The New York Auto Show is a big event where car companies show off new cars and new tech. It’s a key stop on the auto-show calendar, so people use it to see what might be coming soon.
The “auto-show circuit” is basically the schedule of big car shows around the country. If a show is near the end of that schedule, it can be a good last chance to see what’s coming.
General Motors, or GM, is a major American car company. When GM struggles or improves, it can influence jobs, suppliers, and other car brands in the U.S.
The Internet changed car shopping because people can research cars online first. That means they show up to the dealership already knowing what they want.
The Pontiac GTO is a performance car, known for being fast and built for driving excitement. In the podcast, it sounds like it’s being talked about because it comes into a repair shop and has typical issues that need fixing. That’s useful if you’re trying to understand what ownership might involve.
Lincoln Tech is a school that teaches people how to work on cars. Here, the shop partners with them so students can learn the skills needed to work as technicians.
He’s saying modern cars are getting so complicated that fixing them can feel like rocket science. More computers and sensors mean more time, tools, and expertise to diagnose problems.
The Sian is a very expensive, high-performance supercar made by Lamborghini. It’s designed for extreme driving performance and advanced engineering. In the podcast, it’s likely mentioned because the host spent time with it and wants to explain what it’s like.
The New York Automobile Show is a big event where car companies show off new cars and future ideas. This episode is talking about what they were showing back then.
A concept car is a prototype built to showcase new styling, engineering ideas, and future features. Automakers use concept cars to gauge public reaction and to preview technologies that may later appear in production vehicles.
A hybrid is a car that uses two kinds of power, usually gas and electricity. The idea is to use less gas than a normal car, especially in stop-and-go driving.
“Creature comforts” are the nice-to-have features that make a car more comfortable or convenient. The speaker is saying some people don’t want all that stuff—they want a simple car.
Horsepower is a way to describe how powerful the engine is. More horsepower generally means the car can accelerate harder, assuming the rest of the car is set up to use it.
A prototype is like a test car—an early version before the real production cars. Here, they’re saying this one isn’t just a test car; real ones are already being sold.
Limited import numbers refer to how many units a manufacturer brings into a specific market (here, the United States). The speaker notes the SLR McLaren was only imported in relatively small quantities, reinforcing its rarity and exclusivity.
Top speed is the fastest the car can go. They’re pointing out that even if the car can do it on paper, it’s hard to reach that legally or safely on city streets.
This is a big car show in New York where companies show off new cars and new ideas. It’s a good place to see what automakers were planning for the future.
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Talking about automobiles. Ron and Ady and the Car Doctor.
We are here today at Jacob David Center in New York City at the New York Automobile Show. What can
we say about the New York Automobile Show.
That hasn't been said already?
How much it's grown, how much it's here, the technology that's here, the history of the show, the importance of the show.
There's an awful lot.
Of questions that are going to get answered and address this hour. And joining me to help me do that,
our Mark Sheinberg. Mark is the President of the Greater
New York Auto Dealers Association. Candida Romanella, who is the
director of the New York International Auto Show, And Bob Fusco, who is Chairman of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.
And I welcome and I thank you all for being here today. Nice to be here, Great to be here.
Candida, let me start over here with you, as director of the New York International Auto Show, talk a little bit about the history of the show. I remember the
New York Automobile Show with my dad when I was a kid, and it was uptown Columbus Circle here in New York City, and it outgrew that building twenty five years ago.
No, a little less than that.
Okay, then I don't feel so old to go.
No, No, that was the coliseum the okay, right, Sea level nightmare.
This is kind of multi level.
And this is so huge.
Also, and actually, ron it isn't big enough for us.
That's really yes, we need more space, lots more space.
Well, they're actually talking about doing that. There are expanding
jabbets in the next couple of years.
We met with some of the folks that are working on that expansion yesterday and it looks like they're going to put a shovel in the ground in the next few months.
The New York Auto Show is the last show on the circuit, so to speak. It's it's you know, there
are obviously shows that occur over the winter.
This is the last show. It's springtime now.
Yeah, it's a great time.
The significance of this show, well.
The significance in terms of the industry is that, as you said, it's the last show on the circuit. But
it's also located in one of the greatest cities in the world. But why diverse international city in the world,
And it.
Don't specifically here that you know, why is it? Why
New York? Why not La Why not Chicago? Why here
this time of year?
Well, we had these dates for some time. You talk
about the history. I've been doing the show for fifteen years.
When I came on, these days were already in place.
