Tis the season for California’s largest international auto show, L.A. that is.  Now that Club Sportiva has a permanent clubhouse in the sunny city our reporting feels especially appropriate in 2012.  The feeling in L.A. this time of year is even more automotive than it normally is in this city of cars.  The thought of the world’s top automotive execs and even more unapproachable concept and debut cars in the same close vicinity is always an exciting notion for enthusiasts.  The L.A. International Auto Show happens every year, though, so what makes 2012 so special?  Well, let’s take a look at the history of this globally important show and what 2012 is serving up to consumers and enthusiasts alike.

Being the spread out city that it is, Los Angeles has always been a haven for the automobile.  That being said, the L.A. Auto Show began in 1907 with 99 vehicles on display.  As the industry and the show grew together it changed many venues; it is now held at the L.A. Convention Center.  Interestingly enough, the 1929 show suffered from an exposed electrical circuit that burned down the show and cost upwards of $1 million in damage!  The similarities to the fate of the U.S. economy at the time are hard to ignore.  As modern times approached, the L.A. Auto Show continued to grow in significance among global automotive showcases, with more and more world and North American debuts under its sleeve.  In 2008, the show had a record number of debuts with 23 world debuts and 15 North American debuts.  This year, the L.A. Auto Show hosts a bevy of exciting new Exotic Cars, so let’s take a look at a few of the featured exhibits.

Jaguar XFR-S

A highly anticipated L.A. debut is Jaguar’s fastest-ever 4-door sedan, the 2014 XFR-S.  The long and short on this car is simple: Take a Jaguar XF, stiffen its chassis by a whopping 30 percent, drop in the XKR-S’s 550hp supercharged V8, stiffen up those spring and dampers, open up the exhaust as much as possible, throw on a spoiler and you’re good to go.  Of course there is much more to it than that, but those mentioned features, along with a healthy 502 lb. ft. of torque, are good for a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds.  The cherry on top of it all?  Fuel saving tricks like a start-stop system exempt this cat from the gas-guzzler tax.

Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series

When a brand like Mercedes says it’s going to take its halo supercar and make it even more aggressive, eyes and ears turn that direction.  This year L.A. plays host to this car’s debut, the SLS AMG Black Series.  The displayed car is anything but black, employing rather a beautiful yellow hue packed pull of carbon fiber accents and goodies.  One of the most striking attributes of the car is its rather subdued nature; a feat that most embrace.  In addition, the amount of carbon fiber employed in the SLS AMG Black Series is serious, rivaling cars like the Koenigsegg Agera in use of carbon fiber; the Black Series is 154 pounds lighter than the normal SLS AMG.  Don’t forget, this car is one hell of a beast, churning out 622 hp good for 3.5 seconds to 60 and nearly 200 mph.  Woohoo!

Audi TDI Lineup

We all know that fuel-saving technologies have come a long way in the past few years.  One such technology is that of diesel.  Among luxury brands, Audi is arguably the most forward-thinking and productive, a notion that shown to be true at the 2012 L.A. Auto Show.  It was not so much a debut of brand new technology, but rather the intention to produce diesel variations across nearly its whole lineup that has enthusiasts astir.  In L.A. Audi brings to the stage 4 renditions of its 240hp, 406 lb. ft. torque 3.0 liter TDI engine in the A6, A7, A8, and Q5; the only current offering is the Q7.

– Evan W.