That's because the New England International Auto Show opens its doors next Saturday and keeps them open until Sunday, Nov. 14, as nearly 40 car lines go on exhibit. And this year, with sedans making a big comeback, hybridization sweeping the industry, crossovers stepping on SUV sales, and a minivan I think is the best yet making its New England debut, you'll find yourself strolling the vast floor of the Bayside Expo Center asking yourself, "Was that truck, a minivan, a station wagon, or a conglomeration thereof?"
And the answer could well be, "Yes."
If I were there to guide you, here are a few vehicles I would not pass up making a pass at:
HYBRIDS: Go see the Ford Escape, the first gasoline/electric hybrid SUV. And while you're at it, check out the Toyota Highlander, bigger than the Escape when it hits the market in coming months, and another Toyota hybrid product, the Lexus RX, first luxury hybrid to roll our way. And check out the Honda Accord, a midsize sedan entering this increasingly cluttered class.
The world of sedans — particularly bigger American-built sedans — is expanding and their variety is wonderful. Check out these:
CHRYSLER 300: In standard and Hemi form, this may be the coolest American car to come along in some time. It looks almost brutish in its muscularity. But that's from the outside. Inside, it is a study in elegance. You can have it in rear-wheel-drive as sedate sedan; as over-steering muscle car with that Hemi engine; and, good news to New England ears, in all-wheel-drive form so you can have your muscle car and drive it in the winter, too.
FORD FIVE HUNDRED: Another sedan to be had with a pair of drive trains, either front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. It's a deceptively large car. Sit in the rear seat and checking out the leg room or opening the trunk and asking how many stiffs the Soprano boys could stuff back there. It's not aimed at the same hot rod crowd that the 300 Hemi has in its sights, but it is a solid effort in Ford's self-proclaimed "Year of the Car."
CADILLAC STS, CTS, AND CTS-V: Three more American sedans as the Big Three retreat a bit from a voracious appetite for SUVs and pickup trucks and build, of all things, cars again. The CTS-V is the hot rod, the STS the flagship, and all can be had with all-wheel-drive (do we detect a pattern here?).
FORD MUSTANG: Redesigned and looking distinctly late-60s-retro. You could picture Steve McQueen being chased in this, a Challenger R/T hot on his heels over the hilly streets of San Francisco. Somebody should make that movie…..
ACURA RL is a redesign that looks more aggressive than most sedate Acura's I've seen. We're talking 300 horsepower, an aggressive proboscis, and you can get it with, you guessed it, all-wheel-drive.
BUICK LACROSSE is a car that General Motors is producing as it tries to give Buick a younger image (and drop the average age of buyers from somewhere near 70). It's a midsize sedan with 200- and 240-horsepower engine options. I'd look to see if GM has followed through on promise to build better interiors.
JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE: The SUV has gone a bit more "roady," meaning it drives better on highways, where most people drive their SUVs. But don't let its new refinement fool you. I've had this rig off-road and it remains a crawling, reliable beast, should you choose to go there.
CHEVROLET CORVETTE: Without even getting into technology and horsepower, the car is worth a cruise-by just to see its new headlights: mounted in the noses of the fenders instead of tucked away by ridiculous pop-up covers.
KIA AMANTI: A sedan that raises the question: how big and luxurious can you build it and still sell it for less than $30,000?
HONDA ODYSSEY: This is the minivan mentioned above as the best down the pike so far. I drove it as though it were a race car on the track at Pocono and was amazed at its high performance car-like feel — even surrounded by sumptuous leathers, DVD players for the kids, high seating, and a fold-flat cabin setup that makes it the most utilitarian of vehicles.
AND OTHER HOT POSSIBILITES: Check out redesigned Audi 4s and 6s; take a pass at the Ford GT (a steal at $150,000) and compare it to the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren supercar. See the Mini Cooper convertible (top up and down, preferably), and the Pontiac G6, walking a similar path as the Buick LaCrosse.
AND NOW THE NITTY GRITTY: The New England International Auto Show, sponsored by the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Assn. (with Boston Globe backing) runs from Nov. 6 through Nov. 14.
It is open on both Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; both Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Nov. 8 and 9 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and Nov. 10-12 from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, and under 6 are free. Take the T and avoid crazy parking fees.
The show's website is www.bostonautoshow.com.
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