2008 Detroit Auto Show: Day One
Detroit in the winter is typically a cold and somewhat gloomy place to visit. Snow and slush are by and large guaranteed to be part of the experience. This January day proved to be anything but characteristic, however. Instead of clouds, we enjoyed sunshine as an air of spring enveloped the city. Inside, the packed halls of Cobo were filled with the buzz of excitement.
With so much of the industry in a state of flux as we enter 2008, the North American International Auto Show offered the promise of something unpredictable. Here are some of the highlights in our day one coverage from the Motor City.
The North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards represent the unofficial start of show. The prestigious event is held prior to individual manufacturer events in the basement of Cobo Hall. Sealed envelopes were broken and the winners are as follows.
The Chevrolet Malibu has been on a roll since first entering the market in 2007. Talk is cheap they say, but the Malibu backs it up with plenty of power, good looks and a great price. The fact it is also roomy enough for a family makes the new Malibu hard to resist. Taking the title of North American Car of the Year, it was for many here in Detroit the logical choice.
Fresh from winning the 2008 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year award, the Mazda CX-9 was a popular choice with the assembled journalists. Later in the day, Ford President and CEO Allan Mulally took full credit for his company’s involvement as part owners of the Zoom-Zoom company. It never hurts to pat oneself on the back when the opportunity is presented, especially when standing on the international stage.
Home court advantage meant Ford kicked off the official festivities in the roomy confines of Cobo Arena. Fireworks flashed and boomed as the 2009 Ford F-150 made its way on stage. Celebrity Ford truck spokesman Toby Keith stepped out of a metallic red F-150 Lariat version to a rousing cheer from the audience. Boasting a 31 year reign at the top, the 2009 version offers a more luxurious look, with the brawny features required for use at the worksite.
Chrysler did what Chrysler does best during auto show season. Famous for extravagant unveilings, Dodge rustled cattle on Washington Blvd. outside Cobo Hall as their way of introducing the 2009 Dodge Ram truck. Though no shots were fired in the roundup, it is clear Dodge is serious about keeping pace with Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Nissan. With plenty of horsepower and storage space to boot, the new Ram should continue a successful run with North American truck buyers.
General Motors started the first of three automotive press events introducing the Hummer HX Concept and Saab 9-4X BioPower Concept.
It seems GM is serious about taking Hummer towards being environmentally conscious and the HX Concept highlights one direction for future vehicles. Smaller, lighter and more efficient, it features a flex-fuel V6 powertrain and all the rugged qualities we have come to expect from the brand.
Swedish automaker Saab was founded on the idea of offering aerodynamically designed vehicles with a twist. Showcased in white, the near production 9-4X BioPower Concept features a 2.0 liter, 4-cylinder BioPower turbo and can run on ethanol.
Volkswagen took the wraps off the strikingly new Passat CC set to reach North America as a 2009 model. Styled as a 4-door coupe, a current trend in automotive design, it offers a low coefficient of drag at 0.29 and an aggressive stance sure to garner attention.
Under the hood beats a 2.0 TSI engine featuring 200 horsepower and 207 lbs.-ft of torque. Transmission options will include either a six-speed manual or six-speed Tiptronic transmission. The more powerful 3.6L FSI engine features 280 horsepower and 266 lbs.-ft of torque and comes standard with the six-speed Tiptronic transmission.
Audi wasn’t pulling any punches, delivering not one but two sports cars on stage including the new TT-S. They also highlighted the North American version of their new A4 Sedan. Magnificent in red, I can only imagine it will take the luxury midsize sedan market by storm.
Sure to capture the hearts of those wanting to go fast, the Audi R8 V12 TDI Concept was the guaranteed show- stopper of the day. If drooling were allowed on stage, it would have been necessary to pass the mop. Featuring a high-performance 12-cylinder diesel engine, it generates 500 hp and 730+ lb-ft of torque. As the price of gasoline continues to skyrocket, a diesel powered supercar is the stuff dreams are made of.
Hyundai employed smoke but no mirrors to unveil what they hope will be their next triumph in the market. Appealing to the small, but significant market of buyers looking to live large but spend less, the new Hyundai Genesis sedan is set to bow in showrooms later this year. Taking on the likes of Lexus, Mercedes-Benz , Cadillac and BMW, it will be interesting to see if this appealing, new luxury sedan has what it takes to sway buyers.
Other vehicles of note introduced on day one at the North American International Auto Show included the Land Rover LRX hybrid concept, a Ford Verve Concept specifically designed for North American buyers and the glass roof Mustang. Mercedes-Benz spotlighted Sex in the City star Kim Cattrall along with Vision GL and Honda showed a near production version of the Honda Pilot Concept.
Day two promises to be equally exciting. Watch for our full coverage of the event starting tomorrow!
