Phew, after a few late nights, the auto show preview hit the streets. We went to press before some of the reveals, and lost two editorial pages to ads at the last minute, but there's still lots of fun stuff in there.
Click on headings to see
Don't Miss!
Corvette Stingray Convertible
Concepts
Posh and sporty
Diesels are catching on
Affordable open-top cars
Fiat 500 goes Large
SUVs of all sizes

BMW launched four brand-new infotainment apps at the New York Auto Show: Audible, Rhapsody, Glympse and Tune In. It's a sign of how big in-car apps already are in the US and, no doubt, will be in other markets soon. Every major manufacturer is working on them, and they were a hot topic at the Consumer Electronics Show.
   Using apps rather than building in new in-car entertainments systems has two main advantages. First, people upgrade their phones frequently to keep pace with technology - you can't update your car so easily. (Remember cars with tape decks, eight tracks? in-car record players?) Second, the apps simply allows the car to use a system offered and developed by specialist companies in the market. The car manufacturer just need to aprove the app once it's developed.
   In January, Ford announced its developer program, which will allow app developers to connect their Android and iPhone apps to Ford’s SYNC voice-activated interface. Developers can submit a Ford-compatible app for review “to ensure it works properly and is suitable for use in the vehicle.”
   In March, VW announced its social media app developed with Google, which allows users to share their road-trip through photos, videos and comments via interactive maps.
    All of BMW and Mini's new apps will be delivered through the car’s dash display and audio system, but will work just the same as if you signed up on the phone.
   We spoke to David Bloom, manager of the BMW AppCenter in California. His team works with AppCenters in Germany and Shanghai to research the best apps for the BMW and Mini brands worldwide.
   He told us “We’re not interested in tons of apps, the apps need to be the most useful, high-quality and safe.”
   BMW’s approach is that people are increasingly connected via their smartphones, and they should be able to take the same services into the car. Passengers, of course, can continue to use their phone, but the driver needs to concentrate on the road, so apps need to be accessed easily with minimal clicks.
   Audible allows you to download books and magazines to your phone, then you can listen to the spoken content on a long road trip. If you’re supposed to be somewhere, but you’re stuck in traffic, Glympse allows you to send ahead a ‘glimpse’ of exactly where you are in a few clicks. Rhapsody is a premium subscription music service. Finally Tune In is the company’s own app that works with BMW or Mini Connected Drive internet to stream music from radio stations.
   For those who love their smartphones and can’t get enough apps, this is all great news. For those who are more anxious about using them, BMW is planning a Genius program in dealerships, so they can go along and get a demonstration in a similar way to Apple stores.

   

James Bond star Daniel Craig kicked off the global launch of the all-new Range Rover Sport by driving the beast through the closed streets of Manhattan.
   His destination was an exclusive VIP reception at Skylight at Moynihan Station where guests included Simon Le Bon; Jade Jagger; Ralph Lauren model Doug Pickett and Zara Phillips.
    Speaking ahead of the official world premiere at the New York International Auto Show, Land Rover Global Brand Director John Edwards said, "The all-new Range Rover Sport is an extraordinary car and we have revealed it in an extraordinary way - live on the streets of its biggest selling market.  It turned heads and it stopped traffic in one of the most dynamic cities in the world."
   The footage of the drive will be be used for a short film called The Delivery, to be broadcast by Land Rover at www.newrangeroversport.com
    Emeli Sadie was nowhere in sight.

The latest survey from HPI indicates that women are better at buying used cars than men. Doesn't surprise me. I did a feature years ago for Auto Express talking to dealers who all said women give them a harder time than men. We're just better shoppers.
   Also, why does it surprise me that men won't take advice?

