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Trucks, performance cars are on the top of list
By David Schmidt, Journal Register News Service
PUBLISHED: January 24, 2008
Looking and listening at the 2008 Detroit Auto show, it was difficult to tell that anyone in the auto world is concerned about any weakness this coming year.
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Of course, the show is designed to encourage optimism and show off the new products that are clearly going to set the world on its ear, and present the ethereal dreams of the future via various concept cars.
While there were plenty of concepts that reflect much political correctness and responsible products, when it came to production, the trucks and performance cars were what everyone was talking about.
Ford revealed the next generation F-150, the pickup truck that carries the company in its bed. It looks good, has plenty of sophistication in its presentation and features their versions of V8 power. The days of one-size fits all are certainty gone in Ford truck country.
Ever the showmen, Dodge introduced the new Dodge Ram full-size pickup with a herd of Texas longhorn cattle being driven up the street in front of Cobo Hall by a bunch of cowboys. This Ram is more conventional looking, but still features a HEMI engine, this year with 380 hp. They'll also offer a crew cab model.
These new trucks will be cleaner and more environmentally friendly, but they're — drum roll please— what people want to buy, own and drive. They're pickups to be proud of.
Cadillac wowed everybody with a CTS Coupe concept, which is clearly going to be built. If it is as successful as it is attractive, it'll be a home run.
While GM was at it, the company revealed the Corvette ZR1, which takes performance a level past the current Corvette performance model, the ZO6. The ZR1 is powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, which Chevrolet says will produce 620 hp. and approximately 595 lbs.-ft. of torque.
Not to be outdone in the supercar category, Audi introduced a V12 diesel version of its R8, which is called a concept at the moment. This diesel's displacement is six liters and generates 500 hp. and 737 lbs.-ft. of torque. Lexus countered with a roadster version of its beautiful LF-A. This 500-hp. supercar is still a concept, but with this latest of several versions of the car, hopes are high that it will become a production car soon.
Even the Koreans got into the spirit, with Kia announcing its new Borrego crossover ute, which will feature its first V8 engine. BMW showed the X6, with a swooping rear roofline and huge wheels, which seemed to irritate a lot of journalists. In the ute/crossover category, Mercedes introduced the GLK, a vehicle designed to bring luxury to the mid-size sport ute category. The company actually has two versions, which it still is calling concepts. The Vision GLK Freeside and Vision GLK Townside are two expressions of the same vehicle.
There was a lot of talk about increasing performance. Even as Ford prepared to drop the new, really slick Verve from the ceiling of Cobo Arena, it also had four high-performance versions of the Mustang take the stage, reaffirming Ford's commitment to the iconic car.
The new Verve small car will go on sale in Europe in 2009 and North America in 2010. It is modernistic and attractive, and will sell as a four-door here in the United States and as a three-door hatchback everywhere else in the world.
There weren't really a lot of other cars for regular people, but what there were looked quite nice. Toyota introduced a sort of flattened sports ute that looks an awful lot like a station wagon. The Venza was developed here, for sale here. It'll go on sale as a 2009 model.
My bottom line on the show is that the automakers are focusing on cars and trucks they think they can sell and make a profit from. The winners of the North American car and truck of the year seem to point in that direction: The car was the Chevrolet Malibu, and the truck was Mazda's CX9. Both are about real people driving real cars.
It there a lesson here?
This year began with portents of gloom and doom; certainly, sales will probably be lower in the United States this year. Thankfully, most manufacturers are doing well overseas, so that helps to offset some of the drama. But whether sales are up or down, the real issue this year is whether American carmakers can take small, shaky steps toward financial health.
The Detroit auto show would have you see an industry trying to get it right.
If you have any questions, comments or ideas, please send them to autoeditor@journalregister. com.
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