Upon attending this year’s L.A. Auto Show, I walked away somewhat disappointed. Perhaps it’s because I’m a grizzled veteran of automotive journalism of close to a decade. I have the receded hairline and pudgy middle to prove it. This year’s show was hyped like never before. The new date which moved it back so it no longer overlapped with the Detroit show promised all sorts of unique debuts, and finally the West Coast receiving its due respect as the center of automotive culture.

Upon attending this year’s L.A. Auto Show, I walked away somewhat disappointed. Perhaps it’s because I’m a grizzled veteran of automotive journalism of close to a decade. I have the receded hairline and pudgy middle to prove it. This year’s show was hyped like never before. The new date which moved it back so it no longer overlapped with the Detroit show promised all sorts of unique debuts, and finally the West Coast receiving its due respect as the center of automotive culture.

Well, maybe the OEMs just couldn’t get their stuff together in time, or they consciously decided to hold off until the “Really Big Show” in the frigid upper Midwest. But the only major production debuts of any significance (at least in my mind) were the Nissan Sentra SE-R and Altima Coupe, and the Mercedes-Benz Bluetec diesels. Which ironically enough, still aren’t available in California, and won’t be for about a year. Yes, we got a tease of the new VW Tiguan, but it was still shown in “concept” form, the production version ostensibly debuting later. Yes, yes, there were plenty of cool-looking concept cars, such as the Mazda Nagare. But for me, unless something looks remotely production-ready, I just don’t get that excited about it.

Conspicuously absent was the ’07 Mini. This vehicle received significant updates in the form of all-new, state-of-the-art Valvetronic engines and an optional direct-injected turbo. The only vehicles on display were leftover ‘06s. The Mini is practically the official car of West L.A., and the best the BMW offshoot could do was to trot out a few lot-sitters for one of its biggest markets in the U.S.?

Perhaps I should withhold judgment on the “new” L.A. show until ’07, but this year’s was no better than years’ past, regardless of whether or not it’s still standing in Detroit’s shadow.

–Edward A. Sanchez