Houston Auto Show - Dream Gig for Car Fanatics

Alice Chase was the Thelma to my Louise on our road trip to the Houston Auto Show last week - or maybe I was Thelma and Alice was Louise? In any case, we didn’t have Brad Pitt in our car and that was disappointing. The brand-new GMC Acadia we were driving, however, was not disappointing. In fact, we enjoyed the plethora of power sources, the heated AND air conditioned seats, and the kolache/barbecue place it steered us to on the way to Houston. Although it’s possible that I saw the sign for kolaches and said “STOP THERE”.

If you don’t know Alice, go and check out all of her socialmedia channels. Not only does she have a whip-smart brain for social media, she is one of the sweetest people on the internet.

You already know how much I love cars. It’s my passion, and I owe that to my dad and all of the car shows we attended together since I was a kid. I had the best time at this show as a guest of SheBuysCars.com and GMC Houston, and I’m going to tell you a little more about what I learned.

I like to ask to see under the hood, I want to know about the horsepower, I want to know about the torque. I ask about maintenance, and tires, and what kind of fuel works best. On opening night, I beelined it for the exotic car corner: Lotus, Ferrari, and Lamborghini. I rode along with Jeep and Ram, which was impressive, but I’m a sports car and classic car girl.

No, I did not plan my dress to match this car. We dubbed it "Tron Car".

The classic car display was jaw-dropping, with some gorgeous cars from the ‘40s and ‘50s that were right up my alley. Corvettes with the distinctive, elegant concave two-toned arc swept from the sides; custom Oldsmobiles with clear-panel hoods; Chevelle Super Sports with paint jobs that made them look even faster. I hosted a Periscope broadcast from this section as I drooled over them all.

On media day, I started with press conferences from several auto brands, beginning with the Chrysler Pacifica. I’m not a minivan person, but this one is pretty fantastic. They gave all of us a road game to play that included cards describing various features; a brilliant marketing tool. My favorite press conference, however, was the Alfa Romeo; the Italian carmakers had two gorgeous vehicles on display, one a fast yellow Spyder.

Alfa Romeo Spyder

The experts I spent the most time speaking with was the Maserati team. A friend of mine has a sleek black Quattroporte, and while I have longed for one of my own, I thought it was out of my price range. I was happily surprised to discover that the new Maserati Ghibli is closer to the price of a Lexus SUV or even a higher-range truck, and they are offering some very attractive lease options lately. Now, I have a photo of a Maserati on my bulletin board in my office for inspiration, but it’s a Granturismo, which starts at $130K+. It is a V8…  So much to love about that trident logo. Check out their site for more. I'm hoping for a full, comprehensive review later this year. 

I'm in love with a Maserati. Is that a song?

And then I got to drive.

Driving experience

The first car I tested was the Lexus RX Hybrid. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it, because I have not typically been attracted to the crossovers. The RX delivers 308 horsepower, pairing a V6 with the Lexus Hybrid Drive, and it’s everything you would expect from a Lexus: smooth, stylish, and elegant.

Next I took back-to-back rides in the new BMW i3 with Kim Orlando of Traveling Moms and Heidi Gollub of Free Fun in Austin driving. The carriage doors are fun, and certainly make it easier to get in and out of the small back seat. The BMW i3 has an all-electric engine, and the company claims it gets up to 81 miles per charge while the BMW i3 with Range Extender gets up to 150 miles in total range (depending on conditions, of course). Also attractive to the buyer may be the promise of up to $7,500 in tax credits; since the i3starts at $42,200, that credit could be much needed. I felt the i3 was zippy but small, and as a driver, getting used to the sudden braking when pulling my foot off the gas pedal would take some getting used to.

I waited eagerly for my turn to try out the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. When I got behind the wheel, I was impressed by the soft leather and large, racecar-style paddle shifters. Sadly, the route was a few short city blocks and I didn’t get to test if it could really go from 1-60 in 5.4 seconds. Next time. This Cayenne starts at $77,200 and the two advantages it has over the Tesla are the aforementioned paddle shifters, which are fun, and the fuel engine for longer road trips.  

Lastly, the Honda CRX hybrid. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed this car: it's a two-seater, and it reminds me of my high school years. To be honest, I didn't even know Honda still made the CRX. This one is a major improvement over the CRXs from the 80s: this one has an electric drivetrain. You could actually take this on a trip and go for 500 miles without refilling the tank, if you wanted to. Starting at a little over $22,000, this would be a perfect car for someone just starting their adult working life. 

Arrivederci, Houston

Overall, this was a fun show and I learned a great deal about the cars and the people behind them. Next year, I’m bringing the whole family – at $12 a ticket, that’s great entertainment.

Oh - and be sure to stop at a Buc-ees along the way. Endless entertainment. 

Photo taken by Alice Chase

Are you following me on Instagram? Find me at @Firewheelcommunications. 

Disclosure: I was invited as a guest of GMC and She Buys Cars. I was compensated to attend and share my experiences with you; however, all opinions are mine.