Most important new-vehicle debuts
There were dozens of elaborate debuts at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year – some we expected, and some a surprise. And some more important than others.
Here are 11 of the most significant new cars and trucks to be shown for the first time at the Detroit show.
The all-electric Chevrolet Bolt was first introduced at the Detroit show last year as a concept, but this year it’s returned as a production car. It was seen at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but many of its details were revealed here in Detroit.
The Bolt has an electric range of about 200 miles, which is 320 kilometres, on a single charge. It will take nine hours to fully charge the battery, but a two-hour charge with a Level 2 charger at 220 volts will give about an 80-km range. When the Bolt is bolting, it will zip to 100 km/h from standstill in less than seven seconds.
General Motors showed a much sexier model close to the Bolt, however. The Buick Avista 2 2 coupe concept was unexpected and one of the hits of the show.
Buick has a performance past, but it’s not thought of these days as a sporting brand. The Avista is intended to change that, with a rear-wheel-drive chassis and a 400 hp V6 twin-turbo engine. It’s doubtful Buick will actually build it any time soon, but we can always hope.
Another gorgeous performance coupe broke cover over on the Lexus stand, where Toyota president Akio Toyoda introduced the production-ready LC 500. Its rear wheels are driven by the same 5.0-litre engine that’s under the hood of the hot RC-F, which creates 467 horsepower.
Toyoda said he wanted to get away from Lexus’s reputation as a boring brand and the LC500 will be sure to do that. It’s part of a “new dawn” for Lexus, and is built on a completely-new platform. It will be available to buy later this year, but don’t expect it to be cheap.
Still thinking of sports coupes, Infiniti debuted its Q60, a lovely top-of-the-line coupe that will be sold with a choice of three engines, ranging from 208 horsepower to 400 hp.
The Q60 will lead the way as a halo vehicle for Infiniti in 2016. Both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions will be available, with adjustable suspension and selectable drive modes.
Infiniti’s parent company, Nissan, showed off its new Titan pickup truck in Warrior concept trim, as a way to take it off-road and give it some American macho cred. It’ll be a direct competitor to the Ford F-150 Raptor if it's built.
The Titan Warrior’s body is 15 cm wider than the regular Titan XD, with custom suspension that includes long-travel shocks. Otherwise, the engine is the same 5.0L Cummins V-8 turbo-diesel already in the XD, but don’t worry about not being able to find it in the parking lot.
Ford shot back by debuting a new Raptor version of its F-150, now with four full-size doors in a SuperCrew version. It also showed off a new sporty edition of its best-selling Fusion sedan, which will be refreshed this year.
The 2017 Ford Fusion Sport will be good for 325 horsepower and 350 lbs.-ft. of torque. That’s more than the V6 Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and even more than the BMW 340i. It makes its power from a 2.7L Ecoboost V6.
Detroit neighbour Chrysler finally announced the death of the Town & Country minivan after 30 years, to be resurrected as the Pacifica. It’s no relation to the crossover last sold in 2008, but is an attempt to revitalize the people-hauler with a sleeker look.
The Pacifica will be built in Windsor, Ontario on a completely new platform, though its dimensions will be similar to the current minivan. There’ll be both a gasoline and a hybrid powertrain available, and the hybrid will drive up to 50 km on electric power alone. The hybrid’s batteries, however, will be stored under the second row of seats, so only the regular powertrain Pacifica will offer Stow-n-Go.
Kia introduced another way to haul seven people around, in the surprising Telluride concept. It’s a luxurious, full-size, three-row SUV that’s 25 cm longer than its existing Sorento, and is likely to be produced on a modified Sorento platform.
The Telluride concept includes sensors in the seats that can measure the physical condition of the passengers, and then re-energize them through a “Light Emitted Rejuvenation” system that uses LED lights in the ceiling. You read it here first…
Kia’s Korean parent Hyundai continued with the luxury theme by pulling the wraps off its first model for the new Genesis brand, the G90. The full-size sedan is intended to compete directly with luxury brands.
The G90 was introduced by Hyundai president Peter Schreyer, and it’s loaded with every luxury the maker can think of. There’ll be powerful V6 and V8 engines, and it promises both a refined and a sporty ride, developed from testing on the Nurburgring. The driver’s seat adjusts in 22 different ways.
Mercedes-Benz didn’t seem too worried about competition when it introduced a slew of new vehicles, including the 10th generation of its mid-size E-Class.
The new E-Class is fitted with safety technology never seen before, including seats that slide away from the point of impact in a collision, to better protect the passenger. It will be the first production vehicle that will change lanes with no driver input, as the next stage on Mercedes’ quest to build a production autonomous car.
The last word, perhaps, should go to Lincoln, which introduced a thoroughly modern production rendering of an iconic American sedan with its new Continental.
The Continental has its own 3.0 litre V-6 that's good for 400 hp, and either front-wheel- or all-wheel drive, but it's more about the comfort of the ride than nimble handling. Front seats are adjustable 30 different ways, with heat, cooling and massage, and even separate left-and-right thigh rests. There's no word (or even a hint) about the price yet, but it's due to come on sale in the fall - in time to drive to next year's Detroit show.
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