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A Little Bit Of
Everything
By:
The Editors of Automotive Trends
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Following last year's theme of "The Year of the Car", automakers
are preparing an even bigger wave of new products
for the upcoming year but this time there is a bit
of everything in the pipeline. This year's show stoppers
spanned all categories from two door two passenger
glorified golf carts to car-like trucks and the
ultimate in Detroit muscle cars. Below we've broken
down what made news and why.
Audi allroad Concept
Following closely on the heels of the A6 Avant, the
allroad concept retains the styling of the new wagon
but adds the adjustable suspension and what Audi is
calling Road Vision to automatically adjust to
changing road surfaces. We will see the production
version of this concept on the streets as the next
generation allroad in about a year.
Chyrsler Firepower
No surprises here; it looked great in the pre-show
sketches and it'll put your jaw on the floor when
you see the real deal. There are little hints that
the Firepower could see production as a Chrysler
flagship now that the ME Four Twelve appears to be
dead. We can only hope.
Ford GR-1
Ford is again dipping into its long heritage with
Carroll Shelby and this year they have brought us yet another
stunning concept car. The GR-1 captures much of the
original Cobra coupe styling themes and blends it
together with a modern version of the Ford GT
chassis. A 390 cubic-inch 605hp V10 ensures that,
like anything influenced by Shelby, this car will
fly.
Dodge Charger
A storied nameplate
such as the Charger that has to come back in
full-size sedan form could do much worse than the
Chrysler 300 platform. The reborn Charger doesn't go
blatantly retro but instead relies on stylish
elements like the kicked up shoulder line to keep
this Dodge holding its own against the likes of the
300C and Magnum. HEMI power means this family sedan
will be capable of smoky burnouts even diehard
muscle car fans will be proud of.
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Remarkably true to the swoopy concept shown at last
year's show the new Eclipse hopes to bring buyers
back to Mitsubishi through sheer design. The Eclipse
looks modern and ready to attract young buyers with
features like a 650-watt stereo and enthusiasts that
have long since abandoned the Eclipse as their
pocket-rocket of choice will be happy to see a
6-speed manual and 260hp. While Mitsubishi has seen
some hard times lately the new Eclipse, along with
cars like the Evolution, will go a long way toward
reestablishing Mitsubishi as a stylish and
performance-oriented alternative to the competition.
Ford Fusion
Using many of the styling queues from the 427
concept car of a year ago, Ford brings us a new
midsize sedan dubbed Fusion. Being built off a
modified Mazda6 platform, handling should have a
sporty flair to it, while remaining comfortable with
plenty of room for a family of four. Two engines
will be available, a four cylinder and a 210 hp V6,
both matched with a new efficient 6-speed automatic.
Look for all-wheel drive and hybrid versions to
follow shortly. Mercury will also receive a version
of the Fusion within a year called Milan.
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Two-door 2-seat coupe + 7.0L 427 cubic-inch V8 +
500hp + 6-speed manual = American Muscle. (Sorry, my
degree is in engineering not liberal arts.) This Z06
is smoking with 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds and the
quarter mile in the 11 second range. With much of
the Z06 designed and built along side the C6R Le
Mans racer, we can expect superb world-class
performance from this true American muscle car.
Cadillac STS-V
Rather than using raw cubes to make power like
its CTS-V stablemate, the STS-V’s mill is a
supercharged 4.4L V8 producing 440 hp. A new 6-speed
automatic channels that power to the rear wheels.
Don’t expect a leisurely ride as the STS-V is track
tuned and will propel itself to 60 mph in under 5
seconds. Muscular but restrained styling inside and
out is appealing but only hints at the beast hidden
within.
Honda Ridgeline
The truck market has just gotten too big for anyone
to ignore and that includes Honda. Therefore, in an
attempt to steer some of the hefty profit margins
that come with selling trucks on the U.S. market,
Honda debuted a people-minded pickup of their own.
Because it is a Honda it includes some nifty
breakthroughs that, like the fold-away 3rd row seat
in minivans, will spread through the industry.
Perhaps the most useful of these is the trunk.
That's right, we said this pickup has a trunk. Honda
says owners of trucks wanted more lockable cargo
space so, thanks to an independent rear suspension,
they put 8.6 cubic feet of weatherproof space under
the cargo box floor. While the Ridgeline won't steal
many sales from the big domestic trucks it is these
kind of innovations that put Honda out front in
almost every race they enter. If the public
approves of the styling midsize truck makers have
reason to be nervous.
Mitsubishi Raider
While this is basically a restyled Dodge Dakota it
does give Mitsubishi an entry into the lucrative
midsize truck market. Fortunately it is a successful
restyle with dramatically flared fenders and the
handsome Mitsubishi grille looking surprisingly
natural on this truck. With the added bonus of
America's best warranty this may be a good
alternative to the donor Dakota.
Continue Our Show
Stopper Coverage By Clicking Here! and
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