The producers of the 2007 New England International Auto Show hope this year's event will be a whole new ballgame. It's also playing out on a whole new ballfield.
The show is open to the public from Wednesday through Sunday at the Boston Convention & Exposition Center, having left the Bayside Exposition Center after nearly a quarter century.
The expo center's cramped 250,000 square feet of display space is doubled at the convention center and about 40 manufacturers will take advantage of the added room - they are expected to show off around 800 automobiles at this year's show.
The Boston Globe has a sponsorship agreement with the Paragon Group of Wellesley, an event-staging company producing the show in conjunction with its main promoter, the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association.
So what should you make a point of seeing as you wander the cement prairie? Look to see who's offering hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles and in what form. Look for the best world-class sports car (even if it's just to fantasize about owning one). Consider which snazzy performance car is (barely) within your budget. Look for a lot of new coupes. Check out who's offering all-wheel-drive even in sedans - a feature well-suited for New England winters. Look for what I consider a great shift toward fit and finish in American automobiles. See who has the most airbags, front to rear, and who offers stability control as standard fare.
When it comes to specific models, here are 11 cars you may want to check out:
SAAB 9-3 TURBO-X: I drove this new all-wheel-drive system in Sweden this year. Because of its forgiving and efficient electronic control systems, I couldn't make it slide any farther than sideways, even on gravel or simulated ice. Late to the gate with AWD, but welcome back, Saab.
AUDI R8: This one is for people with fat wallets or trust funds, or those who just like to think big. For $110,000 to more than $130,000 you can own this marvel. This is a world-class high performance car dropped on the market like a comet fallen to earth. Attention
GMC ACADIA AND YUKON HYBRIDS: As a proponent of hybrid technology, I believe that replacing our SUVs with hybrids - and saving even as little as four miles per gallon - would have a greater effect on emissions than subbing
HONDA ACCORD COUPE: This car is graceful from the outside, subtly elegant on the inside, and the perfect car for anyone seeking a touch of sportiness without going wild.
INFINITI G37S: This one does go wild. It's the sportiest, most elegant, and affordable coupe of the year, and one of my favorites. Look at it from all angles. Sit in it and pretend you are a jet fighter pilot. You'll get the picture.
CHEVROLET MALIBU: With the new Malibu,
MAZDA MX-5 MIATA: Look for the hard-top drop-top and imagine yourself back in time, when little roadsters driven by sports car enthusiasts cruised twisting roads. Mazda brought this segment back about 20 years ago, and now it's here again in great form and with modern electronics.
MINI COOPER CLUBMAN: Mini Me meets Supersize Me. In oxymoronic fashion, the Mini gets bigger - and it's likely to be a big seller, too. This is a virtual go-cart of an automobile, but you can also claim you're driving a family car.
TOYOTA COROLLA: The latest Corolla, a Toyota fixture, gets spicier on the outside, more refined on the inside, and is among the most sensible cars to consider. It will be at the auto show as a 2009 model.
VOLVO XC30: This is a truly great hatchback, and it's my favorite "youth" car to hit the market this year. It is modern Volvo up front, distinctly un-Volvo from the sides, and retro-Volvo with its shaped glass rear hatch.
Royal Ford can be reached at ford@globe.com.