And it really is a wonderful time to be on the calendar. We are over the Eastern holidays, so kids
are off the families. As far as the public is concerned,
lots of family people come in and we get great attendance for the industry. You know, who doesn't want to
be in New York in the springtime? Number one? Number two.
This is the media capital of the world. This is
where everybody lives. And the beauty of that is that
they don't only come for one hit, they come for.
Three or four.
They come all ten days long.
They're here.
CNN visits us maybe three times, you're here a number of times. So we enjoy that popularity. And so that's
really I think what drives us as a major marketing event, and that's really what we are.
For the event made in that sense of the word.
And it's also springtime. It's car buying time.
Yeah, we're you know, we kind of got out of the Yeah, right, they want out.
The holiday bills are over with hopefully, hopefully, see the clunker made it through the winter and we're getting ready for a summer down the shore and maybe up to the mountains, laid fall.
That type of thing.
Yes, lifestyle has a lot.
To do with a car person.
And I can see you funny to say the word lifestyle because I can see as I walked through the show.
Before we went on air. Convertibles are back this year.
Absolutely in a big way. I have one.
I felt and the sensiness of.
A conversion and what a thrill it is, and the chrome and the polish.
And the wind in your hair and and the wind.
In your hair and what that means.
And that's what people can come down here to see as part of this Automa can experience.
This is an ultimate experiential event.
And I guess that's so. Is it a car show?
Is it an event or is it an experience? Both?
It's all three.
It's more than that. Even you know, somebody called it
an icon yesterday.
Culture.
The show is very very popular well with everybody.
It's memories.
It is memories. I used to come with my dad too,
you know, And that's that's when I was a kid, when.
I was seven years old, I used to come with my dad.
And I liked cars even then. I like them more
now well, and.
I like them more now so, especially when they're fixed and leading. But that's another story. Mark. Let me let
me turn to you, and we've spoken the past.
Mark Scheinberg created New York at a dealer president of the association.
It's mouthful, isn't It's really strong.
I got a lot of there. By the end of
the end, he did well, he did well. You know,
the industry isn't a tough spot. I'm not gonna lie
about it.
I'm not going to kid you about it.
I've talked about it on the show before.
Callers asked me this questions all the time about in particular the American automobile industry, GM Ford, Chrysler, and not to brand this towards those particular products, but what is the sick magnificance of this show to the industry? And then,
if you could speak a little bit towards the American automobile industry, what's this going to do or not do for them?
Well, as Kenny just said, this is probably the largest marketing event that the car industry has, not only in the amount of people that come in to take a look at the cars on a one to one basis, but also the ability for the manufacturers to talk about their products, to talk about their company, where they're going as an industry on it. So in these last couple
of days you have a lot of manufacturers putting on a lot of press conferences showing a lot of new product to the media that we'll then talk to the community, to the consumers, and then also be able to give them a vision of where they're going, and that's important.
Now.
Clearly the domestic car industry is going through some change.
Is General Motives and Forward are trying to redefine themselves on it. General Motors has introduced for world introductions here
through their Saturn program, very exciting. It's the sort of
a reinvention of Saturn, if you will. Ford is also
now starting to redefine themselves.
It's changing.
In the United States, seventeen.
Million vehicles were sold new vehicles. That's a lot of vehicles,
but that number hasn't changed up or down that much in the last couple of years. What has changed is
a lot more competition, a lot more manufacturers. I've seeing
the Korea car manufacturers coming in Hundai Kia in a very large way.
So other other.
Markets are sort of overlapping into ours, or other manufacturers that once we'ren't in the marketplace are now entering.
In a very big way. Exactly.
I mean, there's again so much of a pie, and that pie is being split up more and more. And
of course we're going to see Chinese car manufacturers coming in again dividing up that pie more so as a redefinition that's going on. Competition is getting fierce. Quality, these
cars are getting so much better.
The excitement is there.
I agree with what you and Candida had said earlier.
This is probably the most exciting time to be in the car buying arener because.
There's so much choice.
Convertibles, roadsters, these hybrid vehicles. I mean, there is literally
something for everybody in this parkt no bottom line question.
As we close out this segment.
American cars better than they were five years ago.
Oh absolutely, there's no doubt. It's worth a test drive.
It is.
The styling is great, the interiors are great. They're really
very exciting cars. The quality of these cars are just
absolutely fabulous, and they have risen tremendously over the last number of years.
