The Arad Auto Expo was a real hit with visitors, and a success for vendors as well. The expo was focused mainly on cars, with the usual manufacturers on hand to show their vehicles--VW, BMW, Mercedes, Ford, Opel, Seat, Renault, Toyota, Nissan. The show also included a couple of motorcycle stands, namely BMW and Yamaha.

The atmosphere was great, highlighted by the presence of a 150,000-Euro Aston Martin and an almost equally expensive Maseratti, both swarmed by throngs of fans and expo models. From the offerings, it is clear that with the price of gas at $5 per gallon, and with diesel fuel cheaper, Europeans in general, and Romanians in particular, greatly favor diesel-powered vehicles. Consequently, all manufacturers provide a host of diesel motors in most of their classes. It was surprising to see BMWs (even the 5 and 7 series) powered by diesels, not to mention the VWs, Opels and others. The technology has come a long way from the 1980s smoky, loud motors that the US market shunned. These new motors are quieter, smoother and considerably more powerful. When it comes to choices, more is better... - BGR