Opinion

L.A. Auto Show: 5 cars I’d sell my wife and kids for

This is the car for those who want Porsche performance and Prius technology. OK, that's not exactly it: There is nothing Prius-like about this car except that it too has hybrid technology. Apparently, Porsche figured that building a car with 608 bhp that can go from 0 to 60 in the blink of two eyes was just too easy, so it had to add in some electric motors and such. Too bad James Dean isn't around to try out this beast. Then again, Patrick Dempsey is.

This is the car for those who want Porsche performance and Prius technology. OK, that’s not exactly it: There is nothing Prius-like about this car except that it too has hybrid technology. Apparently, Porsche figured that building a car with 608 bhp that can go from 0 to 60 in the blink of two eyes was just too easy, so it had to add in some electric motors and such. Too bad James Dean isn’t around to try out this beast. Then again, Patrick Dempsey is.   (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)

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For a car lover, an auto show such as Los Angeles’, which opened to the public Nov. 22, is like Christmas and your birthday and your anniversary (if you have that kind of spouse) rolled into one. That’s especially true for those of us in the media, because we’re given access to the cars during special press days. That means we are allowed to get up close and personal with cars that are roped off when the general public is let in. It’s one (or two) glorious days to dream, to imagine what it must be like to be Nicholas Cage or Kobe Bryant or Jay Leno – or the latest Powerball winner.
Short of winning the lottery, though, what’s a poor working stiff to do? Well, I suppose you could get creative. So here are five cars featured at the L.A. Auto Show that, cretin that I am, I’d sell my wife and kids for.

Oh, and never mind about prices; if you have to ask, you certainly can’t afford it.-- Paul Whitefield

Follow Paul Whitefield on Twitter @PaulWhitefield1 and Google +

Range Rover Autobiography Black

True, it has an unfortunate mouthful for a name. Especially given the fact that, of the 100 to be made available in the U.S. market, the first 25 will be painted only Valloire white. Imagine the fun Abbott and Costello would’ve had: “This is my new Range Rover Autobiography Black.” “The white one?” “Yes; it’s my Black.” “What’s Black?” Also, it’s British, and expensive, which is never a good combination. But it was the most comfortable vehicle at the show. Trust me. And yes, I was embarrassed when they asked me after a while to please let someone else have a turn.   (Bob Riha Jr. / EPA)

Bentley GTCV8

A British car with a California soul. Across the pond, they’re the car of choice of footballers (that’s Manchester United guys, not Dallas Cowboys). But you know that British weather: When could you ever drop the top and revel in the smell of soft leather baking in the sun? No, this one has PCH and the ‘Bu written all over it. Of course, I know what you’re thinking: Here in SoCal, we’re environmentally conscious. Well, did you know this 500 bhp beast will go 500 miles on a tank of gas? Neither did I -- nor, to be honest, do I care.  (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)

Mercedes SLS AMG Final Edition

These too have been on sale for a while, but 2014 is the end of the line, and Mercedes will build just 350 of these to sell worldwide. That means you’ll be competing with every Arab oil tycoon, Chinese capitalist/communist factory owner and newly minted Twitter multimillionaire for one. Also, this year I didn’t get to sit in it. Why? Because Mercedes put it up on a pedestal, like the pope, and I couldn’t work up the nerve. Plus, there were guards standing there. Achtung! Don’t touch! But I’ve always been a sucker for a car that plays hard to get.  (David McNew / Getty Images)

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