And we're talking, you know, all the major domestics at this point, and you and I neither one of us has a vested interest in this. It doesn't matter us
what people buy as far as an automobile. But my
perspective has been in the last six months, as the lumps seem to have grown, that we need to look at this from a perspective of America as a country, the economy. What happens if one of the car companies
does suffer any more financial woes. And I also tend
to think and I read this the other day in MSNBC dot com where they talked about how Detroit's biggest problem is getting recognition for what they do right. They
tend to get a lot of recognition for what they do wrong, but they don't get recognition for what they do right.
And that's why I say everyone needs to at least drive an American car. A great disagree.
I think that when you're on the top, you know, when your General Motors, the biggest car manufacturer, is, it's easy to take shots at that company. And they do
have a lot of problems. There's a lot of history
and there's a lot of changes that are going on in that company, as there is in Ford, as there is in Chrysler on it. So I think they've been
working very, very hard to make the changes and they're doing a great job on it. I think all the
car manufacturers working hard.
The thing is the consumer.
Is their demands on what they're looking for is very high.
Their expectations are very high, and all the manufacturers are working very hard to reach that expectation.
Mark.
I'm going to pull over to the side of the road and take a little bit of a pit stop here.
When we come back, Bob, I want to talk to you a little bit about the industry from your perspective, some of your history in the automobile industry, where it's been, where it is now, and where you see it going.
So when we come back, you get ready, we'll be ready to go. I'm Ron an Anie in the Card Doctor.
We're here at Jacob Javits with a host of people as we enjoy the auto show as it's in all its magnificence, and.
We'll be back right after this.
And we are back Ron and any and the Car Doctor.
We are at Jacob Javits at.
The New York Automobile Association or the New York Auto Show.
I have to get my names in terminology, right. I'm
standing here with Bob Pusco at present. Bob is the
chairman of the Greater New York Audo Dealers Association. Bob,
before we pulled over to the side, we were talking about and I had touched.
On this industry's changed.
You know, everybody says to me, Ron, why are you still fixing cars?
Number one, I love it. But number two, if.
I ever get out of it, and I want to, if I get out of it on Monday and I come back on Tuesday, I always feel like it's going to be too late.
There's just there's no going back once you're out. And
that's a technology issue. You've been around the automobile industry
a while.
What have you seen you?
So can we go back twenty years ago?
You know what was it like then versus today?
And then perhaps can you touch on where's it going to be next week, next month, next year.
You've seen a lot of changes, as you've had in other business is all related to technology. One of the
biggest changes in terms of doing abile business. Recently, it's
really the Internet and what that's done to educate the consumer about automobiles and trucks that they're looking to buy.
Because people can actually go shopping on the internet. Now,
you know you want to go build a car, you want to buy a Chevrolet, you want to buy a Toyota, you can go option.
It out and we enjoy when people have educated themselves on the Internet. It makes the salesperson's job a lot
easier because they come in knowing what they want. On
the service side, we used to call them mechanics, but now they're truly technicians. I have three technicians that make
over one hundred thousand dollars a year. They can fix
your TV as well as your car. They're truly electronic technicians.
And that's really been on the service side. The biggest
change is automobiles are all built great now, whether you're.
Talking domestic or input.
The qualities levels are as high as they've ever been and probably will continue to even get better. But the
way that automobiles are repaired now totally different than they were twenty years ago.
Twenty years ago, thirty years ago. I remember the guy
that wanted to be the mechanic. Started out he was
either the car wash kid or the oil change guy, and then he slowly worked his way. Maybe he did
new car prep.
And I bet you that procedures changed quite a bit in the last twenty years, probably in the last five years, in terms.
Of prepping a car.
Now I hear stories from people. A land Rover comes
to mind. When a land Rover comes off the trailer
as a new vehicle, you have to upload the software into the vehicle to get it to run to you know, sort of like the wake up call for the computer.
It has to have its initial programming as a running vehicle.
That's true. I'm also I'm a Pontiac dealer. I'm a
general motus dealer, and our GTO has the same situation.
When the vehicle comes in.
You have to upload the vehicles computer wise and otherwise nothing works in the vehicle.
So for the technician, let me think of how I want to phrase this, because I do get this as a common question.
I received an email one of that I can recall from a few.
Weeks ago, specifically asking he was a computer programmer, wanted to get out of his industry come into this one and he wanted to know about training and is it viable, and he just wanted to do Like in GM's case, he wanted to do the Yon Star, he wanted to do the modules. He wanted to do, you know, computers,
the electronics side of it. Is there a place for
that technician in the industry?
There is, In fact, there's a great need for that technician.
We've gone here with our association as far as building a twenty seven million dollar education center just to bring people into us. Say that number again, twenty seven million dollars,
ninety thousand square feet in Whitestone, Queens, New York, right the next Laguada Airport.
