2007 New York International Auto Show

Visitors to the 2007 New York International Auto Show, which was held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center from Friday March 21st through Sunday March 30th, were treated to the latest 2007 and 2008 new cars, trucks, and other vehicles. On their way through the halls of exhibits, visitors encountered displays as diverse as Scion, Sirius Satellite Radio, State Farm Insurance, Xtreme Auto Interiors, Hybrid Technologies, or AutoTrader.com.

The 2007 New York International Auto Show provided a showcase for every imaginable automotive device, service, and gadget, from the mundane to the absurd. Hundreds of automotive-related booths displaying car insurance, custom paint, aftermarket body kits, OEM parts, and concept cars, transformed the Jacob Javits Center into an automotive accessory Nirvana.

Car Show Trends: The 2008 Crossover SUV

Before sensory overload set in, we performed a quick fly-over of the car displays and surveyed for obvious trends. As we expected from just being out in society, the popularity of crossover vehicles, those mid-size SUVs which are based on an automobile undercarriage, has increased exponentially. Clearly, any auto manufacturer who had not yet tooled a crossover concept was now rushing to catch up. The 2007 New York International Auto Show is viewed as a key venue to introduce new models, being the last major show of the season.

Decline of large SUV Sales

There are several reasons why crossovers have apparently caught the new car buying public's eye, including improved fuel economy over the once-trendy Excursions, Tahoes, Sequoias, and the rest. In addition, the ride and handling characteristics of crossovers, with their car-based chassis, tend to be more appealing to people using their Hyundai Santa Fes and Ford Escapes for trips to the mall more often than trips to the Himalayas. People are also responding to the strengthening social backlash against SUVs with a size 16 or larger environmental footprint.

Car Show Spotlight: The 2008 Subaru Tribeca

A crossover SUV that has been watched for with anticipation is the 2008 Subaru Tribeca. Reviews of the 2007 model were disappointing, with marks taken off for styling and power. Subaru, proving that it listens to its buying public executed a retooling of the 2008 Tribeca with elan, starting with the exterior and finishing with an appreciable increase in the power plant. The front end of the new 2008 Tribeca is restyled to present a more friendly face, conforming to the unspoken rules of auto design to look like everyone else, to resist any sudden moves, and to avoid scaring the children.

Car Show Spotlight: The 2008 Volvo XC70

First unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show, the 2008 Volvo XC70 handles the dirt as well as it handles asphalt. Not a laggard when it comes to introducing innovative safety equipment, Volvo will gain favor with a first in child safety seating. The new 2008 Volvo XC70 will offer a child's bolster seat that is integrated into the passenger seat. Not stopping there, Volvo engineers devised the seat to be height-adjustable to accommodate kids aged 3 to 10 years old.

Alternative Fuels: Response to a Presidential Mandate

With President Bush having made a decree that manufacturers will need to produce models that satisfy an annual 4% increase in fuel efficiency, auto executives are sorting out their options. An alternative fuel, E85 may cause more harm than good, with its long-term impact on agriculture and rain forest trees. Bio-diesel needs more research to define its infrastructure, while people are intuitively buying every diesel-powered older vehicle they can find. Numerous companies are offering biodiesel conversion kits, and manufacturers like Ford now offer a 2008 F350 that runs on biodiesel.

Hybrid technology, when implemented in its full, dual-stage configuration, may provide a partial solution. Some existing vehicles may be brought up to Bush's threshold by using a six-speed transmission and traditionally aspirated engines. It is no surprise that, in meeting new standards for fuel efficiency, the prices on these upgraded vehicles may increase by thousands of dollars.

2007 New York Car Show Conclusion: An Inconvenient Truth

The 2007 New York International Auto Show brought together the best that modern industrialized nations can produce in automotive technology, design, and marketing. No other industry on earth can incite people with such blind impelling force to purchase its products. The imperative to buy these products is stronger than the desire to preserve the earth. Auto manufacturers and independent engineers are making only small contributions. The single entity that can have the greatest influence on the direction automobile manufacturers and the oil industry take is the automobile-buying public.