Went to the Cleveland Auto Show yesterday to see the next Corvette ...

[zbdent]

As I told a friend, it's like internet dating. You can look at pictures and think "Hey, that looks great." And when you see it in person, it's a disappointment.

So I had been waiting for this since they announced that the new corvette would be unveiled at the 2013 Detroit Auto show.

I was excited.

I get there ... the big "showcase" was for the "Hot Wheels" version of the newer Camaro. I asked if I had come the wrong day, that maybe the new Corvette was going to be there later in the week?

The rep said that it was unlikely ... they were going to unveil the convertible version in Geneva, so the 'vette was probably on its way there (after Chicago closed Monday last).

So, if you're going to the Cleveland Auto Show mainly to see the new Corvette (unlikely) ... don't bother. If you want to see more, feel free. But the 'vette ain't there. Got a $122K ZR1 on display, though.

I am going to write a letter to Chevrolet expressing my disappointment. Not a nasty one.

[rightsideout]

1. That's a bummer

I was talking to one of the model girls at the Cadillac display at the Washington DC Auto Show. I was surprised she actually struck up a conversation with me. I was looking for the new Cadillac version of the "Volt." She told me it was taken out of the show and sent to Chicago.

She was telling me the biggest auto show in the US is Chicago. I thought it was Detroit but she said Chicago was the biggest. All the high visible cars show up there. She was saying Chicago is considered an "A" show, whereas places like DC and Cleveland are "B" shows. She preferred the "B" shows because it's not a mad house like Chicago is.

It appears they pull high visible cars out of one show to put them in another show quite often. If you want to see those you have to get there during the first days.

Our electric car club was at the DC Auto Show and I brought our electric dragster. When I told my wife I was looking for the Cadillac version of the Volt but it had left she said, "They wouldn't let you take your car out of the middle of the show like that." I guess we don't pay the big bucks.

But it's interesting learning all the behind the scenes stuff. Apparently they move those really cool cars around quite a bit.

I did see the Hot Wheels Camaro. Was it the blue one? I didn't really take a good look at it.

The car that caught me by surprise at the show was the Dodge Dart. It was less expensive and cooler than I thought it would be.

I didn't see the new Corvette when I was in the Chevy area. It may have been there earlier and taken away with the Cadillac Hybrid.

I spent most of the time manning our display and didn't take a look around till later in the week. Next time I'll be sure to take the grand tour before the show officially opens.

[TheManInTheMac]

2. Sorry to hear that.

Still, you probably got to see some cool stuff

[zbdent]

3. mainly in the classics area ...