And that's going to do.
What that is going to attract The attempt is to attract people into our industry. This was a decision made
by the board of directors five years ago and we bought the property. We are in such need of technicians
and we could not find them. We said let's grow them.
And we are now hooked up with Lincoln Tech and Lincoln Tech has rented out half the square footage of it.
They have a one year program to train technicians. It's
a fifteen thousand dollars fee tuition. If you will it's
we're so excited. We just opened in October and we're
looking forward to our first year of graduate so we can place them in the industry.
The kid in high school went through high school all the shop and this is the kid.
You know, in my day, it was you're not smart, go take shop class.
But today that kid that's taken shop class, if it still exists, and then goes on to a link in tech, he has to be proficient.
In a whole bunch of other ways.
He does, and he's got to be committed with this particular program. Like I said, it's a fifteen thousand dollars
tuition fee and you're not just going to throw that away without having some kind of goals in mind.
And it is. It's not a grease monk anymore. It's
not a mechanic.
It is truly a technician, just like any other technician in any other field. They may still get to hands
dirty a little bit, but it's really all about electronics.
You mentioned on Star. I mean, we have the ability
now to talk to people in their cars and tell them if there's a problem with it, they go when the service is do on the vehicle.
Right on, Star can actually email, you make you aware.
They run they run a monthly scan of the system.
There's no codes, there's no this, there's no that. They'll
send you a report.
If there's a recult for some reason, you'll know about it.
They can contact you immediately.
The technology just seems I guess the word is escalating, you know.
Quick story.
In my office at the shop, I have a picture of the Space Shuttle. I have a picture of Columbia
taking off. And people will say to me, you know,
why is it so complicated working on the automobile, Why is it so expensive? Why is this maintenance being done
now when it wasn't done on my car ten years ago?
And I point to the picture on the wall and I say, you see that thing lifting off? And they
go yeah. I say, you take that, you turn.
It sideways, you put four wheels and tires on it, and that's what we're working on because it really is rocket science today.
Agreed, Agreed, very very technical.
You know, we're standing in front of the Scion booth, I should point out, and we're looking at Scion Scions.
You know, you always hear people talk about it. It's
that it's.
That funny little square car going down the road and you where did that car kind of come from?
And Scion is part of Toyota. You know what, Let
me see if I can grab somebody? Hello, can I can? I? Yeahs, Hike,
I'm sorry.
We're here doing our show today running any of the Car Doctor w or Radio WR Radio Network, And if you could just talk a little bit.
Bob and I were.
Just discussing the industry technology and I couldn't help. But
notice as I turned around in the middle of the Scion booth, there's this silver gray as a gun metal gray.
That'd again descriptions.
It's our past contact card that we just unveiled here in New York.
This is concept?
Is this now?
Is this going to go into production or is this strictly.
It's strictly concept right now.
It's actually we brought it to New York to see people's reactions to it. It could be a great indicator
of where.
I design is going in the future.
Now, is that a TV set I see on the inside, it's actually two.
Ten and a half inch LCD screens that can control both video and you can actually play an Xbox or a PlayStation on it.
But it's in the front seat. How can I drive
and play Xbox.
Actually, when you're in the drive mode it disabled. It
becomes a readout for the driver to be able to see what the car is doing inside.
Wow, now you know how long? I don't even know
where to begin to ask the questions.
It's just it's like drop dead gorgeous, huge, gigantic wheels.
What's this say here?
Two forty five thirty five are twenty inch tires.
Twenty inch tires.
The little bit of surprise that we put into this one is actually, if you look at the end of the spokes, those are turned indicators, So instead of putting indicators on the side fenders.
They're actually in the wheels. Grief, I'm sorry your name.
Was I'm see.
Let's want time with Sian Sheila. I appreciate you just
stopping in here. We were we were, like I said,
just happened to notice it. Aus we're walking along the
carpeting here at.
The auto show.
Everybody, if you're out there, you stop them by the auto show, Sion, We're we're right on the front.
Were level, right in front in Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace, great Main entry.
You actually don't even have a ticket to come into our body really good news. Well, I'll tell you what. Everyone,
if you're down here, you get down here.
To the New York Automobile Show down here in Manhattan this week and next week. You have to stop by Sion.
You've got to see the gull wing creation right in the middle of the booth. It's something that's absolutely positively gorgeous.
I see Bob Fisco.
Somebody had a drag Bob away, and Bob's off, Mark Sheinberg's off, Candida's gone. It's it looks like, oh, Bob, Bob,
we're gonna pull out right now.