HPI is a leading car-checking agency. Click here for
their website.  The press release says that in their survey 43% of men said that they felt they didn't get a good deal compared with just 35% of women, suggesting that female motorists make better buying decisions.
   According to the HPI survey, 51% of women consult a family member or friend who knows something about cars. Unsurprisingly, men are reluctant to ask for advice with just 27% taking along a more knowledgeable companion to protect themselves from making a bad used car purchase.  In addition, confirming the motto ‘with age comes wisdom’, older used car buyers appear to be making sensible purchase decisions, with 83% of third-agers not experiencing any hidden problems after they’ve parted with their money.
   “The survey suggests that men are more difficult to please, when it comes to used car buying and that they won’t take advice. This could be why men are more likely to think they’ve been had, but it also leaves them vulnerable to fraudsters,” says Nicola Johnson, Consumer Services Manager for HPI. “In contrast, women are eager to take advice and prepare before checking out their options. This clearly helps them make measured decisions and as a result, they are happy with their purchase.”

Fiat UK's The Motherhood rap has been viewed by 66 million people worldwide, according to Fiat's Marketing Director.
   Now, of course, there's a more realistic version, the Real-Life Alternative Motherhood rap. It's not as tuneful, but it is funny. (Will it get as many parodies as Somebody That I Used to Know?)
   Fiat, meanwhile, has moved on to The Fatherhood

This Corvette C7 shooting brake by Callaway Cars is so sharp, you could cut yourself on it. And it's got a hatchback so you can load your golf clubs, fancy shotguns etc.
   If there's a positive reaction, Callaway plans to produce the conversions from the release of production coupe this fall. The AeroWagon option should cost than $15,000 and will be available through Callaway Dealers nationwide.

I've just had an email from WhipCar, the car-share company, saying it has closed. Having tried it, I'm not surprised.
   The press release says: "While so many of you saw the future of peer-to-peer car rental, we have discovered there are still barriers to widespread adoption of this new behaviour."
   It was a nice, cuddly idea. Hire your neighbour's car, give them some money to help them run it. But have you looked at your neighbour's car?
   I tried WhipCar just once. At least, I tried several times unsuccessfully to get someone to response to my hire request, I got a car just once.
    For a start the owner had moved, so he was no longer living conveniently next to a station. He had to meet me and drop me back, which added about an hour to my already long journey.
   He'd called to warn me there was some damage to the body in case I was going somewhere smart. I said I could live with that. When I arrived it had some damage on every panel and every corner.
    As he opened the door, a waft of pond water hit me. Every seat was stained, there was brown stuff on the seats, the dash, the load area - and the roof.
   At this point, I could have rejected the car as unsutable and the owner would have been fined £100. But I had to get somewhere, and I didn't want to be mean. 'I could keep the windows open' I thought.
    Then he explained that the electric windows had fallen down and the car had been soaked in the rain. Hence the stale water smell mingling with the ripe fragrance from whatever had made those stains.  "It's OK now," he said. "I've taken the fuse out, so the windows don't open."
    I pointed out that it was a bit dirty. He looked astonished and rather hurt. "But we had it cleaned." he said. "It's a bit smelly," I added. He shrugged. "We're parents, we've lost our sense of smell."
   So I drove it there and back, and got home reeking of pond. I could have written a mean review on the WhipCar website, but it's like eBay, people can write nasty things back. And he had my mobile phone number.
   So I'm sorry it didn't work, but there would need much stricter checks by the company, and the costs were way too high. Hiring this shed for two days would have cost me £60 if I hadn't had a voucher.
I'm not surprised it's gone.
Click here to read the press release.

Mercedes-Benz is advertising for drivers to try out their products. It seems to be to do with a new ad campaign. (And it seems kinda brave.)
Click here to see more

The Corvette Sting Ray is pretty gorgeous but, oh boy, there were ugly cars at Geneva.
Click here for my gallery of heroes and Homers.

I've been driving the new 500L, actually a much bigger vehicle in every dimension than the 500 supermini.
   The event was based at Legoland to emphasis the family-friendly character of this car. It also gave us a chance to play with Lego in our rooms and swords in the dining room.

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