Seattle Auto Show

I went to the Seattle Auto Show with Austin on Wednesday. He had the day off, and I took the day off. Since it was the first day of the show (and mid-week) it wasn't too crowded - which was quite nice. This is the 3rd time I have gone to the show with Austin.
	Austin checking out a BMW Z4.
	I tried out a VW new-Beetle cabriolet.
Austin and Alan are car enthusiasts. Austin showed interest in the high performance cars first. Then Alan turned on to them. After some time, Austin realized that his professional interests lay strongly in the area of people interaction. So cars became an avocation for Austin. Alan, however, pursued the technical skills route to make cars his vocation. He has started an engineering degree at Clarkson University. In addition, before he left for university, he was always sketching car shape concepts. So the Auto Show was a good event for me to do with my boys.
By the third time you have done something, you can say that you have started a tradition. Alan was with Austin and I last year on our traditional show trip.
	Austin & Alan in a car at last year's show.
Unfortunately Alan is on the other side of the continent right now. But he said he was going to try to make it to the New York Auto Show.
A show like this is difficult because after seeing so many cars, it is easy to get overwhelmed. They all run together and it is hard to remember any specific details. A few things I did find interesting: At this show you are allowed to sit in almost all the cars. There were more electric cars this year. There were three separate exhibitors. More Porsches were unlocked this year than last. Interior fit and finish of the American cars were lower quality than foreign cars. (sad) The really small cars (like we saw in Japan in 2005) are showing up here. But they are putting bigger motors in them. It is interesting how much variation there is in characteristics of price, size, quality, fuel economy and engine power. It was a decent show and Austin & I had a good time together.