Okay.
I want to thank you.
And when you see Candida and Mark, let them know that we appreciate their time, my pleasure. I'm on anating
in the Car Doctor and we're gone.
Welcome back, Ron and Ady and.
The Car Doctor.
We are at the New York Automobile Show. And as
I'm walking around the show floor, I've been fortunate. I've
actually snagged John Lesorsa. John is the chairman of the
New York Auto Show, and I've kind of bribed him into giving us a little bit of a quick tour here.
John, Thanks for joining me this hour.
It's nice to be here.
We're standing in front of concept car. Let's talk a
little bit about concept card. We're in Chevrolet. I'm sort
of a Chevrolet aficionado. People know me for that. I
like the Chevrolet brand. I think it's a good brand.
And I started dragging you over here to the Camaro, which.
Is this is a concept of prototype production.
Can you talk a little bit about this.
What we're in front of, the Camaro is a concept car.
At this point, the manufacturers to a lot.
With concept cars.
This is the design for the future of the auto industry, and this is where the manufacturers get to get judged on cars that may be produced. A lot of them
come from architectural ideas, is exactly, and they want to get consumer feedback. So the Camaro has gotten unbelievable feedback.
So when we talk about things like the New York Automobile Show, is it a show. Is it for the
consumer to provide feedback? Is it for the manufacturer to
judge how the consumers going to react to a particular styling change, que accessory.
It covers all those areas. It's a show that has
the future of the industry. It's a place where consumers
can see over one thousand models on display. So if
you're in the market in the next year or so, you can come to New York Auto Show.
It's the largest showroom in the area. It's the spring market.
People can come out interested in leasing your next vehicle, sitting it.
Let me ask you this question. I was at the
auto show.
I'm Harry, homeowner, and I'm sitting home today and I'm saying, well, gee, I was at the auto show last year. I was
at the auto show two years ago. I don't want
to go to the Auto show this year.
What's the big deal? What am I not going to
see by not coming this year? Well, for one thing,
people have come to the show forever.
I mean that we hear more people telling us stories about how they came with their parents many years ago as a little kid.
Now they're bringing their kids.
It's a fun time. I mean, you know today you
can spend four hours. I mean we find out that
people spend about four hours at the auto show with their families, looking and sitting in every vehicle.
It's the place debate, it's the place to beate.
You know, any special events going on this week as far as what somebody you know, the I don't want to miss this kind of thing.
Well, Saturday morning, we have the Lawnmowers Association. We're gonna
have in the front of the Javit Center running around.
It's going to be a little interesting giving this not much greenery.
And Manhattan lawnmowers.
That's it.
What are we doing with lawnmowers?
Gen a little diversified.
Yeah, well it's you know.
I know, car sales are tough, but now they're gonna start.
We're gonna start selling lawnmowers. Is that the Is it
lawnmower racing or just lawnmowers to cut lawn?
Lawnmower racing? Is it's an attraction that's kind of cool.
You know.
I actually I actually watched that on TV on the weekends on Speed And these are the guys crash.
Helmets and hot rod lawnmowers that you know, X number of miles and so on and so forth.
Anything else special going on here? I mean, listen, you
can come down to the New York Auto Show this week and as we're here at the Chevy booth Gee ways, you can go over and sit in a Z saz El six Camaro. You can kind of wander down to
Ferrari and see what's over that way. You can sort
of head backwards and and and and get over there by Porsche and and and there's just a little bit of everything here in terms of automobile also.
And you look at the big trucks.
I mean, gas economy is a big priority this year at the show.
And you have cars.
You have the flex fuel vehicles from Chevrolet. You have
the all new full size utilities, the Escalade.
The O seven Tahoe is here, all seven TA And I have to tell you I have an O for suburban.
If I ever get rid of the O force suburban, it'll be to buy an O seven or OH eight suburban, just because the body style that the O seven Tahoe is going to be the cure the body style.
For the newer Bourbon too, right, that's correct, And it's just it's.
Just a really sharp looking vehicle. They've just done so
much with it.
Hybrids. There's also some hybrid information here this year. Correct.
Toyota has many hybrids, but you know, I don't think the industry has settled on one.
Type of method for the for the hybrid.
General Motors are going to do something here this week with Tahoes.
As far as hybrid technology, they.
Have ethanol on the flex fuel vehicles. I think that
has to be a little more available to customers before it really takes takes on with the.
Consumer and the consumer realizes what it's all about. Well,
my thing with hybrid is hybrid's a great thing. I
think there are some maintenance issues that are getting addressed and they need.
