford’s new mustangs. If you love SUVs and trucks, than the lower level housed plenty of Dodge, Chevy and Ford trucks. Jeep definitely had one of the best displays. Its track was set up with a bunch of different terrain types including a two story high dirt hill. Certified Jeep drivers took spectators around the coarse in everything from the classic Wrangler, to the newer Jeep Liberties. The exhibition showed that Jeep could handle just about any off-road terrain. But if you like to stay out of the dirt, and opt toward a stylish (and expensive) type vehicle there was also an option for you. A nice new 2004 Ferrari was available to rent for … deep breath…2,000 a day. I asked if I could rent one (it doesn’t hurt to ask) but you had to be 21, so I asked why… and they said “If you wreck the car, you are 200,000 dollars in the hole.” I walked away. (Of course I still got a bunch of pictures of my favorite cars…one word…Maserati) Simply said, UB students were lucky to have the opportunity to go to the New York Auto Show. We got a first hand look at all the cars coming out in the next couple of years (and the cars that might come out in the next decade). So if you ever think that cars will fly one day, I can assure you, they will make their debut at the New York Auto Show.