Auto Expo (anyone Visit Yet

[jimmym40]

If anyone has gone already, do you know if the new Altis is displayed? When will be available?

OR, if someone plans to go, can they check for me.

Thanks so much...

P.S. I live in CM, might make the trip down.

[jimmym40]

Wow, no replies yet. I thought for sure some expats would go - if not just to look at the pretty girls.

Please, anyone that's gone, give a report.

Also, where can you get tickets? How much cost or are they free? Oh, do you even need tickets to get in?

Thanks.

[asiaworld]

wait for the next expo.. next year ....PSSST industrial secret..

[raybkk]

I found this Link that relates to the motorshow....

http://www.aromdee.net/view/view_forward.p...2777&tb=pic

Very interesting cars!

[jimmym40]

Thanks Ray for the photo link.

Just trying to keep this thread at the top of the list. Would really like to know any feedback from anyone that has gone to the expo.

Happy motoring...

[Tywais]

Moved to the Motoring Forum but leaving a link in General.

[ThaiHotels]

If anyone has gone already, do you know if the new Altis is displayed? When will be available?

OR, if someone plans to go, can they check for me.

Thanks so much...

P.S. I live in CM, might make the trip down.

Yes they have a new Altis there on display. Although you cannot buy it and will be officially released next year.

[Plus]

New Altis is on display but no specs and you can't peak inside.

Unlike Civic it's very evolutionary in terms of design, at a first glance they have changed only the lights, and not for the better, imo.

New Accord is there, too. In many ways it looks like Camry's replica but more aggressive.

Camry still draws crowds, btw. People also flock to Captiva and CRV but ignore Sonata.

Chevrolet has indeed dropped it's two-tiered headlamps and joined the rank of totally indistinguishable, generic trucks.

Nissan has crowds, too, with its new Teana, and people seem to rediscover Tiida.

Proton has attracted some quirious onlookers, and so is Subaru. New Impreza looks quite nice (hutchback) but prices still bite.

[jimmym40]

Thanks Plus for the report. That's surprising to hear that the Altis is on display, but cannot get any information about it. Did you try? Wonder if you can get your name on a list if you intend to purchase?

The auto show kicked off here in Chiang Mai on the 1st, but it's a total joke. Just only about six or seven dealerships are represented and looks as though they just brought in their dealer show room cars. No new Camry, no Sonatas, no Altis, nothing.

I think I'll come down to Bangkok and see a real show.

[Moonfruit]

I wil post a full report tomorrow after my visit.

[jimmym40]

Looking forward to your report Moonfruit.

BTW, is entrance free? Do you need tix? Cost? Where can I obtain.

Thanks.

[Plus]

That's surprising to hear that the Altis is on display, but cannot get any information about it.

No, that's a usual practice here. They put these cars on a special rotating podium and you can't come close. They did this with Ford Focus, for example. What was different about Altis is that it doesn't have a black window film and you can see the insides. If you find a really high spot you can have a very clear look at it.

When they "introduced" Navarra they put it inside a fog glass box so you could only guess the general outlines.

Bangkok Post suggests Altis will carry the same engines - 1.6 and 1.8, possibly slightly tweaked but it's not guaranteed with Toyota.

[chanchao]

Altis comes first quarter 2008 I believe.

From the first looks of it, styling is yet another yawn-inducing fuc_k-up, but I'm sure Bangkok taxi drivers will flock to it like dung beetles to a steaming heap.

Unlike Civic it's very evolutionary in terms of design, at a first glance they have changed only the lights, and not for the better, imo.

Oops, right, that's what it's called in the car biz when someone draws up a steaming heap of poo: "Evolutionary".

Chevrolet has indeed dropped it's two-tiered headlamps and joined the rank of totally indistinguishable, generic trucks.

It always was about as generic as you could possibly get.. I mean they took the truck that was Thailand's top selling, most common truck and changed the light units & front grille. And that made it something other than a generic Isuzu clone? But then many people are easy to please I guess.

No complaints though cause at least Chevrolet copied something solid; if you're going to re-badhe something then indeed you'd pick a solid vehicle like the Isuzu truck.. For the cars though they took a bunch of daewoos... and sold them at damned near Honda & Toyota prices.. woo woo.. whoa .. ermm. burp. pAss.

Nissan has crowds, too, with its new Teana, and people seem to rediscover Tiida.

Ah.. Did Nissan finally realize that it really wasn't possible to sell it at Corolla-segment price levels? If it costs less than a City/Vios then I'd indeed go (re)discover it.

Proton has attracted some quirious onlookers, and so is Subaru. New Impreza looks quite nice (hutchback) but prices still bite.

Yes, but... less than before! Considering this is not a locally produced vehicle, it's actually nothing short of amazing. And the WRX model is the fastest bang for your baht out there I'll bet. (Not that speed is very useful on Thailand's roads, but hey)

[Plus]

I don't think Altis is going to be a pile of poo poo no matter what it looks like. It's Toyota's global best selling model, after all.

When it first came out it was as revolutionary as new Civic while Civics of those days lookes like an old City, just bigger.

Now Toyota just continues the theme - Vios, Altis and Camry have a lot in common, they look like Toyotas, for good or for bad. I don't know if it matters at all but Civic and Accord don't look like they share a brand.

>>>

Two tiered headlights made Colorado stand out clearly, it was unique, now it falls back to generics.

[North]

That's surprising to hear that the Altis is on display, but cannot get any information about it.

No, that's a usual practice here. They put these cars on a special rotating podium and you can't come close. They did this with Ford Focus, for example. What was different about Altis is that it doesn't have a black window film and you can see the insides. If you find a really high spot you can have a very clear look at it.

When they "introduced" Navarra they put it inside a fog glass box so you could only guess the general outlines.

Bangkok Post suggests Altis will carry the same engines - 1.6 and 1.8, possibly slightly tweaked but it's not guaranteed with Toyota.

Are you talking about the new Ford Focus with a diesel engine ?

Did you have a look at that one ?

North

[culicine]

Are you talking about the new Ford Focus with a diesel engine ?

Did you have a look at that one ?

North

The ford focus diesel is there. I saw inside it, but didn' bother trying to open the door. It's on general display with the other cars, so maybe the salesman will let you sit in it. It looks pretty good in black. Got a 6 speed so should be pretty nippy around town. it's a car i'd definately consider if I didn' already have a near new car myself. The ford thailand website also has a photo of it.

[Plus]

I was talking about the original Focus, two years ago at Bitec. They had only display version with futuristic LED head and rear lights, which we didn't get, of course.

[undercover]

Has this show finished yet ? I can't find any dates or any info on it ?

[Moonfruit]

Well, heres my full report after my visit today. ...................................... There it is!

No, to be honest its a Thai motor expo so i was done after two hours. Theres not a great deal to see, but its worth a trip anyway.

The new Altis looks ok, not too dramatic a change, but certainly more pleasing. Unfortunately the same cannot be said in my eyes at least of the new Accord. Its visually at least a step back from the previous model. As i bought a new Camry a couple weeks ago i was pleased to see that the kids are starting to modify them and the stereo boys like them. Thats good for resale and also good from the point of view that head to head, the Camry is now way more desireable than the Accord.

Alas, Subaru made the WRX into a glorified shopping trolley with the hatchback move, but it is still quite nice.

As a show, its amazing to see that at least half of the Challenger is made up of this and that. Surely it should be about the cars, but its really not supported very well by the importers/manufacturers. We arrived there early so i could get some good shots of the Veyron before the crowds arrived, but it is sad that the Mercedes stand is occupied by various models of Vito camper vans, and the only decent mercs on display were those on the SEC stand. BMW are only represented by their used car department!

Add to that the girls werent as friendly as in recent years, and they are usually quite friendly to the guys who show up with big black DSLR cameras (Im a semi-pro photog, read into semi pro that im not good enough to make a living from photography alone!)then it was a worthwhile day out, but nothing to write home about.

I do wish we could have the NEC experience from back home in the UK where it takes an entire day of getting around the show and then you ahve still missed some!

Edited December 3, 2007 by Moonfruit

[Plus]

There has been a fallout between BMW and Benz and the show organisers about two years ago. If you search Thai news archives on the Nation site you can probably find something about the reason, Kwanchai guy, the man behind the show, gives lots of interviews.

The word "fair" would be more fair to describe the event. People go there to buy cars, get special discounts and ogle the girls.

[logpoacher]

For anyone planning to go, the discount vouchers in the Nation and the Bangkok Post reduce the price from THB80 to THB40, but in the December UBC magazine there's a coupon to get in free on the bottom of page 92!

[Plus]

Ask your Thai friens, there are hundreds of thousands of free tickets out there.

[Moonfruit]

Its 80 baht!!! Who needs free tickets! It costs less than the price of a beer to enter!