To be and we need to improve on that, we need to make it better.
I think it's I think it's also an issue with hybrid is a very patriotic thing.
It does cut down our dependence on far and oil.
But the consumer is still a little leery of it.
You know, they look at the hybrid and and they wonder what it's all about.
They can come down here this week.
And they can get that much more information about hybrid and and there'll be product specialists here from the various manufacturers in mass.
Correction here showing where they think the industry is going as far as fuel economy.
So this is sort of like a roadmap for the guy that's sitting home. See I was at the car
show five years ago, two years ago, one year ago.
There's a roadmap if you want to think of it like that of where this industry is headed, and it's.
Changing every year.
I mean, you know, the traditional models, the high volume models don't change all that often, but the concept cars are all new every year.
There's something to see at the show.
John, let me ask you this question. I don't know
if you can answer it, so I'm gonna make it nervous. Now, okay,
I get this question.
A lot people are looking.
For a bread and butter automobile, basic planging, you know, kind of like the sixty five Plymouth Valiant, which obviously doesn't exist anymore. They want four wheels, an engines, something to.
Go back and forth to work, a little putt putt.
They don't want all the creature comforts, they don't want all the electronics. They don't want you know, NASA engineering
inside the car. They want an automobile anything.
Like that here this year.
Well, you know, the automobile has such passion. The industry
is passionate. The cars are so stylish. I don't think
you're going to find a car that doesn't offer something to each consumer.
You take the Chevrolet brand. This brand is so large, right,
and we're standing here in Chevrolet, and it's a good thing to talk about. The whole spectrum from the Z six.
They have the AVEO, which is an entry.
Level, a gift Co Bolt Go Bolt Malibu.
It's very diverse.
My wife drives a Malibau. You know, she's the toughest
customer in the world. And I have to mention this
because you know, she came out of an eight passenger Chevy Wagon. I never want another station Wagon again, never, never, never,
never never. We went out car shopping last year, looked
at them all. She sat in a Malibu Max.
I couldn't try her out of it. I had to
buy the car. Yeah, it's it, really is. She's absolutely
in love with the car.
John.
I want to thank you. I know you're busy, you're,
you know, being chairman of the Auto Show and all that you've got going on. I want to thank you
for the time you've given us Today.
We're gonna wander on down the aisleway and see what else is here. There's just so much going on, but
it's just been a great pleasure.
And we'll be talking to you again real soon.
Great, Okay, ron An Annie in the car, Doctor John Lasausser.
We're here at the New York Automobile Show, and we'll be back.
Right after this. Hi, ronin Annie and the Car Doctor.
We are back here at Jacob Javits New York International Automobile Show, kind of wandering down the aisle because there's just so much to see here.
And if you're sitting at home and you want to get out and you want.
To come see all the new cars, this is the place to be and just walk down the aisle and find what you like and wander in.
And I've done just that. I've just wandered into the
Mercedes Benz booth. Hey why not? I can dream big?
You got to be in a too winniso to speak.
And I've bumped into Michael Caruso. Michael is the vice chairman,
you know, Michael. I think I was talking to your.
Boss, John Losorsa a.
Little bit earlier this hour, and we're standing in Mercedes and sort of chewing the fat on what's going on here? Michael?
What can you tell me at the front of.
The booth, what is that thing that looks like it's doing three hundred miles an hour standing still? Well, that's
the two thousand and six SLR McLaren and it is a six hundred and seventeen host Power Vehicles show.
It's to Mercedes Benz.
Yes, well McLaren did the design with all Mercedes Benz components.
Wow, that thing is Is that a prototype?
No, that's not. You know, we've already sold them. They've
been in the United States over a year now.
This is They came in two thousand and five, the end of two thousand, right, and we've had the full run for two thousand and six, and.
It's about done.
I think they're only gonna build about another five hundred.
They only imported about a thousand into the United States and the meta I think we're gonna get another five hundred.
And that's it. The car is done. I mean it
looks fast. How fast is it? Do you know?
Well, you know they claim one sixty one seventy I don't know where you can do that.
Out in side street, New York City. Well, you know,
somebody's chasing it.
But is it not an inexpensive vehicle?
Though?
Run I'm gonna brace myself here. How much is that car?
Four hundred and fifty thousand dollars?
But I've already delivered two of them?
Really, yes, I have lease payments, cash deal well, no, actually there one was cash one was leased. Really, yes,
holy count four hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
And I guess they're not worried about the maintenance and up toop on that.
Well, not really, because I believe a break jobs ten thousand dollars.
