SHOW CARS SET FANS' HEARTS RACING.

Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh Staff Writer

Whether you're sporty or preppy, addicted to speed or passionate about side air bags, a big spender or a penny pincher, there is a car to fall in love with at the annual Greater Los Angeles Auto Show.

On Saturday, hundreds of aficionados slowly circled SUVs, slid onto soft leather bucket seats and lovingly caressed glossy fenders - quickly followed by a detailer with a cloth and duster.

``The shape, the design, it catches the eye,'' said Nahum Escobedo, 26, of La Puente, admiring the fire-engine red Ferrari Challenge Stradale.

A student at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Escobedo hopes to design sports cars like the the Ferrari. Until then, he can only dream of driving the roughly $180,000 vehicle.

``After you see some of these cars you go home thinking, how can I make more money to buy one of these?'' Escobedo said.

Many a self-described dreamer goes to the auto show, armed with a camera and the occasional notepad. Without fail, the hall showing Lamborghini, Bentley and Maserati vehicles is the most crowded.

But there are shoppers, even in the luxury end. Jerry Lomonaco, business development manager with Panoz, said he had four serious lookers so far who spent between 45 minutes and two hours examining the new Esperante. The sports car runs from $88,000 to $125,000.

``Overpriced toys,'' chuckled Fred Hoffman, 63, leaving the Panoz display. While the Studio City architect and fellow architect Jan Dorbritz, 59, of Topanga said they were in the market for new cars, they would not likely drop that kind of money in the sports car section of the auto show.

``In the end, we'll probably go over to the more pedestrian side,'' Dorbritz said.

And there were plenty of lookers among the economy cars. Husband- and-wife teams studied Honda Civics and families piled into Ford Explorers.

``We're looking for something that will hold the whole family, all five of us,'' said Michael Sierchio, 45, who traveled from Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday to do some serious minivan shopping with his son, Mikey Sjoholm-Sierchio, 13.

``When you want to buy a car, this is the place because everything is right here,'' Sierchio said. ``You leave the girls at home and come here.''

The auto show continues through Jan. 11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Admission is $10 per adult.

Kerry Cavanaugh, [phone]

kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com

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4 photos

Photo:

(1) Visitors stop to give the once-over to the new Ford Escape, an SUV, at the convention center Saturday.

(2 -- 3) Above, a throng stares at the glossy Ferrari Challenge Stradale at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show on Saturday. At left, a few car lovers get a more up-close view - of a Dodge turbo engine.

(4) Jasmine Perez, 4, hangs out in one of the car-like strollers used at the show.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer