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2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit: The Theme was Green with a Mix of Technology, Power & Innovation
We ran hot laps around the Detroit Auto Show to get a take on what’s happening in the Motor City. This year it was all about eco-alternative materials and fuels, small cars and big engines. Read on…
The Alternatives…
The Honda CR-Z concept is a lightweight hybrid sports car with Honda's original gas-electric hybrid system for “clean performance and a high level of torque.” The CR-Z is designed to give great performance while being kind to the environment. From the front it’s all about the over-sized grill, while tube-shaped lamps flank the rear. With LED headlights and 19-inch wheels the CR-Z has presence. On the interior, mesh material is stretched over a simple framework to convey a light, clean and sophisticated picture. In the control panel, the futuristic meter unit is installed in a piece of glass artwork.
The Volvo ReCharge Concept (C30) is a plug-in hybrid with individual electric motors at the wheels and batteries that can be recharged using a regular electrical outlet. The car can be driven about 100 kilometers (62 miles) on battery power alone before the four-cylinder Flexifuel engine is needed to power the vehicle and recharge the battery. When driving on electric power only, operating costs are expected to be about 80 percent lower than that of a comparable gas-powered automobile.
Toyota’s environmentally advanced A-BAT concept, a compact four-person pick-up, rides on a unibody platform for car-like handling in the city. It’s also equipped with all the bells and whistles to take it off-road. On the green side, this truck uses Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive® and translucent solar panels in the dash to capture sunlight and convert it into energy for the navigation unit, information displays and the portable power pack.
Are you ready for this big boy to go hybrid? The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, powered by a fuel-saving 2-Mode Hybrid system, promises to deliver more than a 50-percent improvement in fuel economy in city driving. You won’t miss out on all of the Escalade's comfort & conveniences, either. Plus, you get an eight-inch, touch screen navigation system that shows readouts of the hybrid system.
The winged-door Mitsubishi Concept-RA is light and fast. It rests on an aluminum frame with exterior panels that are made from lightweight recyclable plastic resin. The 2.2 liter clean diesel engine pumps out 201 hp with 310 lb-ft of torque.
Chrysler’s ENVI (Environmentally Responsible Electric-Drive Vehicle Technology), in-house team is working “outside the box” to come up with new sources to power hi-tech vehicles. The 3 offerings at the Detroit show were the Chrysler ecoVoyager, Dodge ZEO and Jeep Renegade. The Jeep Renegade was by far one of the wildest concepts at the show. This open-air, two-seater with an electric motor powering each axle is constructed of environmentally friendly materials. We especially liked the reconstructed rubber-clad head and tail lamps and sculpted doors with big triangle-shaped openings, soy based foam seats and a wireless interior that can be hosed down, just some of the features.
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The Land Rover LRX took the green theme a notch higher. The concept’s interior designer, Joanna Keatley, is keen on the environment. “Basically all of the materials have some sort of eco-story,” she stated. For instance, the chocolate leather used on the console is 100% vegetable tanned and chromium free (apparently when leather is tanned it releases all kinds of toxins in the environment.)
On looks alone, the Audi R8 V12 TDI concept is a total win. On the outside a matte silver finish graces the generous curves while the cockpit is topped by a glass roof and a glazed engine compartment in the rear. With its 12-cylinder diesel engine the V12 will push out 500 hp and 737.56 lb.-ft of torque, more than enough to go 0-62.14 in 4.2 seconds with a top speed over 186.41 mph. The engine is a derivative of the engine in the Audi R10.
Lincoln’s MKT concept houses EcoBoost, Ford's engine technology that has improved mpg and greenhouse gas emissions. The 3.5-liter V-6 with 415 hp and 400 pound-feet of torque, a turbocharger and direct injection, promises the speed of a V-8 engine with the fuel usage of a V-6.
Extraordinary Concepts…
Hyundai’s Veloster Sporty Coupe Concept was a real surprise. The FWD Veloster (a play on the words velocity and roadster) has the sporty charm of a classic 2+2 with a panoramic glass roof, clean lines, a 2.0-liter DOHC 4-cylinder and 5-speed automatic.
The gull-wing, front-wheel-drive Buick Riviera concept coupe was developed with design input by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, a joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. Engineered to accommodate a new hybrid system that will go into production this year at Shanghai GM, PATAC designers looked to Buick icons and Eastern influences.
This is one for Arnold Schwarzenegger. Thought up by a trio of young designers, the open air Hummer Hx concept is a 4-person convertible with removable roof panels and doors. Powered by a 3.6L SIDI V-6 E85 FlexFuel engine with six-speed automatic transmission, this land shark can be configured as an SUT (with the roof assembly removed), a hip slant-back or a wagon.
The Big Guns…
The all-new 2009 Nissan GT-R is described as “the ultimate supercar that can be driven by anyone, anytime, anywhere.” Powered by a 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 producing 480 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque the Nissan GT-R has a “hybrid body construction” which combines steel, carbon fiber and die-cast aluminum to give it a lightweight structure and a drag coefficient of .27.
Lexus’ LF-A Roadster high-performance vehicle sits on a sturdy yet lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum body. At a low 48 inches tall, this super dynamic shape rides on high-performance tires with turbine-styled alloy wheels. Like its coupe counterpart, a V10 engine that is capable of more than 500 horsepower powers the LF-A and gives it test-track speeds greater than 200 mph.
The Pontiac G8 performance sedan is the first North American application of GM’s new global rear-wheel-drive architecture. The base G8 has a 3.6L DOHC V-6 with variable valve timing, rated at 261 horsepower. The G8 GT is driven by a 6.0-liter small-block V-8, rated at 362 horsepower and 391 lb.-ft. of torque.
The 2008 CADILLAC XLR-V is the quickest and most agile Cadillac ever offered. It comes equipped with a 443-horsepower (330 kW) 4.4L Northstar V-8 supercharged engine. And more…the retractable hard top can convert from coupe to open roadster in less than 30 seconds. The inside uses eucalyptus wood in light or dark tones, aluminum accents and gauges designed in conjunction with Italian luxury brand Bulgari.
Murcielago LP 640 Coupe is all you have to know. We were stopped by the color …an ice blue as soft and silky as the finest pair of satin sheets. The Coupe comes equipped with permanent 4WD, 6.5 liter 12 cylinder heart with 640 hp @ 6000 rpm with multi-point sequential fuel injection. Who cares what it all means? It looks so fine. The cost? Again, who cares?
The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 was the word on everyone’s lips. With 620 horsepower and 595 pound-feet of torque from the all-new LS9 engine it is the most powerful GM vehicle ever put into production. Chevrolet says the ZR1 will be the first production Corvette to achieve a top speed of at least 200 mph. The first one sold for one million dollars at Barret-Jackson!
Jaguar’s newest sedan, the XF has a start button that lights up and pulses red when you touch it. That gives you some indication of what’s inside. The XF will be propelled by the choice of two engines - the 4.2 liter naturally aspirated V8 or the 4.2-liter supercharged V8. The base V8 does 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds while the supercharged will do 0-60 in 5.1 seconds.
The 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren roadster was another showstopper. Powered by a supercharged 5.5-liter, 617-hp AMG V8 engine, the Roadster boasts 0-60 mph acceleration of only 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 206 mph. The semi-automatic roof opens by simply unlatching it from the windshield frame and raising the top slightly, after which an electric motor folds it away in less than ten seconds.
The Small Guys…
The Ford Verve was introduced as a small car concept with the type of cutting edge technology that "will set it apart when Ford’s new small cars go on sale in North America in 2010." Outfitted with a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engine, the Verve is targeted to appeal to “Milennials” and their parents. Millennials, who have grown up with the Internet, mobile phones and 24/7 connectivity, believe that "bigger is not necessarily better, precision is everything and technology rules.”
The Chevrolet BEAT, TRAX and GROOVE concepts were designed at GM’s Design Studio in Inchon, South Korea. These sherbert-colored vehicles look like a good time. The Beat, a front-wheel-drive, three-door hatchback, is powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. The Groove, a retro-inspired vehicle, has curvy fender flares and an upright windshield. The front-drive Groove is powered by a small, efficient 1-liter diesel engine. The Chevrolet Trax, an urban crossover concept, sports a low cost all-wheel-drive system and takes on the personality of a bigger SUV with its huge bumpers and fenders, rear-mounted spare tire and a roof rack.
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