I can't even talk about this anymore. Ten thousand dollars
for a break job.
Yes, they have these carbon fiber brake pads and the row.
It's all racing, you know, just like what happens in the pits at NASCAR or or Formula one. How expensive
it is to run these cars. That's exactly what you're
doing there. You're taking a race car and putting it
on a street that's a race car with license plates exactly.
And what kind of gas do you put in this?
Well, if you can find nitro, I'm sure, but you just put regular high test there, and I guess you have to thrown high test in that No.
Eighty seven regular in that baby Osa. Well, turning the world.
Of automobiles back to something we can all relate to on a little bit better scale. You know, as I
look around Mercedes Benz, there's a lot going on here.
But we also happen to be standing in front of This is the E L four fifty g L four fifty.
I'm sorry, and this is kind of exciting. This is
new here at the show.
We're actually having the vehicles just delivered this week to our showrooms.
And this is the first European full size sport utility.
It's a seven passenger. It looks small, smaller, but.
It's ride big and it has really good guess miles too.
What kind of guess min is good?
Well, we haven't gotten the final numbers, but Mercedes is swearing it's going to be over twenty for a vehicle.
This saw is yep, and you could fit seven people.
It looks like seven people comfortable. We're standing in the
back at the tailgate.
This tailgate's kind of unique, isn't it.
It's really neat because it's completely electric.
You puff the button on the outside, it goes up, it gives a little beeping, and then when you want.
To close it, you press another button.
And the great thing on safety feature is if you happen to have a child back here and if it feels any resistance, it stops and goes back up.
Now there's more buttons. What's as we look in the back. Well,
here's my special feature run. I highly love this particular item.
It's the buttons of the seats go down by themselves.
You're a guy after my own heart. I'm a button
guy too.
I mean, the seats are the hardest thing I'm putting down these SUVs.
You gotta be an NG electrical engine. Yeah, way, man,
I'm the mechanic. I think this is the down button here.
That's why say, yeah, you know, salesman mechanics.
See there's a difference.
Well, I got to say, I have to be around the vehicle a little bit more before I get all the nuances down. So we hold this button down and
the seat just folds perfectly flat, and then we.
Can do the other one. No, wait a minute, there
we go.
We're still seating five people comfortably. And we've got a
cargo area. I don't know how big is that. That's
four feet by four six Yeah, four.
By six that's that's the four x six foot cargo area.
First aid kit over here, look us, they've got computer ports.
What is this power? Twelve vote twelve old power? I
guess okay for a lot of yeah or what have you?
And look at the lighting inside this thing, well, those are those fancy lights to highlight it, but they have lights down the center.
We have V two DVD players in it.
It's got navigation and there's an interesting thing.
Of being in a mechanic.
This has got the new improved four wheel drive system that they just came out with.
Before we had a forty sixty split, right.
Mercedes has now in terms of power power listeners out there for the power for the for the for the split on the power train, it was forty sixty in terms of powertrain divided up.
Now it's what it's.
Now forty five fifty five and it's amazing. Now that's
not just a driveway climber mountains, you can really they're putting these.
Costs through the test.
They also have the same system available on the S five fifty, which is our flagship four wheel drive, and that particular version is coming out in November.
Let me let me ask you this, Michael.
I don't know if you'll know this, but there's no dipstick on this car, is there?
No? I think it's all in the front, right. I
believe it's just a there's no engine oil dipstick.
And they've eliminated that, and it's all done through the steering wheel.
I'm held for checking oil level.
Well, they tell you what the car tells you when it's ready to be serviced. It gives you a notice
and it pops up and says, oh, go service it.
So the technology has just increased and increased. Michael, I'm
gonna I'm gonna pull over and take a pause.
But when we come back, I want to, you know, get your closing. So let's won't you stick with me
till the end of the hour today and let's talk a little bit about Mercedes.
And the auto show and and and we'll kind of take it from there. Stay put pay my pleasure.
Great ronin any and the car Doctor, and we're talking with Michael Caruso, who is the assistant or the vice chairman.
I'm sorry I've madejoras fih.
Yeah, I'm sorry. You're the vice chairman of the New
York International Automobile Show. We'll be back right after this.
Hi, Ron and Ady and the car Doctor. We are
back here.
At Jacob Javits New York Connational Automobile Show, and I'm standing in the Mercedes booth as I left a Michael Caruso, Vice Chairman of the Auto Show. And you know, Michael,
we've just kind of taken a virtual tour of this particular model Mercedes.
This was the GL four fifty.
We talked a little bit about the rocket ship out front.
The yes, two thousand dollars break job. Huh yes, I
can't get over that. Good gosh, I.
Just, oh my god, what inventory on brake pads. That's
going to be real quick in the closing minutes. What
else does Mercedes have for us in fifteen seconds or less?
Well, real quick?
Their future in this guest environment, sensitive environment. They're coming
out with the Blue Tech. It's a diesel engine that
runs cleaner than gasoline.
That's this vehicle right up here to our right there.
It'll be out. It's here at the show.
Yes, they have it here. It'll be out next year.
It's a forty five state car. And then in eight
they believe they have it a fifty state car. So
Mercedes is really sort of spreading themselves out trying to you know, it's it's hitting all the demographics. Absolutely, They've
go the C class all the way to the S series.
Now we didn't even get into it.
BMW is over here to the side right next door to it, right next door, So there's plenty for people to see over there, and what's going on. They've got
convertible you know, g I c where Look who.
We found John?
Look, Michael, I found your boss, John Lesorsa, who is the chairman of the Auto show.
John, welcome back.
I'm sorry I was monopolizing, Michael.
I apologize.
Hey, Ron, you caught me walking over to the north pavilion where we have our Cheap Camp Cheap exhibit where drivers will take you around an suv course and you get to go up a hill, down the hill, through a puddle underwater.
It's pretty much.
Is that camp Cheep?
That's what I saw. They've got all the Jeep SUVs
lined up?
Or is that that's out front and all that stuffs on the north pavilion, the north part of the building.
Okay, it's kind of like a special event. That's that's
going on all week here at the other show. So,
but it has to be a certain gain.
I wonder if I could get over there, and do you think they let me drive one of them? You know,
I always say jeep can climb the side of a wall.
You don't think they'd let me see if it would find out if who, let's try, Well, let's try. You think. Listen,
you guys, you know you're the number one and two guys here. If you guys can't let them get me
to drive a Jeep, I don't know who could.
Closing thoughts on the show, John, come on down.
It's eight hundred and fifty thousand square feet, almost a thousand cars on display, a lot of fun, a lot of fun, lot going on.
Michael closing thoughts on the show, Well, it is the.
Largest showroom you're gonna find in the state of New York right now. So if you're out there looking for
a car, this most be the place.
It's a great environment to see without any pressure. You
just waltz around, take your time and see any car, spend as much time as you want on them.
Really, and that is true too.
And then I guess with all the concepts and it's almost like you probably have to allow yourself a good day to be down here at the auto show right because you're gonna come down here. There's just too much
to see. And this isn't a couple of hour walk
through anymore.
No, not anymore.
Now with four eight hundred and fifty thousand square feet.
They'll take you a good day. It'll take you a
good day.
And I see they have the vendors going downstairs. There's
lunch down here, there's food down here, there's.
You guys kind of thought of those.
Let me ask you this question real quick in our closing seconds, how long does it take you to play in the show?
Ten seconds or less? The day after we close, really
you start planning it again. Holy cow.
Let me tell you, gentlemen, thank you for your time this hour. I'm Ronninady in the Card Doctor.
We're down here at.
Jacob Javitz New York International Automobile Show. And as I
always say, good mechanics aren't expensive, there's still prices
About this episode
A lively roundtable and floor tour at the New York Auto Show looks back at how the event grew from Columbus Circle to the massive Javits footprint—and why it still matters as the “last show on the circuit.” Dealers and show leaders discuss car-buying timing, media reach, and rising competition. Ron Ananian pivots into the tech side: internet-informed shoppers, “technicians” over mechanics, and training for electronics-heavy repairs. The show floor highlights include concept Camaros, Scion’s concept “gull wing” display, and Mercedes’ pricey SLR McLaren and GL450 SUV tech.
We dug a little deeper into the archives and found the first hour of a live broadcast from the April 2006 New York Auto Show.
In this episode, we’re right on the show floor at the New York International Auto Show, talking with the show chairman and key organizers about what it takes to bring an event like this to life—how it started, how it grew, and what it meant to the auto industry at the time.
But what really makes this a must-listen is the perspective.
You’ll hear conversations about what were then cutting-edge vehicles in 2006—cars that represented the future of automotive technology, design, and innovation. Looking back now, it’s fascinating to see what stuck, what evolved… and what never quite made it.
The audio is exactly what you’d expect from a live broadcast on the floor of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center—a little noisy, a little raw, and completely authentic.
It’s more than just a show—it’s a snapshot of an industry in motion.
If you love cars, history, or just want to see how far we’ve come… this is one you don’t want to miss.
