Detroit blends muscle with magic
Auto show previews new mouth-watering models plus crystal-ball glimpses of vehicles to come
DETROIT, MICH. — The North American International Auto Show got off to a roaring start on day one of the media preview Jan. 14. Within the first hour, there was plenty of North American muscle on display thanks to Jeep and Chevrolet.
While Jeep got the show rolling with three new products – the Patriot, Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SRT – it was another of the Big Three that stole the show early on.
While a lucky few got to see it on Sunday night, it was a crowd dozens deep that gathered around the General Motors booth as the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray made its grand entrance into the Cobo Center.
Even hours later, journalists and invited guests swarmed the new Corvette, which was surrounded by other generations of the venerable American muscle car.
President of GM North America, Mark Reuss helped unveil the seventh generation Corvette, which has a 6.2-litre V8 producing 450 horsepower and an equal amount of torque. Sure sounds like this Corvette will be a treat to drive, and Reuss said that engineers were able to establish a perfect 50/50 weight distribution to enhance the drive.
Introduced almost exactly 60 years after the first Corvette, the new Stingray has a lot of history behind it, but also a new path to blaze on its own.
Mercedes-Benz rolled out its new E Class of vehicles. But a model that could be more interesting for the German brand was the all-new CLA. This car, a four-door compact sedan, is meant to slot in between the B Class and C Class in Canada, but will become the new entrylevel vehicle in the U.S. market.
Sharing the same engine as the B Class — that is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and its 208 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque — the CLA is set to go on sale later this year, likely around September.
Infiniti, which has been under the microscope since announcing a change in nomenclature, unveiled the first of its new Q models, the Q50. That unveiling was preceded by a performance put on by Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil.
Another brand at the show with a Montreal connection was BMW, whose head of design, Karim Habib, grew up in the city.
Now in charge of BMW’s portfolio, Habib has been spearheading an evolution of the brand that is evidenced by the 4 Series Coupe on the showroom floor.
In an interview with The Gazette, Habib said that the 4 Series opens up a new segment for BMW, while adding that it remains an important model for the German brand.
But while he was proud of the 4 Series, the car Habib wished he had parked in his driveway – or better yet out on the road – is the M6 Gran Coupe, which was unveiled in Detroit.
For Habib, the M6 represents “BMW values to the max.”
Also in the BMW family, MINI got in on the action by showing off the John Cooper Works version of the Paceman.
The other Big Three Detroit automaker, Ford, unveiled a Lincoln MKC Concept. The company says the concept gives a glimpse into the brand’s future path into the small luxury utility segment, a fast-growing area that Lincoln hopes to capitalize on for continued growth.
A few other concepts got plenty of attention from the close to 6,000 international media members in attendance.
First up was a Honda Urban SUV concept, which is a glimpse into the future for the Japanese brand as it is said to be the basis for a small and efficient SUV.
Honda said the small SUV based on this concept is expected to arrive in 2014 using the Earth Dreams technology and will slot in under the CR-V. It will also borrow some elements from the Fit, including the Magic Seat for a range of seating and cargo capabilities with the rear bench.
Not to be left out, Toyota took the wraps off the Corolla Furia concept. It was hard to miss in striking orange paint, and it could be a sign of things to come for the next generation Corolla.
“The Corolla Furia Concept is an early indicator of where our compact car design may lead in the future,” said Bill Fay, group vice-president and general manager of the Toyota Division said in a statement.
“It blends a heightened emphasis on dramatic design and modern elements of high technology to generate curb appeal that will surprise a lot of people.”