This week, the 2025 New York International Auto Show is underway, and surprisingly, quite a few automakers are putting in a good effort, just like the old days. Unfortunately, the crowd, that’s you, may not be onboard with everything.
Publisher Matt Hardigree and NASCAR driver Parker Kligerman became trapped in a Fiat Topolino for 20 minutes. Now, I have no idea how these guys managed that, but for a moment there I bet Thomas was probably dreaming of a surprise promotion thanks to an unexpected job opening. Okay, I’m only joking, but so were our hilarious readers. Ron Gartner:
“Day 2 of my Topolino Terror. Oxygen levels have remained steady, I managed to get some sleep under the bright lights of the Javits Center. I’ve seen little signs of life here in the Fiat area, only a lost intern with a polo and too tight of pants running around looking for their boss. I’m surviving with a small diet of Italian vegan leather and condensation off the glass. I pray I am found soon, as I fear I will fill this Italian Ami with my own waste before the end of the show”
Bags:
*tries bite of vegan leather*
*asphyxiation sets in from soy allergy*“he died doing what he loved”
Ash78:
This could have been a nice little Abbot & Costello bit with the involvement of Fiat staffers.
“How do you do, Parker?”
“You park her like normal car, no problem!”
“Yes, problem, we need to free Matt.”
“Mats cost extra.”
“Should we call Hundal?”
“No call handle, pull strap.”
Meanwhile, Subaru announced the 2026 Outback and, well, the crowd goes mild! Duke of Earl Scheib (adore the screen name):
Look how they massacred my boy.
Mechjaz:
Dear Subaru,
Thanks for reminding us that not all disasters are political in nature. Bad things can come from many places!
Yours,
The United States
Alright, okay, so Subaru struck out on its first at bat, maybe it’ll have better luck the next time it steps back up to the plate with the Trailseeker! Oh dear. The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years:
I had no expectations and I’m still let down.
Yesterday, Jason wrote a Cold Start about the weird Brazilian counterpart to that one famous Dustin Hoffman commercial. I love how Ash78 gets a second nomination for a reference to the Graduate:
“You know what the future is for Volkswagen? Plastics. The kind that disintegrate with no human interference. The kind that hold all of your panels in place, but break if you bump them. Those plastics.”
–The Postgraduate
Canopysaurus also had a funny one:
I’m a little surprised that the Brazilian version didn’t have the actor waxing the car.
Have a great evening, everyone!
(Topshot: Subaru)
I want to meet Canopysaurus IRL. A) you have called him out on so many COTD’s; and B) I often also find his comments hilarious. I wish that I was that funny. I am trying to find many more people like this in my life.
The Autopian should seriously be thinking about a convention where we can all meet up.
AND, The Autopian should figure out how to make the spelling check not flag, and underscore in wavy red, when we type the name of your website!
Matt. Or Peter. Or whomever… get on that! I’m guessing that’s not Jason’s job. But he’s hilarious too!
Having met several writers whose works are absolutely hysterical:
Meeting the writer is seldom as much fun – and frequently quite dull.
So you’re probably funnier than you think.
Ah yes. That could fit into the “never meet your heroes” scheme of things. I have some real-life experiences along those lines. And conversely, met some “enemies” who were quite nice and charming.
Urb (can I call you Urb?). “These people are probably dull” is not a nice thing to say about the creators or visitors of this site.
I always think of things to add from discussions a couple days ago. Like the talk of VW losing its’ Germanness and becoming a commodity brand.
One of the biggest Army-brat “tells” is the inability or unwillingness to Anglicize German loanwords and trademarks. I’ve noticed this in videos of DT – he’s been in the auto industry long enough to say “bee-em-dubya” but I’m sure he’ll throw out “AH-dee-DAHS” instead of “a-DEE-diss”.
And I can imagine a classic Beetle or a Golf GTI is a “Folksvog’n” but an Atlas can’t be anything but a “Vokeswaagon”.
Honest question: Can one do a wrap on the plastic cladding of an automobile? How difficult would it be?
Saran, Aluminum or Gift?
I vote Gift.
Jay-Z could rap it!
♪ ” I’ll be all ova you like the cladding on a Su-baru!! ” ♬
Bishop seems to think so with his article suggesting the use of a Cricut or similar vinyl cutter to wrap parts of the bZ4x.
Yesterday was a pretty epic commenting day all around, and I’m not speaking for myself. I LOL’d more yesterday than at any time since I started lurking here.
Good job, everyone!
Agree. Lots of good comments on plenty of good articles, and there were bound to be lots a great ones in the new Outback article, which had a few pages worth in what seemed like the first hour. That Outback reveal article had to break some records for the site.
I nominated both of these!
My first COTD, thanks Mercedes!
I’m not counting mine as a full COTD – it just piggybacked off of yours. I aspire to the main-comment greatness you’ve achieved. Congrats.
“And the crowd goes mild.”
“Yay.”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q3jQ7-gZQ1Q
Boy I tell you hwat
I humbly submit my comment from yesterday as the COTD, as it is the most liked comment from yesterday’s Morning Dump by more than double as many likes any other comment except for the reply affirming my comment, which has just over half as many likes, with the reply reaffirming my comment being the second most liked comment.
In response to this question posed by the author
I said
The people want to know, so please add a sentence to future articles on new BEVs telling us whether or not they have mechanical door handles.
Seconded
The conspiracy reigns. Not even the Autopian is allowed to report on door handles for BEVs.
Big Solenoid has their hands in everyone’s pockets. Their influence is far-reaching.
Only one man can stop them, with a trade war being his weapon. The only catch is that he doesn’t know what a solenoid is and probably doesn’t care.
COTD can be a funny old bird sometimes.
I still remember one, I think it was on David’s timing belt article, where I turned myself to 10/10 and got heaps of praise, but COTD was some puns or something.
Of course, there’s the possibility (you/me/royal) we aren’t as clever as we think, but that’s where the upvotes are a handy metric – the community approves, too.
I sometimes try to give the noms to different people and some different comments so it’s not just you, Sid Bridge, V10, and Canopysaurus winning all of the time. 🙂
Oh yoouuuu, staaaaahp
I had one that got a ton of upvotes and was advocated for when the COTD went with another comment, but it was for a political joke. I understand why the staff would choose not to highlight it. The support was much appreciated though.
I do love the political humor around here! The last time I nominated a real political joke, it got zapped before publishing. I’ll still give you a happy face, though! 🙂
I think you’re onto something there. I will post a comment I think is funny, witty or particularly insightful and it gets no respect. Maybe I should change my handle to HotRodney Dangerfield and embrace the failure.
Either way, I don’t base my self-esteem on getting the much-coveted COTD call out.
As an ill-tempered teacher’s pet, I have a complicated relationship with COTD.
Note to self: If you get trapped in any car at NYIAS, it should be the Outback Wilderness. That way at least you won’t have to look at the outside of it. Under no circumstances should you close the door of any other car on the Subaru stand or within line of sight of it.
I always back my cars into their parking spots at home.
Except for my Subaru Forester. I park that one nose-in so I don’t have to see its ugly face through my kitchen window.
Subaru: Bear Repellent is Standard.